Too damn cold to do anything outside. Once I got through contemplating my navel this morning, I got to thinking about window screens. Why have them? I think they are like buggy whips and neck ties. No value. No purpose. No real use for them at all anymore.

How many people living in houses with central air and security systems ever open a window for ventilation? (Having said that, I noticed while playing golf a week ago that five or six houses along the course had their back doors left open; no screen door of course. I guess for ventilation or to allow pets and flies to gain access.)

I've got screens on the lower portion of all my windows, but am thinking about removing them. The only possible use for them I can think of is to cushion the kamikaze bird attacks that almost daily result in dead or dazed birds in my backyard.

I grew-up with window and door screens, but see them now as virtually worthless. To replace a damaged screen seems like a total waste of money to me.

Kensco,

I completely agree with you. Today, screens are a way people insist on ruining a perfectly good window or door. Screens block 50% of available air flow and trap dirt and insects as you suggested. My home has 37 opening windows and 5 exterior doors. No screens. Bugs fly in, bugs fly out. Birds, too, occasionally.

A kindred spirit,

Stephen

We open the windows a lot at my house. Southeast Texas mosquitos will suck you dry in about thiry minutes........think Mummy!

I'll keep my screens, different in different regions though!


.

J

What you describe is a healthier life I think. I prefer fresh air to forced-air, particularly at night, but it won't work for me. I think I'm going to start removing screens as they deteriorate. It will seem weird, but I'm going to do it.

We bought this temporary house over 15 years ago and based on my experiences with local builders it will probably be the one I die in.

That aside, this house has an attic fan, a rare creature these days. We only use it maybe 15 times a year but it is sure pleasant to suck that cool air in instead of cooling it. Our screens have holes in places, carefully patched with duct tape....did I mention that I have some recessive red neck genes?......but I agree with JTex, if we didn't have screens, the mosquitos would be unbearable at times.......eeeeiiiiiiiiiii.....that high pitched wing noise will drive you crazy and that's before the bumps start itching. Bugs don't bother me, bugs that bite me bother me a lot.

Charlie,as you know,I am in the business.In our part of the world we do not NEED A.C.We want it yes but do not need. Help full hint 101= put your whole house fan on a stat. This will work + save you money.It works.I have done it on many custom homes. It works + saves the customer utility bills.Besides in this new time,it can be considered "green'

I was curious and called my son who had a house built recently in Round Rock, TX. Yes, he had screens in his windows and the windows did indeed open and shut. He and I both thought it was strange that some people don't open their windows when the weather is nice.

Here in the Pacific Northwest air conditioning is a waste of money. A 90 degree day in the summer is newsworthy. Thus I will be keeping my window screens for the few 'hot' days when it reaches 80 degrees. As an aside, Texans laugh at what we consider 'hot' while we laugh at what Texans consider 'rivers'.

Years ago I lived in a house in Santa Fe that didn't have AC. It seemed perfectly sane at the time. Thick, as in 3' thick, adobe walls kept things comfortable.

When I lived in Las Cruces, New Mexico in the 60s a guy from Britain, I believe, came to the U.S. to swim across our major rivers; Mississippi, Colorado, Rio Grande, Ohio, etc. Everyone had a good laugh and he got his picture in the Las Cruces Sun News; walking across the Rio Grande in his swimming suit.

I've never been there, but I still think of the Pacific Northwest as being one of the neat parts of our country.