Why You Should Ditch Your Window Screens This Winter

When it comes to prepping your home for cold weather, you probably already know to do a few things like cleaning the gutters and weatherproofing the windows. But you may also want to add removing the window screens to that list. During warm weather months, it's lovely to open your windows intermittently to let fresh air in. Window screens do a great job keeping out bugs and other creatures. They can even help you to reduce your energy costs by making your air conditioning more efficient! However, during the winter when you won't be opening your windows or running the air con, they can do more harm than good. That's because window screens left out during winter are susceptible to becoming damaged, can trap snow, and can obstruct natural heat and light from entering your home. 

Winter weather can be magical, but it also presents some harsh conditions, with freezing rain, snow, harsh winds, and ice. Even though window screens can be pretty durable, these elements can tear through the screen's material or cause the frames and metal tracks to become warped and rusted. This is one reason to take down and store your window screens for winter and then put them back into place when the weather has become more moderate. If you are worried about your window's durability and want an extra layer of protection, buying storm shutters is a smart way to prep your home for storm season. 

When it snows, you may also notice that snow and ice cling to the window screens and become trapped behind them. This is annoying not only because it obstructs your view of a winter wonderland but also because it prolongs your windows' and windowsills' exposure to moisture. If you know anything about maintaining your home, you know that moisture can be one of the most detrimental elements. It can damage your home, causing warping, crumbling, and other deterioration, as well as creating the perfect breeding ground for mold and mildew. Without the screen, the snow will simply hit the glass window and then melt, fall, or evaporate away rather than clinging to the netting. 

And while window screens are beloved in the summer for keeping the air conditioning in and the heat of the sun out, that's the opposite of what you want in the winter while your heating system is working overtime to keep you cozy and warm. This might surprise you, but window screens can have a major impact on blocking solar heat, so taking down your window screens is basically a hack for keeping your home warmer this winter. And if that's not enough to put you off using a window screen during wintertime, consider that it also makes it hard for warm natural light to come in, and a lack of natural light can be a major contributing factor to the winter blues.