Our screened porches often become a solace for many. They also provide us respite from insects, allow us to enjoy the rain without getting too wet, and can allow our pets and children a bug-free environment to play and explore.
Until the screens begin sagging or breaking away from its frame, of course.
Most screens will begin to break down as they age, especially if you have older versions that are nailed, stapled, or tacked onto wooden porch posts. It is especially true of any screened-in porch if the quality of screening and frame may be questionable, or you have no record of who installed your porch and what was used to build it.
As screens age, they often begin to sag, which isn't exactly the prettiest sight on your porch but can lead to other issues such as the screen completely letting go, tears, and loose corners that allow the bugs in. Not only that, if someone accidentally touches or pushes it, there also is a very good chance the entire screen will come off too.
Of course, other factors can contribute to shortening or expanding the life of screen porches as well. Weather, environment, material quality, and whether preventative maintenance has been done to help keep the porch in its best condition can make a difference in how long screening lasts.
Tips on Screen Porch Upkeep
There are some things which you can do to extend the life of your screen porches.
Every Year, You Should:
- Clean as regularly as you can. Sweep the porch every few days, dust off surfaces in porch areas, including windowsills or aluminum frames, the blades of a porch fan if you have one. Scrub, mop, or in the case of concrete, power wash the floors using the recommended products for your type of porch flooring. Clean out any of your lighting fixtures as well, removing their covers and cleaning any bugs that get caught in them.
- Rinse everything down in spring. As beautiful as spring is, it is also pollen season. Take the time to rinse or wipe off pollen that collects on your screens, as these not only help reduce exposure to allergies but keeps your screen visibility high.
- If your screened-in porch floor is wooden, make sure you reseal it every few years or as needed to keep the wood from drying, cracking, and warping.
- Grease your screen door once a year to cut down on noisy squeaks and prevent wear and tear on the door.
- Touch up any areas of caulking, to keep your screened-in porch sealed and the insects out.
- Patch any small holes as soon as possible, to avoid small problems becoming larger ones if left unchecked.
- And lastly, if you find that wear and tear, time, pets, or children have done damages that are no longer easy to patch, replace the screen entirely. Consider a pet-resistant or heavy-duty screen that can withstand both. Replacing screen is an incredibly easy DIY project that can be done by many.
Hire a Screening Expert
If doing-it-yourself or the damages to your screened-in porch seems too much to handle, the best way to ensure the long life of your porch is to hire a professional who can do the maintenance of parts or replacements. Most expert screen installation professionals will remove any old wooden pin-up strips, replacing them with reliable powder-coated aluminum, check any fasteners, replace, or fix sagging screens, and can fix many issues you may not have noticed.
The cost of hiring a professional will vary from state to state and contractor by contractor, but the price will most often be determined by your porch's square footage. The national average for rescreening a porch is roughly $110 for the first 32 feet and an additional $2-5 more of each added square foot.
So, on average, how long do screened porches last? The general average that does not take into consideration materials, age, and quality of materials of frame and screen, estimates screened porches last roughly six to eight years before needing repair.
Higher quality screens and materials have been shown to last a decade or even longer when properly cleaned and maintained. Taking care of your porch will help prolong not only its life but its original beauty too.
