How to Tell if You Have the Best Sliding Screen Door Replacement

It is finally time. Your poor patio or porch sliding screen door looks rough around the edges, or perhaps you’ve just moved into a new home but the screen on the patio door desperately needs an upgrade and improvement. Where do you start? There are so many different types of screen doors on the market today that knowing which one to choose and which one is the right fit for your needs and your door can be confusing to navigate. It is very important to choose the best sliding screen door replacement to get the most out of your investment, along with a high-quality screen door that will last you years to come. But if you don’t know how to tell if you have the best sliding screen door replacement, how can you pick?

Note: This is a sponsored guest post. It was written by a third party and I was compensated for publishing it.

Also, you should consider within that decision what functions you will need your sliding screen door to perform. Not all sliding screen doors offer a variety of uses. If you have pets, will you need to keep the dogs or cats inside your home? Do you want a sliding screen door that can best resist the scratches pets can make on the mesh? Do you have a toddler, and if so, should you purchase a sliding screen door with enough strength to resist being pushed on?

These are all crucial questions to ask yourself in the quest to find the best sliding screen door replacement, and luckily, answers are here.

Where to Start Before the Search

We’ve already mentioned the first steps to take before dedicating the time to search for the replacement. It’s important to know exactly what you want out of your sliding screen door replacement. But why is it important?

Purchasing the wrong screen type may turn into a costly process of having to repair and replace entire screens that weren’t made to withstand your home life. For instance, if you have pets, like cats that love to jump and chase or enthusiastic pups that can’t help but jump for joy on your screen door, the average screen can’t withstand the wear and tear of claws. In the case of having a rambunctious toddler, they often press against screens. Again, an average screen is not made to withstand that weight and pressure and you may find yourself with the screen tearing, or worse, torn out completely, forcing you to purchase and insert new screen mesh.
Choosing the right sliding screen door replacement can make the difference between a screen door that will outlast years of use, weather, keep insects, dust, debris, and dirt out of your home, or a sliding screen door that may need replacing again in just a few years.

Once you know exactly what you want from your sliding screen door, the next step should be relatively simple. All you need is a measuring tape, a pencil, and paper to jot down the measurements. You can take the measurements for your replacement sliding screen door one of two ways.

Measure your old sliding screen door. Measure the length and width (outside edge to edge) and note those measurements.
If your sliding screen door is missing, or too broken to measure, you can determine width by measuring from the inside of the side jam to the top of the bottom track into the top U-Channel. Check your height measurements in 3 places (both ends of the door and the center) and use the smallest of the 3 measurements. Ensure to measure at least twice to verify that you have the correct measurements, so you get the perfect sized replacement.

After measuring and double-checking your measurements as well as jotting them down, the next thing to do is to consider the style of screening or screen mesh that will best fit your needs within the sliding screen door replacement.

What Screen Materials to Choose

One fantastic way of telling whether you are choosing one of the best sliding screen door replacements is whether or not you have the ability to choose elements for your screen door. Not every household need is the same. For instance, perhaps you live in an environment where very tiny insects are an issue, and an average screen won’t keep them out of your home. Perhaps you don’t have pets or tiny insects. Maybe you live in a very warm climate and you need all the assistance you can get to keep energy costs down due to cooling. A reputable screen door source should give you opportunities to address specific needs to ensure your screen door performs perfectly for your needs.

These are the top choices for screen options and what they do to help you decide:

Fiberglass insect screen. This is your standard fiberglass screen that is perfect for a home that isn’t troubled by tiny insects, has pets or toddlers in the home. Long-lasting and durable, these are reliable and budget friendly.
No-See-Um. These fiberglass screens are made to specifically protect the home against very tiny, irritating insects such as gnats, sand flies, fruit flies, and so on. This is a much finer mesh, sometimes referred to as a 20×20 mesh. This is an excellent screen to choose from for homeowners that live in marshy or coastal areas.
Nano 50 screen. This window screen is created from an advanced polymer formula that weaves fiberglass strands into the fabric for extra strength and resilience. The Nano 50 provides extra strength, keeping out the tiniest bugs like No-See-Um, but is hardy enough that dogs or cats can’t tear through. Nano 50 merges the best of No-See-Um screen functionality with pet-screen’s incredible 800 lb resistance.
Pet Resistant Screen. Created using extruded vinyl-coated polyester core yarn, this is heavier than average fiberglass or aluminum and is specifically engineered to resist tears and damage caused by household pets while withstanding extreme outdoor conditions.
Solar Screen. Solar screen is a specially designed screen mesh that not only prevents insects from entering the home but can block anywhere from 80-90% of harmful UV rays from the sun. This feature can reduce the heat and dangerous UV radiation that is passed through your window, often heating your home in the summer, and causing energy bills to increase due to AC systems having to work hard to cool your space.

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