INSECT SCREENS Respected friends,
After writing aboutwindows grille, Ithought I may write about insect screens commonly called mosquito nets onwindows. Even in my school days we could purchase mosquito nets weaved usingcotton threads. Whether a person was sleeping in floor, or on cot, the mosquitonet was tied to nails fixed on walls to keep the mosquito net in position. Aftersome years cots came with stand for mosquito net provision. Even in homes, withcarpenter stands were erected on existing wooden cots. These stands weredetachable when net was not required. During mosquito season we could see a lotof mosquitos on top cloth of the mosquito net. It was cleaned every day. We required net inmosquito season only. Rest of the months the net was washed and folded and keptin almirah. While I was undergoing training as Junior Engineer, we wereprovided with steel cots with mosquito net provision. The rods of this standtowards wall side were used by us for hanging clothes, after washing fordrying. Insect screen forwindows came very late in Kerala. My earliest experience with window insectscreen was in 1991 -about 30 years back. In Trivandrum there was a shop sellinginsect screen. Nostalgic look in to insect screens. Gopala krishnan17-1-2022. 1. Fibre screen In the shop we couldget insect screen made in fibre. It was cut and given to us. We had to give themeasurement of windows to the shop. It was fitted on windows using screws. Iwas in quarters and carpenter (in the premises for various works) drilled holesand fitted the screens with screws. The cleaning was done after removing andre-fixing screw. Our quarters were crash programme quarters; even screenprovision was not there. After a period themesh was supplied fixed to a frame and screw provision made in it and supplied.This avoided damage to mesh. This also I provided later to my quarters. 2. Frame with hinges The nextdevelopment was fixing the fibre mesh in a light weight fibre frame and fittingto window inside frame using small plastic hinges. L type plastic bushes are fixed to frame. Bymoving the bush towards frame the frame is held in position. By moving it away frame, the frame is opened inwards. Thebushes were moved away from frame for cleaning screen, frame work and grillwork. So a three pane window had three panes of frame fixed with fibre mesh andeach could be opened or closed. This type was available in Chennai in early2005. 3. Change of material of frame and mesh. Later development wasmesh material changing to GI thin wires and frame in alumium. It was better, no breaking of frame, but theGI wire corroded in one or two years. So replacing GI wire mesh, lightweight aluminium mesh startedproviding. Still some insects try to pierce it, and small holes appear. Theentire mesh was replaced after 3-4 years. Some of the meshes were affectedmore, fitted to windows close to damp area. I have fixed aluminium type meshand frame in windows in my Chennai home. Handles are provided in aluminium toopen and close the frame with ease. 4. Periodic replacement Now the smallcompanies who provide insect screen come with special tool, remove the damaged meshheld in the frame tight using rubber beading, and replace full net. Cost is 3/4thof the original work. 5. Prevent creepers entry Rather thaninsects, any other creeping beings like snakes cannot enter if mesh withquality aluminium is provided. It is the benefit I admire more. Even though mycompound is tidy, snakes can enter from nearby compounds, wander and go away. 6. Prevention of damage. Periodic cleaningof mesh is done with brush supplied by these firms or with a duster increaselife span of the mesh. Once a year the frame is taken out of hinge with skilledlabourer and cleaned with water, dried and fitted. 7. Appearance. The frame work isprovided in the colour of the paint of window if desired. The mesh may notappear as provided from distant look. 8. Obstruction to wind Because of the mesh40% to flow of wind coming to the rooms is obstructed. Initially it would be felt uncomfortable butlater our body adjust to it. 10 Frame net in bathrooms In bathrooms forentry of air, small windows are provided on top of the walls. These windows areprovided slots and glass pieces cut to size are inserted through it. Sometimesgrill work is provided. But rats, leachesetc. can easily enter through it. If a mesh frame work is fitted to the frame,we need not have fear of such creatures. If net is fibre, rats may tear and getin. Wire mesh is the best. Fibre mesh cost less and still provided if the customerdesires so. 11. Advantage of mesh provision in screen. The window pane canbe kept opened without any fear. Not only insects, most creatures cannot get in. Butmosquitos still can enter through doors. So the time mosquitos enter,doors also must be closed. Mosquito bat is the best in killing the mosquitosentered in a room. 12. Repairing themesh Now adhesivematerial has been found out and bits of the same material can be pasted to the damagedarea of mesh. (According to the information by a Google search by me today). -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/219977633.762450.1642428515471%40mail.yahoo.com.
