INSECT SCREENS FOR TURKEY

Mosquitoes on the Turkish coast are active for most of the year, and open windows and balconies are their main route into your home. Here are the types of insect screen available, where each one works best, and how to choose a screen that will last in a hot, salty climate.

Why screens are needed almost all year round in Turkey

Warm weather, humidity and the greenery around residential complexes create ideal conditions for insects. As well as mosquitoes, screens keep out flies, wasps, midges and poplar fluff, and on lower floors lizards and leaves too. At the same time, you can keep the windows open at night and save on air conditioning.

The insect season on the coast is longer than in many other regions: mosquitoes appear in spring and stay until late autumn. If the apartment is near a river, a park or the complex's gardens, there are especially many of them. Screens let you air the apartment at night without plug-in repellents or closed windows.

Main types of screen

The type of screen depends on how the window or door opens. For tilt-and-turn PVC windows a framed screen is usually enough, while sliding and pleated screens are better for sliding systems and wide doors. If a single opening needs both a sash that opens and frequent access, the technician will suggest a combination.

Which mesh to choose

• Standard mesh made of fibreglass — suits most windows.
• Anti-midge — a fine mesh for homes near water and greenery; stops small insects.
• Pet-resistant — a reinforced mesh that animals' claws can't tear.
• Anti-dust — traps some dust and pollen; useful for allergy sufferers and apartments near building sites.

Bear in mind that a denser mesh slightly reduces airflow.

If you have pets, a pet-resistant mesh will save both the screen and your pet: cats easily tear ordinary screens, and sometimes fall out along with them. On high floors this is particularly important.

Screens for balconies and frameless glazing

Frameless glazing opens the balcony up fully, so the screen is fitted not to the panels but to the opening between the balcony and the room — the balcony door. For wide openings a pleated screen works best: it takes up no space and doesn't get in the way. With sliding glazing, a sliding screen can be built right into the system.

If the balcony has a sliding system, it is convenient to have screens on the glazing panels themselves: you can then open the balcony for ventilation without letting insects onto the balcony or into the room. Frameless glazing usually doesn't allow this, so it is the door into the room that gets the screen.

What matters in a seaside climate

• A powder-coated aluminium profile won't rust from salt.
• Fibreglass mesh doesn't sag in the heat.
• Plastic corners and fixings should be UV-resistant.
• Rinse screens of salt and dust once a season — this extends their life.

For tips on caring for windows and screens by the sea, see the article window care by the sea.

Cheap screens with plastic profiles become brittle in the sun within a couple of seasons, and the mesh sags. So for south- and west-facing windows it is better to choose an aluminium profile and quality mesh from the start.

Ordering and installation

Screens are made to the exact dimensions of the opening, so a survey is needed. They are convenient to order together with windows or glazing, but can also be ordered separately for existing windows. More details on the insect screens page.

Installation doesn't take long and requires no renovation work: the screens are fixed into the window frame or opening without damaging the finish. If your windows are non-standard, the technician will choose a fixing system at the survey.

Free survey

A technician will come out, measure all your windows and doors and suggest the right type of screen for each opening. The visit is free; contact us by phone or WhatsApp on +90 535 556 85 25. Indicative glazing prices are on the prices page.

We fit screens to both new and existing windows and doors.

Frequently asked questions

See also