Live in Austin TX and need new replacement window screens?

Window screens for 3 windows

Do you need Solar or Insect replacement window screens?

  • Solar replacement window screens cover the entire window designed to provide 80% sunshade or 90% sunshade for the window. Each window will take its own solar screen. In addition to providing sunshade, solar screens for windows also provide flying insect bug protection. The purpose of Solar window screens is to provide sunshade and flying bug protection.
  • Insect replacement window screens fit into the opening area of the window overall designed for the purpose to keep the flying bugs out. Insect screens do not provide any sort of sunshade protection, they chiefly provide protection from flying insects.

If you need new replacement screens and just need solar screens for some of your windows and just insect window screens for the other windows, I can, by all means, make that happen for you.

How insect screens install.

In the Austin TX area, typically insect screens fit into just the opening portion of the window.

Austin TX insect screens for windows
Shown here is a 40″ wide by 30″ tall insect screen installed into the opening portion of the window.
Replacement window screens for 3 windows
These are three windows that got three new replacement window screens.

To keep the flying bugs out, not shade, you will want to use my insect window screens. They are replacement screens for the screens that came with your windows.

Looking to shade your patio and are needing outdoor roller sun shades?
Austin TX replacement window screens for bugs
Replacement window screen ready to be put into this window.

The window screens that came with your windows just fit into the opening portion of your window.

As shown here, this window is about to get this custom made brand new insect screen installed into the opening portion of it. The bottom of the window, to fit into the part that opens.

Why do insect screens not cover the entire window?

When you are looking for bug protection for your window, you only need that protection for the part of your window that opens.

It would be unnecessary to put a bug screen over the part of the window that DOES NOT open, as bugs can not get into that part of your window.

Are there some windows that can take a bug screen over the entire window?

Yes, for windows that open both from the top and the bottom. A.k.a. double hung windows.

If you have windows that slide up to open and also will slide down to open, then your window opens from the bottom and the top. Your window is referred to a double hung window.

For windows like that, you will need one large bug screen to fit over the entire window.

Double hung window example
Milgard’s double hung window example.

Is it common in the Austin Texas area to have windows that open for both the top and bottom?

No, it is not. That’s a common type of window for up North, but not for down South.

I would think, but don’t know for sure, that the reason would be down South, specifically speaking for Austin Texas, it is too hot most of the year to leave your windows open.

Making a window to open for both the top and bottom has an additional cost. They are going to have a higher manufacturing cost.

Using double-hung windows is just not a priority for Austin home builders. For homebuilders, double-hung adds additional costs that are not a priority.

  • The cost for double hung vs single home is considerably more.
  • It stays warmer down here than up North, therefore there is no real need for double-hung.

Home builders use single hung windows because of cost. A home builder will not want to use double hung windows because they cost more. Because they cost more than basic builders grade single hung windows that they commonly used.

Have a commercial building are needing interior commercial roller shades?

How about when I get replacement windows, can I then get the kind of windows that open from the top and the bottom?

For sure, and most vinyl replacement window companies push this. The name for windows that have both the top and bottom sash that open are called double-hung windows.

As a businessman, looking at this from my perspective, I see the replacement window installers pushing Double-Hung as a selling point. Trying to sell double-hung as a better product.

Windows that open from the top and bottom saying that is more beneficial. Using that as a functionality selling point.

I personally do not see the benefit. For me personally, living here in Austin TX, I would require convincing that double-hung has its advantages for this area of the Country.

Is there an advantage to having a double-hung window that opens from the top and bottom?

I just don’t see that as being a selling point living here in Austin. Maybe I am wrong, but I just don’t see the benefits. Installing double hung windows for my families properties is not something I personally would do or have done.

They just do not make sense to me. If you have blinds, why would you want the top of your window to open? The blinds will be in your way?

Why would you care if the window opens from the top and the bottom? You can generally only have one open at a time anyway, it is not like you can have both the top and bottom of the window open at the same time.

Windows that open from top and bottom
Showing how a window can open from the top and bottom.
This type of window lifts up to make the bottom portion open.
Or the top slides down to allow for the top to be open.

When I work at people’s homes installing screens for double hung windows, I often see the top sash not stay held in place on it’s own. That top sash is too heavy and wants to fall. I have seen this MANY times at homes. And one of the selling points is that you can slightly open the top sash.

1) Single hung windows mean the window only opens from one side.
2) A double hung window means the window opens from both sides.

As far as using double-hung windows for homes in the Austin, TX area, read the selling points Milgard (national window manufacture) makes by clicking the following link.

Read here from a well known window manufacturer, Milgard, what they say the benefits of double hung windows are.

If my window just opens from the bottom, could I still get bug window screens for the entire window? To cover the entire window?

Technically yes, but if you are sourcing these through me as an installed replacement window screen service, I would talk you out of it.

  • The cost would be more, as you would require much larger screens, thus more manufacturing materials.
  • The window will most likely not be one that can hold a full-sized screen. When you get a normal builders grade window, that window has an opening for a traditional insect screen There are tracks within that opening designed to hold the window screen.
  • Visibility, why would you want to look through bug screen fabric when you could alternatively look through just glass?

Why solar screens for windows install over the entire window.

Solar screens for windows will ALWAYS cover the entire window.

The objective of a solar screen for a window is to provide shade for an entire window.

Solar screens fit over the entire window
A solar screen will fit over the entire window. The solar screen will cover the entire window to give it shade AND flying bug protection.

You are looking to shade the entire window with a solar screen, not just part of the window. Therefore the entire windows should be covered with a solar screen.

It would look odd if you just put a solar screen on part of the window and not the entire window.

In this picture we put solar screens on all the windows as well as the sliding door.

All of the glass for this home is covered with solar screen fabric.

Need a replacement insect screen sliding door as well?

Here are some examples of some windows that have solar screens on them and others that do not.

These pictures will give you an idea of what it looks like to cover some of the glass with the solar screens, but not all of the glass.

Doing this looks unfinished and odd to me.

Solars for bottom but not top
For these three windows, only two of them got solar screens.
This is a good picture to see what it looks like to have some windows shaded with the solar screens and others not.
Transom windows shaded
Just shaded the upper non-opening transom windows. Left the lower opening windows unshaded. They did not have blinds for the transom windows, so they only shaded those. Had this homeowner put the solar screens on the bottom windows they would have been able to have opened their blinds during the day.