How to Set Up a Screen Room In a Windy City

As any Calgary resident knows, the city has the claim to fame of being the windiest big city in the whole of Canada. There are myriad reasons for the increased windiness; the proximity to the Rocky Mountains, getting caught in westerly breezes from the Pacific and those Chinook winds. In any case, the heightened wind speed across the city can cause problems for anyone looking to add some extra outdoor space with a screen room.

A screen room is a simple installation that most often sits on top of an existing deck or patio and attaches to the house through exterior posts connected to the external frame. The frame itself will have to be solid enough to withstand even the strongest Calgary winds (thank goodness for strong building codes!), but it’s the screened windows that can make life hard.

Learning how to set up a screen room in a windy city isn’t difficult, but you should talk with your a contractor, such as Desert Sun Patios about some of the following options to make sure your structure is as windproof as possible:

• Screen panel size – given that the overall goal of a screen room is to get as much sunlight and air as possible while still staying dry and bug free, many screen room owners want to have a small number of big panels that will give an uninterrupted view. However, high wind speeds can cause large mesh windows to blow back and forth, losing their tautness and makes them become baggy. Not only will this spoil the look of your screen room, but it also makes it more likely for damage to occur. Choosing smaller panels will reduce the risk of high wind speeds damaging the screens, and there are many designs that will still give you on open vista from your screen room.
• Screen panel fabric – another factor that you’ll need to consider when setting up a screen room in a windy city is the screen panel fabric. The general rule is that the more invisible your mesh, the more lightweight it is, which in turn makes it more susceptible to ripping and bending in high wind storms. Choosing something like fiberglass screen fabric or aluminium will give you the strength and security against wind damage; while it may make your screen room a little darker, the protection it will offer you will be worth the investment.
• Railing height – finally, all screen rooms in a windy city will need to have railings to make the screens more secure. The height and density of these railings will have an impact on the wind resistance of your structure – the taller and closer together the railings, the stronger your screen room will be.

As with any big building project, there are balances to be had between budget, aesthetics and structure quality. Living in the windiest city in Canada means that you have additional factors to take into consideration, but using some of these tips on how to set up a screen room in a windy city will help you find the right balance for your screen room project.