Once winter passes it is time to start opening the doors and windows to let in the fresh air. Ripped screens, though, can let in more than fresh air. Holes or rips in screens are easy to fix. You can either patch the damaged area or replace the whole screen in a matter of minutes.
When your screen has a rip or small hole you can sew it up, just as you would a tear in fabric. There are special repair kits you can buy or you can use a strong sewing thread. All you need to do is sew up the area. For a hole, you may need to add in a piece of patch screen. Make sure you use secure, tight stitches, so the repair is permanent.
If you have multiple holes, rips or large holes you may want to replace the screen instead of sewing or patching it. To do this you need a new piece of screen, a new seal, called spline, and a special tool that allow you to push the seal into the window base. The tool, called a convex roller, usually has a wooden or plastic handle and two rollers on either end. You need to position the screen on the window and the slowly use the toll to push the seal into the window to secure the screen in place. It may take a few tries to get the process right, but once you get started you should be able to replace a screen quickly.
Before starting any repair job you should gather all of your supplies. You will need the following so that you can be prepared to repair or replace your screens:
- Needle
- Thread
- Extra screen
- Patch pieces
- Convex Roller
- Spline
You should also examine all your frames to make sure that they are in good condition and fix anything that needs it.
Repairing and replacing window screens will allow you to enjoy the fresh air without having your home filled with flies and other bugs. It is a simple process to fix a screen and you should have no trouble repairing and replacing all your damaged screens in less than a day.
