Will Keeping Screens On Your Windows Really Keep Pests Out? Here's What We Know

There's nothing quite like opening a window to welcome fresh air into a stuffy home. Many homeowners use this air ventilation method to release trapped odors that would otherwise cling onto walls and furniture. In addition to other benefits of airing out your home, opening the windows also helps get rid of virus particles that float thorough indoor air when someone in the home is sick. Window screens are essential for preventing bugs from entering the home so that you can let fresh air in without worry. However, you might be wondering how effective they really are at keeping pests out. Specific window screens will keep most insects out of your house, but they are not 100% effective. Small gaps between the screen and the window still allow some pests to get inside. These screens also lose their effectiveness when they become torn or ripped.

Additionally, some super tiny bugs can still crawl in through the holes in window screens regardless of whether they contain torn spots or rips. This means that you should take other precautions to keep bugs out when opening your window, even if you do have insect mesh installed. You can do this by inspecting the mesh routinely and repairing damage as soon as possible. Check for gaps between the screen and the window frame that could serve as an entryway for pests. You can block these areas off with tape or a pest flap strip.

Since tiny critters like aphids and leafhoppers can squeeze through the holes of most window mesh, you could be risking pests entering your home any time you open your window for fresh air. Some pests that may enter your home despite having window screens include small beetles, gnats, midges, thrips, leafhoppers, and others that are tiny enough to slip through the small holes in the screen or gaps on the sides. It's also possible for rodents like squirrels and mice to chew through these screens. 

Given the fact that most screens are not completely foolproof against pests, you may need to take other measures if you want to keep your home as bug-free as possible. Standard window screens will not protect as well against small pests, so the first step is to ensure your window screens are made of actual insect mesh. This material typically has an openness of 40% to 60%, so the holes within the mesh are small enough to keep most bugs out. 

If you frequently deal with pests, you might be forgetting to spray around windows to keep bugs out of your home. Use an indoor-friendly insect spray to do this. Another easy pest prevention method is to place a fan in front of the window to deter super tiny critters like no-see-ums. Keeping the inside of your home cool will also make it an unappealing environment for certain pests. With these easy methods, pests may have no interest in coming into your living space through a window screen.