As windows in CH are usually without screens to keep bugs out, what do those of us who are used to screens do? Are there screen kits available to match the size of your window, or it is mostly DIY? Any tips?

Thanks!

yes , if you go to hornbach,. jumbo or Obi you should be able to buy DIY kits of fleigengitter (i think) either with a fabric or metal type mesh with either a frame or some type of double sided tape arrangement, not expensive really.

Hi does anybody know of a company that installs insect screens…..I want to get a kind of a permanent solution rather than the DIY version I can get in Co-Op.

Thanks very much.

Obi (in Basel...) stock a range of Tesa solutions that are low level DYI-ish. However, these are also permanent in their design and you could do them yourself for a fraction of the cost of a "profi" job. My experience of such issues is usually that the the "profi" version will use the same parts and all you are doing is paying for the "skills".

If time is an issue, then there're plenty of people on EF who offer their services as a handy man, e.g. Papa Goose.

I am reviving this thread because I'm wondering if anyone has found a method for making your own window screens where the screens actually stay in place.

Apart from wanting to keep bugs out, I have a cat who loves to crawl out the window and walk on the ledge, and it scares me because I live on the 3rd floor.

I've tried one of those kits with the tape and mesh screen that you cut to size, but it doesn't hold well, and the screen always comes loose. I'm tired of fighting with it, so I'm hoping someone may have figured out a better way and cares to share. Or maybe someone has had some screens made for them and can give me an idea of what that would cost? Thanks!

I've done both.

I had a number of screens and a screen door made about 5-6 years ago, from ISP Zürichsee:

http://www.isp-zuerisee.ch/

These are made-to-measure - they send someone out to do the measuring, perfect fit guaranteed. Easy to take out, clean and re-install as well, quite sturdy, very good quality... but...

Insanely expensive!

The windows (70-ish by 120-ish) were ca. 400. The door was ca. 800. (Can't find the bill, going from memory.) Given that this was quite a few years ago, I assume prices have changed.

(At the time they were just about the only screen manufacturer in the area, now there are others. Who knows - maybe competiton has driven prices down a bit...)

So - coming from a country where a the same quality screen should cost less than $50, that's some serious Switzerlanding.

Fortunately one of OH's hobbies is metal working, and he's always looking for projects (read: excuses to buy more toys tools) - so as we speak he is making screens for the rest of the windows for me. Materials will probably cost less than 50 per window - including screens for the quarter-round windows, for which the profi place didn't want to give me a quote.

His first screen is done, and it looks just as good and fits just as well as the profi ones. Hopefully it will stand the test of time. But even if it doesn't, at that price he can make quite a few replacements and still come out ahead.

In your situation, with some DIY skills you could make one. Buy some thin, flat aluminium strips, cut them to length, drill holes, and make a frame to fit the open window.

Now the hardest part is to find some wire mesh, fine enough to keep the flies out, maybe from copper? Maybe you can find some in a garden center or a modelling - hobby shop. Buy a piece larger than the frame, fold the edges over and sew the mesh to the frame with some fine wire.

http://www.jalousiescout.de/Insekten...FUrP3wodQy6M8w

http://www.landi.ch/laden/deu/sortim...ster-48875?c=7

http://www.landi.ch/laden/deu/sortim...ARO-24192?c=14

http://www.landi.ch/laden/deu/sortim...nsektenfallen#

Alternatively starve the cat so it gets hungry & eats the flies.

Some years ago I saw a carpenter advertising screens, but the major problem is the cat scratching any nylon netting.

You can buy fly traps in Landi, but they really stink of rotting meat.

Thanks so much for the response!
Yeah, I had a feeling that custom-made screens would be insanely expensive here.
I just don't understand why (especially newer) apartments here don't come equipped with window screens. I can understand in really old buildings, but our building is somewhat new, and we have a constant bug problem during the summer. And especially in a country like CH, where most people don't have air-conditioning, you need to have your windows open! It's just one more thing about this country that I will probably never understand.

I got 5 custom screens and it cost CHF 1300 in the end. Easy to remove and clean and keep my cats inside.

At the Bauhaus you can buy a kit where you cut the metal lengths (I guess with a little hand saw??) and then clip in the screens. To keep them in you'd need to drill them into something. Not sure this is an option, but if you want the screen company then PM me.

Yeah, I had been thinking of trying to make my own frame and was trying to figure out what I could use for the frame part. It would have to be very thin so it would fit inside the slots/tracks inside the window. I even thought of trying to find some really thin strips of wood and then trying to glue the screen inside the two strips of wood.

Even if the screen covered just half or three-fourths of the window, that would be fine with me. It's not the bugs that bother me as much as it is my cat climbing out. Thankfully, she's left the screen I did have up alone, so I don't think scratching it is going to be a problem.

Where's McGyver when you need him?

Thanks. Unfortunately, I doubt I could convince my husband to shell out so much for some screens. But I'm almost willing to sell a kidney at this point.

I didn't want to either, but when my hubby realized that the DIY screen just wasn't cutting it he relented, plus I was able to convince him so we could open windows all over the house.

It was expensive but so very worth it in the end.

meloncollie, where did your husband purchase the screen net? We have huge windows and I have difficulties finding something that would be wide enough for our windows.

thanks!

I *think* he got it from Hornbach Germany... but I'll double check with him this weekend.

Here is a step-by-step DIY from a German blog if you're interested? The "screens" in this blog appear to be chicken wire, not so tightly closed as screens for insects would be.



There are plenty of photos so even if your German isn't up to it, it's easy enough to figure out.

I think for those with very determined cats, the chicken wire is a good idea, maybe coupled with insect screening to be extra sure that you keep out what you want out and in what you want in.

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Hornbach CH has a big selection of large sizes as well. You need to decide what colour you want. They have white/brown/silver (but not necessarily in each size).

I had insect screens installed in my flat - there are a few companies in the Basel area which have specialized in this area. I used G&H ( http://www.g-h.ch ) - they were a bit expensive, but they did excellent work.

For the ceiling window, we bought a roll-up screen at a building supply store and installed it ourselves.

If you have Velux windows, they sell the screens that fit the different models they have. They have an on-line web shop. The link to the screens are in the lower left of the page below. You will need to look at the exact model of Velux you have (ie. GHL 606).

Link: http://www.veluxshop.ch/de

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