All You Need to Know: Insect Mesh
If you live in South Florida, you’ve likely searched for a bug screen that can protect you from the myriad of insects and creepy-crawlies that buzz about outside. Fortunately, there are a plethora of bug screens available by a variety of screen distributors; but what’s the difference between the various types of bug meshes? We will cover the details behind what makes a good bug mesh in the first of a four-part series: “All You Need to Know” about Phantom mesh types.
What is Insect Mesh?
At a base level, the term “Insect Mesh” refers to the general category of screen meshes that are designed with bug-protection in mind. Different screens and meshes are tailored to different goals; for instance, a Privacy Mesh is built with the goal of making it more difficult for someone to peer through it, so it is built to have the mesh fabric be incredibly tight-knit. As such, visibility through either side of this mesh is limited.
Insect meshes, on the other hand, are the most open of the mesh categories; their level of openness generally ranges from 40% to 65%, meaning they offer the most air circulation as well as the most visibility. This level of openness is still more than tight enough to keep out most critters, but it can do so without compromising visibility through the opening.
Let the fresh air in while keeping the bugs out with a Phantom insect mesh screen!
What’s In A Mesh: Materials and Fabric
Although all outdoor mesh is designed to ward off the bugs Florida is known for, the detailed composition of each mesh can differ. Different mesh types can vary greatly in how effectively they actually keep bugs out. For instance, both bug meshes from 40% openness to 60% openness can absolutely keep out most bugs, but the smaller the level of openness, the smaller the bugs that the mesh can keep out.
Beyond openness, insect meshes can also vary in the material composition of the fabric itself. Any mesh is typically composed of a variety of materials to ensure it can withstand a variety of environmental factors. For instance, Phantom Insect Meshes are either composed of a mixture of fiberglass material with PVC (Vinyl) coating to further reinforce it, or they are entirely PVC coated polyester for the Premium Insect Mesh type. However, other screen manufacturers may opt to use aluminum, steel, or any other sort of material.
Even if two different screen distributors offer Insect or Bug Meshes, their respective mesh can be vastly different in their components and weave. We recommend doing extensive research to ensure that the manufacturer you choose is using high-quality materials that you can trust!
Style and Aesthetic
Another factor to keep in mind is that different Insect Meshes can vary in the amount of both stylistic and functional features they can offer.
Depending on the construction of the screen, manufacturers may be limited in the aesthetic possibilities they can offer. For example, for doors, Phantom 18/14 Insect Mesh, Tuffscreen Pet-K Mesh, and Tuffscreen No-See-Um Mesh are all able to include a mesh lock to secure the mesh in place when in use, however a 20/20 Insect Mesh cannot. Similarly, a 20/20 Insect Mesh cannot be used for an oversized door opening due to the tighter weave and firmness of the mesh. These limitations vary greatly across screen manufacturers and the types of Insect Meshes they offer, so we recommend looking into which bug meshes can support the features you’d like to incorporate in your desired screen.
All in all, Insect Meshes are built to keep out bugs while letting natural sunlight and warm breezes in. However, no two insect meshes are made exactly the same, and they can differ greatly due to their levels of openness, material composition, and the design features they can afford. If you’re interested in getting an Insect Mesh for your home, feel free to contact us today for a free estimate! Our Phantom Screens Insect Meshes are tailor-made to keep bugs out of your home while blocking potentially dangerous UV rays.
