Does anyone have a screen house on their deck? With my in-laws visiting this summer, I was thinking of buying a screen house for our deck. My husband can't sit outside for long without being eaten alive by mosquitoes-even with bug spray on. I'd like to be able to really use our deck -it's massive-and it would make things much easier on me if we could eat meals outside without bugs bothering us.
Are they worth the cost?
I grew up with a screened porched, and we ate every meal out there from spring to fall. I miss that!
Thanks! I am so buying myself a screened gazebo!
I've been in properties which have them I think they are great. I haven't owned a house that has one, so I can't speak to cost, install, maintenance and upkeep. the only thing I can offer is that they can easily be defeated by kids, teens, irresponsible adults who keep opening and closing the door.
Best,
F. B.
Are you talking about the ones that are like a tent or building a screened porch?
Here in FL our pool and patio are screened in with medal framing (most homes here have them). They cant use them up north because of the snow, but screened in porches or the tents are worth every penny.
Yes, indeed. I love the outdoors, as long as it's screened! We screened our whole deck permanently and I love it. Makes every summer morning a delight.
We had one for years. It was about $200 at the discount store. We have the best deals at places call The Christmas Tree Shop (everything but Christmas trees - LOL!) and the Ocean State Job Lot (based in RI but there are many in Massachusetts. If you go on line, you may find something that you can also find on line. They take some time to assemble so have a helper and a calm few hours to read and folio instructions.
Ours had mosquito netting on 4 sides (zippers down the center of each side) but we only used 1-2 sides for in-and-out, and kept the others zipped. Ours was 10x10. It had a vented roof - important on windy days. It lasted for quite a few years and only bit the dust when our roof was being repaired and the roofers tried to carry the whole thing off the deck, bending it. Sigh.
Some insects get inside, either when you walk in yourself or underneath the bottom edge, so you still need to keep some citronella candles or buckets in there. I'm like your husband - just a target for mosquitos and biting May flies we have in New England. But we enjoyed it for 4-5 seasons and now need to get another one. I would get the same one, and I wouldn't spend $400 on one now.
You have to take the tent material in for the winter, so plan on a day with 2 stepladders to remove it (carefully so it doesn't rip the screen) and hose it down, letting it dry. Then we just rolled it up and stored it in the basement.
We kept one of those folding tables in there for meals, some side tables, and a small drawer unit that held the citronella buckets and a couple of grill lighters. We rigged up patio light strings through the "rafters" (roof supports" and ran an extension cord from the outdoor outlet to those. It's great.
My mom in AL has a sunroom and they have the option to open it up to the screens.
They have a small living area, TV, heating/cooling, table in there and spend a lot of time there. They're retired and in a golf course so it's their life to be in the sunroom whenever possible.
They love it.
Incredibly worthwhile! I don't have one right now, but my parents always used one and we rarely sat indoors in the summer. Every summer night we sat outside in the screenhouse.
Former neighbors had a regular gazebo and attached mosquito netting to it. They used it all the time and would draw the netting back like curtains when they wanted it open.
We got ours from ace hardware. It's a big 6 sided gazebo with a canvas top. And screened curtains that we can pull shut and zip to keep bugs out. Best investment we have ever made for the back yard
When I lived in Georgia we had a screened porch. I miss it and have been trying to talk my husband into putting up one when we have our new patio put in. They're worth every penny.
Tell your husband to research taking vinegar pills. My mother in law would get eat up too. She started taking vinegar pills and eating more of it and she never got another bite.
sounds wonderful!
khairete
S. (waving away clouds of gnats and mosquitoes)
Our neighbor had one but still had trouble with lizards, flies etc. getting in occasionally.
Sounds glorious! It is so hot down here.
I do a lot of events down here.. Doing a surprise wedding reception Saturday! It will be inside and outside..
We have treated the backyard with the outdoor yard guard, that attaches to a water hose gray spray bottle, they sell it at the lowes and builders square. . It works great and for months. The secret is to spray days before it is needed, early evening. Spray around the edges of the yard first. Mosquitos live on the ground, not up in the air, so spray low. Then work your way in to the center of the yard.
Once it settles in at night, the next day and for the rest of summer, it will continue to work.
