Private Scenes

Philip Kessler

How Much Does Pool Screen Cost?

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If you’re considering a pool screen, join the club! They’re extremely popular here in Florida. They offer many benefits—#1 on the list being the privacy they provide homeowners.

How much does pool screen cost though?

The quick answer to that question is—it depends.

Let’s take a closer look.

There are several factors that come into play when you’re talking about enclosing your pool.

You may be tempted to grab a portable pool screen—especially if you have a small pool. They’re attractive and certainly the least expensive choice.

However, if left unattended when a spot storm blows up—and living in Florida they will blow up—you could be hunting for your pool screen blocks from home!

Cost factors

How large is your pool? Are you just planning to enclose that area or is it close enough to the house that you’re thinking about including the lanai? These are two important questions when you’re wondering about how much pool screen costs.

When you enclose both your pool and outdoor living space, most people assume that it will be more expensive. That’s not always the case, though, because the screen attaches to your home eliminating an entire side. That’s worth thinking about!

Of course, there’s going to be a cost for labor.

Lastly, you’ll want to consider the materials used.

Pool screen manufacturers either use nylon mesh or Artisan Wire. We’d advise against using Artisan Wire though. It’s manufactured in China and lots of businesses use it because it’s cheap. It may look good when it goes up, but the wires are so thin that they don’t stand the test of time.

You’ll wind up with tears and holes—not to mention the danger of a child or pet being injured or escaping when they discover the damage!

The difference between us and them

We only use Phifer screens because they’re the best. They’re manufactured right here in the U.S.A. too. You can be assured you’re installing a high-quality pool enclosure that’s built to last.

They’re treated with added UV protection to increase their durability.

Your pool screen is locked into the frame with spline. This heavy-duty vinyl material is rolled into the grooves around the screen using a specially designed tool called a spline roller or screen mouse.

We provide our customers with a two-year guarantee on our workmanship.

You might have figured it out already if you’ve been checking out the site, but we also offer our customers the option to customize their pool screen.

Hence, our name.

You can choose one of our digital images or use one from your own photo library. Either way, you can create an outdoor living space that surrounds your family in an environment of your choosing.

What would it be?

The beach? A tropical garden?

The possibilities are endless!

The benefits outweigh the expense

The main reason that homeowners choose to install pool screen is for the sake of privacy. It’s a little hard to enjoy pool time with your family when you keep catching your neighbor’s kids looking forlornly in your direction. Maybe your neighbor has a pool but likes keeping an eye on what’s going on in your yard far more than they enjoy swimming.

Whatever the reason, you’ll never feel as if you’re on display again!

Pool screens offer several other advantages that can sway your decision too.

UV protection

We love our tropical weather, but those UV rays are a force to be reckoned with for sure!

Lots of homeowners choose to put up a pool enclosure to provide their families with added UV protection. They provide shade so you don’t have to apply sunblock as often.

They shield you from the sun, but our high-quality mesh screens allow air to flow freely so you don’t miss any breeze that blows your way on those hot summer days.

Bug blocker

You may not use your pool as frequently at night as you would if you enclosed it with pool screens.

If you’re like most of us, bugs are the reason for that. They begin to swarm as soon as the lights go on and can drive everyone inside in minutes.

You’ll never be annoyed by bugs—or eaten alive by mosquitoes—again no matter how late you have the pool area lit up.

The skinny on skimming

Do you ever wonder if the pool is some form of a magnet for all types of yard debris? It can seem like we spend far more time skimming the pool than we do swimming in it!

You’ll spend far less time skimming and more time lounging poolside after your new enclosure is installed.

Your family will be spared the horror of discovering any small animals that find their way into the pool and but were unable to escape too.

A safe space

Children and pets have a way of wandering off in a heartbeat!

When you’re safely enclosed poolside, you’ll be able to enjoy your daughter’s “best water ballet ever” without worrying that her little brother and the puppy take off on an adventure while you’re distracted by her awesome display of talent.

You can’t put a price on quality time

If you have children, you know that they grow up fast! Time passes too quickly. You want to spend every available second with them while they’re young.

Many families equate time spent in the pool with laughter and light-hearted fun.

Happy memories are being made that will last a lifetime.

When you compare the expense of installing pool screens with their advantages, it’s easy to see why so many homeowners choose to move forward with the job.

When you’re ready to move forward with yours, we hope you’ll consider Private Screens.

Give us a call or contact us online. We’ll be glad to come out and give you a free estimate.

We’d love to be a part of creating the perfect outdoor living space that you will enjoy with family and friends for years to come.

7 Steps to Protect Your Home From a Hurricane

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We’re well into the season this year and so far, so good, right? For the most part, we just take hurricane season in stride around here. However, there’s always that tiny “what if” thought that makes its way into our heads every so often. We’ve got a list of steps you can take to better protect your home. It’s never too late to consider beefing up your home to withstand a hurricane should one come roaring toward the coast this year.

The weathermen stay on top of the forecast telling us days in advance if we need to prepare, but that’s a little too late to take on a new project. The odds are slim to none that you would get a contractor to the house in time to get the job done. It’s best to take on larger projects before the storm clouds are building on the horizon.

Speaking of staying on top of things

The thought of a hurricane ripping our roof from our home is bleak indeed. If that happens, our entire house can go down. And, even if it doesn’t, odds are there won’t be much left to salvage.

Taking steps now to strengthen your roof’s wind resistance could make all the difference if a storm ever makes landfall here.

Holding it together

An inexpensive step that nearly triples your roof’s wind resistance is using construction adhesive. That’s right. Glue. Head for the attic and run a thick bead of construction adhesive down each side of the rafters where it meets the plywood roof deck.

Clip it

If your home is under construction, adding hurricane clips is a good idea. They strengthen the connection between the rafters and walls. This step also greatly increases your roof’s wind resistance. However, it’s tough to retrofit them. An experienced contractor can do the job, but it is costly. It usually involves cutting out a section of the siding and the wall sheathing at every spot where a rafter rests on the wall.

Braces aren’t just for teeth

If you have a gabled roof, it is more susceptible to wind damage. Bracing it from the underside is something to consider. The braces are merely 2x4s that run the length of the roof. Install them 18 inches from the ridge, in the center span and at the base. Gabled end bracing is achieved by using 2x4s placed in an X pattern from the top and bottom centers of the gable to the top and bottom center braces of the fourth truss.

See what’s coming at you

Hurricane windows are a sight to behold! These windows are constructed of tempered glass that is adhered on either side of a sheet of high-tech polymer. The high-tech polymer holds the glass in place so that the window doesn’t fly apart. Even if hit with the force of a 2×4 slamming into the glass end on, these windows stay together. The glass may crack, even spiderweb, but it isn’t going anywhere.

“Once the wind gains access to your home through shattered windows, there’s an increased chance that you can lose your roof. Our homes aren’t airtight. Winds rush upward to the attic and force their way out through the tiniest spaces. This causes pressure to build inside. All the while, the storm is pounding away at your roof from the outside. This can literally rip your entire roof right off. Our windows are built to withstand the force of wind-tossed debris. If the wind can’t get in, the chances of your home surviving are measurably increased.” explains Chris Gardner, General Manager and VP at Reece Windows.

In addition, unlike most storm shutters, hurricane windows provide a light source instead of leaving you in the dark. Moreover, there’s no putting them up and taking them down. Once you install these windows, they are at the ready 24/7.

Keep the door closed

Like our windows, if our exterior doors fail, the hurricane is coming in full force. Installing hurricane resistant doors is certainly an option. However, reinforcing the ones you have will be much less expensive and provides added protection. You can purchase kits to do the job or simply install brackets above the door and purchase metal rods the proper length to reach from the brackets to the floor.

Don’t forget your garage door! The same technique is used. However, since a garage door is so large, it’s suggested that you drill holes in the garage floor to insert the metal rods into before fastening with the brackets above the door. It’s estimated that up to 90% of homes that are destroyed by a hurricane lost their garage door first allowing the wind to access the home in a big way.

Batten down the hatches

Secure any pool screen enclosures or your lanai with tie-downs. Tie-downs secure your enclosures to the base to keep them in place. Moreover, don’t skimp on the number of tie-downs you use. The more you use the better!

Also, while we’re on the subject, don’t drain your pool. Groundwater can accumulate and float your pool right out of the ground. The water weighs it down.

Look at your landscaping

Trees containing heavy foliage blow over easier. Therefore, pruning trees allows the wind to pass through decreasing the chance of them toppling over. Also, if planting trees in the future, check with your local nursery to see what types they suggest to better withstand storms.

If you have fruit trees, you should pick the fruit. Leaving it in place is not a good idea. The winds will rip it from the branches and turn it into projectiles.

Wrapping it up

If you find yourself in the path of a hurricane and local authorities suggest you evacuate. Please, evacuate. Staying puts your family at great risk. Stay tuned to updates because things can change in an instant. Having an evacuation plan in place could save your life.

Providing added hurricane protection for your home now will have a lasting effect for years to come. Your family will be safer if ever you do need to weather the storm.

How to Transform a Boring View Into Your Dream Get Away

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Your home should be a sanctuary — an escape and a stimulation amidst the humdrum and repetitive nature of life. You want it to be the most of everything, your dream getaway. Having a boring view in your backyard may not be your fault, but there are ways to transform it from tragic to terrific.

Evaluate

Your first step is to really know what you’ve got and what you want. If you’ve got a wonderful screened in pool, you may have noticed nosy neighbors peeking inside when you’re just trying to unwind. Maybe you’ve got a great gazebo, but your lot is situated so that you see nothing but other houses or traffic. It’s quite possible that you have a lovely backyard with no neighbors, but staring at the same treeline for years has left your imagination stale.

Take a look at the land and dream up some improvements. First and foremost, you need to see what you want to change so that you have somewhere to start.

Budget

The next step is to see what you can afford. This may be the most unpleasant portion of your planning, but you need to set a limit. Dollar limits, however, don’t place limits on creativity. You may not be able to put in a deck that spans the length of your home, but it doesn’t mean you can’t place the deck that fits both your budget and your plan. There is no sense drawing up plans for something you can’t or don’t want to spend money on doing. This might be where you figure out whether it’s a do-it-yourself style makeover or you can afford a professional to make your dreams a reality. You might also be surprised how knowing the size of your “box” leads to “outside the box” thinking.

Planning

With a number or a price range in mind, you can plan and adjust accordingly. You may need permits. You may need to know if power or plumbing is going to be in the way or part of your new vision. Start with the broad strokes and work your way down into details, but at every step, you’re going to check back on previous steps to see if things need to change down the line.

If you are faced with an expanse of yard, decide where you want to enjoy the vista. From that place, work close to that point rather than trying to fill in every available space in the yard. A number of large plants near your chosen spot can create the illusion that you’re surrounded while not actually enveloping the entire yard and your budget. Then, accent with the touches that fit your style. If it’s tropical, tiki torches, maybe a small fire pit, and tropical plants can help create that image. If it’s desert, large sculpted sandstone rocks, rock gardens, cacti and minimal greenery will get you to your goal.

Perhaps you’ve got a great pool, completely enclosed in screens, but privacy is still lacking thanks to a backyard that faces a neighbor and no fence. Instead of trying to block just their view, why not improve your own with a privacy screening concept? Sure you could block out the view with solid colors, but you could also choose a bright pattern that will let the air in, while keeping strangers eyes off the water. A professional can install them quickly and cleanly and you’ll have a myriad of options on the view you’d like to see from inside the screen. You can choose a tropical horizon, a dense jungle, or maybe a snowscape. You can consider doing the same to any kind of screened enclosure — pool or not.

You could alternatively decide on privacy curtains. These will let you close or open the view depending on your mood or the weather or for any reason. The all-weather fabric means not having to worry about taking them down or spending too much valuable time cleaning and hanging them.

If you already have a fence, think of some ways to hide it with features so that the “fence in” looks more natural than it does purposeful. Staging the area smartly may be a cleaner look than opting for a mural on the backyard fence, but that’s an option as well.

Checklist check

You’re ready to pull the trigger and greenlight a home improvement project. This is the time to check your checklist and see that nothing has been missed. If you’ve budgeted for a professional, now is the time to see if they’re needed throughout or just in a small portion of the project. It’s always better to use a licensed pro, but make sure you’re ready for them when you need them so you don’t waste time, because time is most certainly money. After you’ve double-checked your plans, it’s time to make it happen cap’n! That boring view will be a dream getaway before long!

How to Make the Most of Your Gazebo on Rainy Days

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It’s raining outside. No, really, it’s raining right outside the window right now.

It’s falling lightly and the lightning and thunder that follows is receding into the distance, but there’s still a light rain pattering against the sidewalk out front and on the grass out back.

There’s something peaceful about it, but there’s no way I can go sit outside with a book or find a dry spot to sit and have a snack and watch nature cleanse itself – unless I have a gazebo.

Yes, it’s possible to enjoy the outdoors with a gazebo or pergola, even on a rainy day – after or during the wet stuff.

Safety first

There’s no way of getting around the first factor and its safety. If you’ve got an all-metal structure and there is a threat of lightning, whether it’s covered and dry or not, science says you’re in greater danger than you would be otherwise. Let’s assume, however, that you can be sure you’re safe and that your screened in porch or covered gazebo is a safe place from the weather you’re experiencing but still want to enjoy. Perhaps you want to get wet. In that case, there’s nothing extra you have to do. You’re already ready.

Wait ‘til the wet stuff stops

This almost is too simple to list, but it requires some thought to do it right if you don’t plan on getting wet. If you know you’re going to occasionally want to use the gazebo after rain (maybe you live in a place that rains almost every afternoon) then you need places to sit that can wipe down easily or cushions that can be stored and brought out for use quickly and without too much trouble. Shop accordingly for all-weather furniture and have a bin or sealable storage so that you can keep cushions, towels, cleaning supplies and anything else that you need to get the gazebo back into working order after the rain.

Turning shade into a shield

If you use a canopy as an extra shade on particularly sunny days, you may have an all-weather shield that you can set up as a rain shield. Sometimes the prevailing rain pattern only gets one side of the structure wet, but knowing where to place that shade/shield can regain use of the structure during the rain. Even a simple umbrella can do the job if the gazebo is small enough or the umbrella big enough.

Extra cover

If wind isn’t blowing rain sideways, you have plenty of options of keeping even an open air gazebo from getting too wet to enjoy during the rain. Depending on the size and shape of your structure, you can either buy pre-made “all-weather” coverings or contract a company to come out and tailor an all-weather solution just for your needs. Even small structures with open-air tops can be fitted with a heavy duty but clear cover to let you stay dry while looking at a falling sky.

Removable covers can sometimes be bought along with the gazebo itself, but there are ways to keep the water out, depending on how hard the rain is falling or the wind is blowing. Privacy curtains can sometimes do double duty, if they’re made of the right materials. Plan ahead and if privacy is a concern, make sure they are all-weather, but more than just to maintain the investment.

Rainproof canopies vary in price with size and durability and having to use them often might mean looking for a more permanent solution makes more sense.

Close it up tight

You do have another option. If you don’t already, enclose the gazebo. If it’s open-air, close the sides with screen and then also get shutters installed, preferably of some all-weather kind. If you like using it mostly in a wet weather climate, you want this done professionally in the same way you’d have a screened pool enclosure done.

It all depends on how and how often you want to use your gazebo, but you can still make the most of it on rainy day.