A custom screen enclosure that is built to fit your patio or porch can be a useful upgrade to your home. There are quite a few benefits when it comes to screening in a bit of the great outdoors.
1. Pest Exclusion
One of the big reasons people opt to install a screen room is to keep pests away from outdoor seating and dining areas. You won't have to worry about flies, mosquitoes, or wasps when your patio is protected by a screen room. Although pests are kept out, you still get to enjoy the fresh air and even a bit of sunlight if you desire.
2. Pet Safety
For those with smaller pets like cats and small dogs, allowing them to enjoy fresh air safely can be a challenge. A screened-in porch or patio provides a safe space to contain your pets while they are enjoying the outdoors. Unlike fences, which some smaller animals can squeeze through, screens ensure there is no way to escape. There are special screen materials available that are well suited to pets as the screening can't easily be damaged by claws or teeth.
3. Weather Protection
A screen can help protect from some weather. Most notably, screens keep out blowing debris on windy days which allows you to enjoy a breeze without blinking grit out of your eyes. Screens can also provide moderate shade, especially when combined with a patio cover, so sunny and hot days are more comfortable within the screen room. You can also have screen rooms designed so that the screens can be replaced with storm windows in winter, thus creating a four-season space that is protected from all types of weather.
4. Increase Living Space
Screening in the porch will effectively increase your home's living space. With pests and weather kept at bay, dining and entertaining outside is much easier. You can even open up the doors so that the outside feels like part of the inside without any worries of pests getting into the house. This is especially useful if your screen is in a patio that you'll access via large sliding doors or french doors.
5. Dirt Prevention
Blown leaves and other debris can collect on a large porch to the point where you can never enjoy any time outside unless you sweep and wipe everything down first. Screens provide an excellent barrier to blown-in debris, so the porch or patio is always ready for a few minutes of enjoyment with minimal to no prep work beforehand. Cleaning will be a breeze when it is necessary.
Contact a screen enclosure contractor to learn more about your options.