A Short Guide on How to Choose the Best Fly Screen
Let me be real with you. I never thought I would care about fly screens. Then summer hit. My kitchen turned into a mosquito nightclub. Suddenly, I was that person obsessing over mesh sizes at 11 PM. So, here is what I learned the hard way, plus a few things I wish someone had told me before I wasted money on junk.
Have you heard of chain fly screens? Old-school metal curtains. Noisy but effective. Premier Screens Ltd makes a solid aluminium version. Cheap ones use a flimsy chain under 1mm; flies get through easily. Theirs is 1.8mm, heavier, tougher. Indestructible. Great for busy spots.
Mesh Matters More Than You Think
This is where I messed up when I bought a few fly screens for my home. I bought fibreglass mesh because it was cheap. Six months later, there was a hole. A big one. Probably from my cat.
Here is the breakdown:
- Fibreglass: Cheap, flexible, easy to install. Great for rentals. Won’t last forever, though.
- Aluminium: Tougher. Resists rust. Good for high-traffic doors.
- Stainless steel: Expensive but bombproof. Coastal homes need this. Salt air destroys normal mesh fast.
- Polyester: Lightweight. Surprisingly tear-resistant. A solid mid-range option.
One thing nobody tells you, mesh colour matters! Dark mesh looks less obvious from the outside. Bright white mesh shows every speck of dust.
Retractable vs Fixed vs Magnetic
I have tried all three.
Here is the unvarnished truth.
- Fixed screens are cheap and work great. But they never go away. Want to open your window fully? Too bad. The screen stays put. My friend has these and regrets them every time she wants to clean the glass.
- Retractable screens look amazing. Pull them down when needed. They vanish into a discreet cassette. Phantom Fly Screens makes lovely ones. But they cost more, and the mechanism can jam if you are rough with it. Also, dust collects in the cassette.
- Magnetic screens sound genius. They snap shut behind you! In reality, magnets weaken after a year. The mesh sags. And you will forget to seal the edges properly. I cannot tell you how many flies entered because I was rushing.
Small Imperfections to Watch For
Nobody mentions this stuff.
- Cheap chain fly screens from unknown brands use un-anodised aluminium. Looks fine for a month. Then it oxidises. Turns grey and powdery.
- Sticky-backed Velcro screens? Just don’t. The adhesive melts in the heat. You will find the whole screen on the floor one morning.
- Measure your door height before ordering. Standard chain screens from Premier Screens Ltd come at 2200mm. You shorten them yourself. That is fine. But if your door is weirdly short, then you will be removing links for an hour.
My Final Thoughts
For quiet homes, choose retractable or fixed aluminium screens. Busy café or back door? Go for heavy-duty chain fly screens with thick links. Skip magnetic stick-on kits, they are rubbish. You will still get the odd fly, but at least you won’t live in a bug buffet.
