There are various types of screen door available that are effective at keeping insects out, however they are all different in many ways so it can be difficult to know which one to go for.

If you have gliding patio doors or hinged doors that swing into your home then it would be best to use hinged insect screens. These types of insect screen attach to the frame of the door by 3 part hinges and will shut slowly due to the dampening mechanism located at the top (and in some cases, the bottom) of the screen. Gliding insect screens can also be used for gliding patio doors as they have a rack of rollers at the top and bottom. It is often the case that the bottom of these screens can be adjustable. A newer type of insect screen to hit the market are retractable screens. These types of screens will roll up into a convenient canister on one side of the door they are mounted to. To seal the doorway you simply extend the insect screen and attatch it to the other side of the door with the hook or magnet it comes with. The screen is easily retracted thanks to the tension in the canister.

Although the primary function of these screens is to keep the insects out whilst still letting air in, there is surprisingly more to them than that. In many cases they can add an extra element of security in that it adds another barrier to get through, although they are obviously not as secure as having an actual door. If your insect screen doubles up as a storm door then it will asasist in energy efficiency in the home.

Before installing your insect screen you should note whether the hinged door you are attaching it to swings in or out of your home, or whether it is a sliding door. This is important as it will not be possible to mount particular screens to certain types of doors. For an outward-swinging door you will not want a gliding screen that requires opening before the door is opened. If you have a gliding door at the corner of your house then the operating screen panel will require somewhere to, and some way it can also be stopped. A gliding screen door can be a nice complement to a gliding patio door although retractible insect screens are becoming increasingly popular. These types of screens are mounted either insude the home if the door swings outwards, or on the outside if the door swings inwards. If your doors have double hinges then you may wish to use a long mesh insect screen which will retract.

The benefits of all of these insect screens is that they will allow you to keep your soor open when it gets hot instead of constantly having to have the air conditioning on. It is a useful additional security feature as it can be an extra barrier for toddlers to get through. Be wary that screen doors are not foolproof as no matter how fine the mesh is, there will still be cluster flies that may be able to get through it. Your insect screen is only as effective as the seal.

Dave Matthews is writing on behalf of New Blinds, a leading retailer of fly screens.