Bug, Insect & Window Screen Frequently Asked Questions

Yes and No. Yes, we can rescreen a sliding patio screen door if it’s one of our doors, but not the cheap, flimsy sliding screen door that came with the house. In addition, we do not reuse the frames from your old bug screens. We build entirely new window screens with a new frame. It’s simply not worth the labor costs to try to re-use and fight with old screen frames.

When window screen framing is new, it is not straight, but is curved outward (or cambered).
As a brand new window screen is being made, all 4 sides of the screen frame are cambered outward before the screen fabric is installed into the frame. This outward camber is important because once the bug screen fabric is installed, the screen frame is pulled straight under tension in order to keep the screen’s fabric taut and flat, thus avoiding sloppy looking wrinkles or waves in your screen.

Unfortunately, the window screen frame loses its outward camber or outward springiness after a short period of time in the straight position.

New screen frame is bowed outward (cambered) in order to keep the screen fabric tight and looking sharp!

This “Hourglassed” window screen has a gap on the side. Gaps like these are an “Open Door” policy for the mosquitoes and other pests!

Attempting to repair a used window screen is very difficult because once the old bug screen fabric is removed, the screen frame does not spring back outward, but remains straight. As new bug screen fabric is installed into the old window screen frame, the aluminum screen frame will not remain straight but will bow inward or “hourglass” as the fabric is pulled taut in the frame. A window screen that has “hourglassed” will no longer fit properly in your window’s tracks, and gaps around the edges will make a bug-tight seal impossible. As a general rule, the larger the screen, the more prevalent this problem will be.

In addition, most homes built in the last fifteen years have very cheap bug screens that came with the house. In an effort to reduce costs, most builders chose to cut corners….. literally! Most window screens on newer homes use plastic corners to hold the four pieces of frame together. This plastic becomes yellow and brittle over time, and often breaks at the slightest amount of strain or movement. Bug screens with plastic corners are definitely not good candidates for re-screening.

Bugscreens with cheap plastic corners aren’t worth re-screening because the corners are usually very brittle and at the end of their useful life.

For these reasons and more, A to Z does not reuse the existing window screen frames. We do the job right by professionally measuring, making, and installing new window screens from scratch, ensuring you a bug-free breeze and a hassle-free purchasing experience!

Because our 4500-sq-ft shop is jam-packed with a wide array of screening components, the answer is a resounding YES 99% of the time…. But there are window manufacturers out there who use proprietary components not available to independent dealers. Custom Color screen frames or factory-specific mounting hardware are sometimes not possible to match exactly, but rest assured, AtoZ will be able to come very close if we don’t have an exact match.

No. All of our bug screens are made using heavy-duty internal metal corners that won’t become brittle or delicate due to the outdoor elements. But beware…many of our competitors DO use plastic corners!!! As you’re well aware, the cheapest price usually doesn’t mean the best value! Most of our customers are wise enough to pay a little more up front in order to avoid having to pay twice for inferior quality!

A to Z REFUSES to use cheap plastic corners that will become brittle and break from exposure to the sun!

A to Z doesn’t “cut corners” when it comes to our window screen corners!

A to Z mitre cuts the framing and assembles your insect screens using DURABLE internal metal corners that will last indefinitely.

Yes, we can, but we discourage it. The reason is that we have had many customers who, while trying to save a buck have new screens using their measurements only to find out that their measuring skills aren’t quite as good as they thought! In the event you choose do your own measuring, we can’t be responsible if your screen doesn’t fit due to inaccurate measurements supplied to us. If it doesn’t fit, you’ll need to purchase a new screen altogether. Let our team of experts make your life easier by letting us do what we do best! Because measuring window screens correctly can be tricky, and must be done very precisely, we’ll visit your home and measure directly from the window the screen is intended to fit! And if we mess up on our measurements, we make another screen on our dime, not yours!

The screen business is highly seasonal and lead times can vary dramatically based upon the weather! Generally speaking, spring and summer lead times can be several weeks! If you don’t like waiting around, ordering your window screens in the off-season is often the wisest course of action. Wintertime turnaround is usually significantly faster than the spring and summer seasons.

You could make your own window screens if you like, but you need to ask yourself: What is your time worth?

We see it every summer: The customer who drove down to the hardware store purchased some screen-building materials, and then attempted to make their own screens……. Screens that didn’t match the other… screens that don’t fit right, and screens with loose and sloppy fabric….. And then, after several trips to the hardware store and an entire day wasted, they stand back looking at their handiwork, and have an epiphany: making your own window screens is a lot more work than it was worth, AND I still don’t have a window screen that will keep out the bugs! If you want to spend your weekend doing something you enjoy, call A to Z Window Screens! You’ll be able to breathe a bug-free sigh of relief with the knowledge that you’re money ahead letting our screen experts do what they’re good at…. making your life easy!!

Just because your household specializes in DESTROYING your bugscreens doesn’t mean you should also specialize in FIXING them! Let AtoZ make your screen repair experience a breeze!

Absolutely! AtoZ knows it can be difficult to try and stuff your old window screens into your garbage cans! Therefore, we are happy to give your old bug screens a dignified retirement! Just be sure to tell the installer you’d like us to put your old screens “out to pasture”, and we’ll be happy to oblige at no charge to you! If you don’t specifically tell our installers you want them to take the old ones away, however, they’ll leave them at your home with you. In addition, old screens are destroyed daily, so once you instruct our installer to dispose of your old screens, we will not be able to return them. In addition, if you do not ask our technician while he is at your home, we will not be able to return for them without an additional trip charge.

AtoZ LOVES your pets…. but for different reasons than most! GOOD KITTY!

Replacing crummy old sliding screen doors that don’t slide, lock, or stay on the tracks is one of the most common jobs that we do! Sliding patio screen doors are often subject to lots of use and abuse and commonly need to be repaired or replaced. Fortunately for you, AtoZ can custom make these doors out of quality materials and to the exact size needed for years of care-free use and enjoyment. Just like window screens, there are no such thing as a “standard sized” sliding screen doors, and each door must be made to within ⅛” in order to slide and function properly. This is why the cheap “one size fits none” sliding screen doors found in hardware stores constantly fall off the tracks or get jammed up and don’t slide properly. In fact, our local hardware stores often send their customers to AtoZ whenever they come in and inquire after a new sliding screen door! And unlike the cheap hardware store doors or the screen door that came with your house, our sliding screen doors have NO PLASTIC PARTS, thus ensuring years of hassle free use.

We would love to talk with you about our custom-made sliding screen doors today. Click here to learn how a new, custom made sliding patio screen door can instantly lower your blood pressure and make your home a happier place ;-).

Have the tiny gnats got you gnashing your teeth in frustration?

If the standard insect screens that came with your home aren’t keeping out the tiny little gnats, AtoZ Window screens has got a gnarly solution to keep them from buzzing your ear while trying to enjoy a bug-free breeze inside your home!

With an 18 X 16 mesh (18 strands X 16 strands per square inch), standard insect screens have holes that will admittedly stop flies and mosquitos, but when it comes to the pesky little gnats, having standard window screens on your home is an “open door policy” for these little pests.

AtoZ Window Screens is one of the few companies in the Sacramento region that stocks a product called Phifer No-See-Um insect screen. It is a very tightly woven screen with a 20X20 Mesh (20 strands X 20 strands per square inch) specifically designed to keep even the tiniest of insects from penetrating your inner peace!

The Phifer No-See-Um screen mesh looks very similar to ordinary insect screen with excellent outward visibility and airflow, but has tiny holes to keep those microscopic menaces outside where they belong…. and it’s not much more expensive than standard window screens!

Because we have so many problems with the tiny gnats in our area, custom made Phifer No-See-Um screens have quickly become one of our most popular product lines. As such, AtoZ doesn’t have to special order this fabric as they keep it in stock for lower pricing and quicker delivery times.

So if you are sick of gnashing your teeth because of the gnats in your house, Give AtoZ a call so we can fortify your fortress against these irritating little pests!

Because window screens are installed in such a way that they are exposed to the outside elements, they do get dirty and need to be cleaned occassionally….

AtoZ often gets asked by our customers “What is the best way to keep my window screens clean and in good condition?”

One of the most important things you need to know about your window screens in order to keep them in good shape, is how to get them in and out of your windows without bending or breaking them! The fact of the matter is, while customers who bend or break their screens while trying to get them in or out of their windows create amazing job security for us, we’d rather not have our customers subject to such heartache and expense!

In order to keep you from spilling tears over busted screens, here’s a great video tutorial on how to get your screens in and out of the window without damaging them. Click here to Watch Video.

Once you’ve managed to remove your window screens without bending or breaking them, the hard part is over, so congratulations ;-).

Now all you need to do is clean them!

Here are the steps to cleaning your window screens:

1. Remove all your window screens from the windows (without bending them 😉
2. Lay them flat on a clean, flat surface (driveway or back patio or cement porch etc)
3. Rinse your screens off thoroughly with water to get the majority of the dust off.
4. With a 5 gallon bucket full of soapy water (Dawn liquid dish soap works great), use a soft bristle brush (same as what you use to wash your car with) to gently scrub your screen alternating directions as you scub.
5. Flip your screen over and repeat, scrubbing the other side of your window screen.
6. Lean your screens up against your home or side fence and gently rinse all soapy water and remaining dirt off of your window screens.
7. Allow to Air Dry
8. Once dried, re-install your window screens (without bending them).
9. If you accidently bent a few of your window screen frames, call AtoZ Window Screens to schedule a free, in-home estimate to get them replaced.

Window screens are pretty maintenance free. Other than an occasional cleaning, they really don’t require much of your love and attention…. and that’s a good thing so you can give it all to your spouse and kids….

That being said, however, window screens are always outside exposed to mother nature and all she can throw at them, so eventually the sun’s harsh UV rays will cause the fabric to fall apart and become sun-rotten, or the screen’s plastic corners will become yellowed and brittle and easily break.

Most standard insect screens will last for about 8-10 years before exposure and old age play their mean trick and they need to be replaced.

Unfortunately, other than handling your screens gently and with care when removing or re-installing them, there’s not much you can do to prolong the life of your screens… but when it’s time to replace them, AtoZ can help get you brand new screens that will withstand the elements and last longer than standard builder grade garbage screens that came with the house.

Unlike cheap builder-grade window screens that’ll need to be replaced every 8-10 years, AtoZ Window Screens has upgraded options available that will last much longer.

• First, AtoZ doesn’t use plastic corners… Unlike the bargain basement builder grade screens that came with your home, AtoZ cuts a 45 degree mitres their window screen corners and then holds it all together using high quality metal corners that will never yellow, become brittle or break easily.
• Second, rather than only offering standard fiberglass insect screen (that gets sun-rot and needs to be replaced every 8-10 years), AtoZ also offers an upgraded Phifer “Tuff Screen” bug screen fabric which is woven out of a super tough and weather-resistant polyester fabric that will last 15-20 years before having to be replaced.

So while there be no real way to better maintain your existing window screens, when it comes time to replace them, AtoZ has better quality options for the discerning customer who values long term quality and durability.

If you need new window screens and have an extra hug or two that you can give, give AtoZ Window Screens a call and we’ll come out to give you a free, no obligation in-home estimate so you can get that bug-free breeze for 20 years to come…. hassle free!

Yes. You can also use iron-on denim patches to cover the holes in the knees of your jeans. You can also try to put new wine in old bags (a biblical term ;-), but no matter how you slice it, two things are going to happen:

1. You’re only using a temporary band-aid to fix the problem, and often the surrounding fabric is going to continue to rip around your patch.
2. Your patchwork patch will never look as good as replacing the screen altogether.

We get it, having a professional screen company come out to replace your window screens isn’t always in everyone’s budget, so when things are tight, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do to keep the bugs at bay, and there are screen patch kits in a pinch, but eventually when you are in a position do do it right, AtoZ Window Screens is always here to do the job right for the lowest cost possible.

If you’re tired of seeing scotch tape, super glue, patch kits, or ratty screens and you’re ready to finally pull the trigger on getting new window screens, AtoZ Window screens is ready and eager to kick those ratty old screens to the curb and replace them with some new, perfectly-fitting window screens!