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5 Signs It’s Time to Upgrade Your Patio Door Screen

There’s nothing better than opening your patio door to let some nice fresh air in, that’s until the screen starts sticking and sagging or letting unwanted pests inside your house. Like any part of your home, a door screen doesn’t last forever. From torn mesh to bent frames and stiff rollers, they don’t just look bad – they can impact the airflow, your home’s energy efficiency and even stay on top of pest control. Here are a few telltale signs that your screens are in need of an upgrade.

Visible Tearing & Holes

Small tears in the mesh of your patio screen doors shouldn’t go unignored. These unassuming rips can start off fine but can quickly turn into big problems. Once the mesh is compromised, tears start acting as weak points and will soon grow into giant gaping holes. They will let in all sorts of bugs, pests and debris, and if you’re not careful, you could soon be getting a visit from some not-so-friendly neighbourhood wildlife. 

Door Is Struggling To Slide

Your screens should make your home easier to live in – not tougher. They should glide across the rails with ease in whichever direction. If you have the lift, yank or pull aggressively on the screens to move them, then it’s likely that the rollers or track they’re on need replacing. Getting just the rollers or track replaced could be an option, but it still involves removing the screens anyway so an upgrade might make more sense.

Frame Is Warped or Bent

If you can see that the screen looks a bit wonky and isn’t sitting right, then you’ve got quite a bit of a problem with the frame. A twisted frame, noticeable by eye, will mean that your screens aren’t going to sit straight or flush to the glass. That can prevent a seal from forming, meaning that debris and bugs can get inside. 

It could be down to the sun being particularly hot over a few years or just from an accidental bump that caused some damage. Either way, once a frame has lost its shape, it’s near impossible to repair – and a full replacement should be scheduled.

More Pests Inside

If you’ve suddenly noticed a lot more bugs, flies, and other pests getting into your home, then it might be time to inspect your patio door screens. Even if you cannot see any damage, it doesn’t mean it’s not there. The mesh and frame could still be fully intact, but the rubber holding the mesh to the frame could be breaking down, creating small holes for pests to get into your home through.

Discoloration & Rust

A lot of door screens have metal frames, and as you would expect, over time that metal can deteriorate. Any discoloration or rust on the metal means it’s weakening and might even feel brittle to the touch. As the frame weakens it means you could struggle to open and close the screen and even the door so it’s worth getting the whole screen replaced at the first sign of rust before bigger issues occur.

A worn-out patio door screen might seem like a tiny issue, but it can easily affect your comfort in your home. If you’ve noticed any of the signs above then it’s time to start thinking about getting those screens replaced – giving you peace of mind each time you slide those screens shut.