Custom-made insect protection – what should you take into account?
September 7, 2023 Windesa
Which fly screen frame is best for my windows and how should I measure them if I want to order a custom-made insect screen? And do I have a normal right to return my custom-made item after purchasing it if something doesn't fit? These are the answers you should know before you make your purchase.
Fly screens are environmentally friendly methods of keeping mosquitoes, gnats and wasps out of indoor spaces. Without pesticides or unpleasant smells, you can enjoy relaxing summer days with the window permanently open.
Many people are familiar with the first quick fix: adhesive strips with a Velcro surface that are stuck along the window frame. Here you have a custom-made insect screen that has enough adhesive strips. Even though this is the cheapest option for customized insect protection, it is also the least reliable. Therefore, insect protection with a tension frame will be considered below, as it has a long life cycle and a good price-performance ratio.
What offers are there?
Providers who sell customized insect protection usually offer two variants. Either you receive ready-made fly screens that you just have to attach to the window, or you receive the components for the insect protection, which you then have to saw and put together yourself so that it fits into your window.
Ready-mounted insect screens are more recommended, as the price advantage of self-assembly does not outweigh the time and nerves required. There are different materials for the frame of the fly screen. The most common are fly screens with wire frames, such as the WinClip Bug from Windesa, or aluminum tension frames.
Right of return for made-to-measure insect protection
When choosing a provider, you should pay attention to what return rights they give you. Some manufacturers exclude the return of custom-made insect protection because they can no longer resell it to every customer. In fact, the manufacturer is not legally obliged to take back a made-to-measure product, so in this case it depends on the goodwill of the provider.
When is tailor-made insect protection necessary?
The decision is clear if you have windows outside the norm, for example in energy-saving houses or old buildings. Insect screens in special shapes for trapezoidal windows or round windows are also rarely available in series. Here it is necessary to buy custom-made insect protection. Compared to off-the-shelf tension frames, which are based on standardized window sizes, made-to-measure insect protection is more expensive. However, there are also providers who sell high quality and custom-made products at a good price-performance ratio, so it's worth considering - even if you have standardized windows.
Can I easily order customized insect protection online?
There are providers who offer high-quality insect protection online. Ordering is carried out like in any other online shop you know, except that before you complete the purchase you have to send the individual dimensions of your windows to the manufacturer so that they can make your insect protection to measure. This step is often easily solved using a product configurator. Please note the manufacturer's instructions on how to measure the window so that incorrect information is not given. Ordering fly screens in special shapes online is more difficult. Insect screens that are not designed for rectangular windows are difficult to order online. But even with rectangular windows that have special features, it is recommended to visit a local specialist and get advice. Such special features are, for example, weatherboards, which often occur in old buildings and listed houses, or windows that swing or slide.
Frame systems in comparison
The most common frames for custom-made insect screens are wire frames and aluminum frames. These have different advantages and disadvantages.
Wire frame or aluminum frame?
| Wire frame | Aluminium frame | |
| Weight | Frame is light as a feather and very thin | Frame has certain stability and is still light |
| Resistance | Can collapse in strong storms and incorrect assembly | Is very stable |
| Fit | Fits in almost every window, especially in very narrow window frames. The distance to the roller shutter is not relevant due to the low thickness. | For the aluminium frame the window frame must have a certain depth and the roller shutter must offer enough space. |
| Storage in winter | Can be folded without any traces | Cannot be folded and must be stored in its original size. |
How do I have to measure my window for insect protection?
Pay attention to the manufacturer's information here, as each manufacturer offers a different type of attachment and therefore has to be measured differently. Often you have to measure from the inside. With Windesa's systems, for example the WinClip Bug, all you have to do is measure the width and height of your window from the inside and then enter these directly in the online shop to receive the insect protection made to measure. The retaining clips that press the fly screen into the window can easily be trimmed with scissors, so the depth of the window frame does not need to be measured additionally.
Installing the insect screen
If you look at the range of tailor-made fly screens, you will notice that installation without drilling or gluing is the most popular. The clear advantage is that you remain flexible and can attach and remove the protection at any time without damaging the windows. This is an important point, especially for rental properties (see also Pro Tenancy Law, for example). Fly screens that you drill into the window frame hold best, regardless of the weather. But if you outweigh the advantage of flexibility, insect protection with retaining clips or tension clamps is in no way inferior to drilled fly screens. Therefore, in most cases this is the best alternative.