Pool Cage Screen Types: No-See-Um, Pet and Privacy

When your pool cage needs new screen, the first question is usually which screen to use. Most people assume there is one kind. In fact there are four you will hear about at the estimate: standard pool and patio screen, no-see-um screen, pet screen and privacy screen. Each one solves a different problem, and the right answer often uses more than one on the same cage.

This guide explains what each type is, where it belongs on the cage, and how to decide, using the screen maker’s own product information. We use Phifer screen on our rescreens, so the examples below are Phifer products.

First, Is It Time to Rescreen?

Screen does not fail all at once. The Florida sun wears it down over years, and the signs creep up on you. Walk the cage and look for these:

• Fading. Screen that has gone gray or chalky in the sun.
• Sagging. Panels that bow in or flap in the wind instead of sitting tight in the frame.
• Tears and holes. One or two at first, then more each season.
• Bugs and leaves inside. Once a few panels go, the pool area stops doing its job. You find leaves in the pool and get bitten on the deck.

If you see one torn panel on an otherwise tight cage, that is wear. If you see fading, sagging and tears across the cage, the whole screen is near the end of its life, and it is time to choose what goes back on.

The Standard: 18x14 Pool and Patio Screen

The numbers describe the weave: 18 strands one way and 14 the other in each square inch. Phifer’s 18x14 fiberglass pool and patio screen is the everyday choice for pool cages. Phifer describes it as breathable, says it keeps out most tiny insects and wind-blown debris, and calls it an excellent choice for screening a large area (Phifer, pool and patio screening).

That last point matters on a pool cage, which is mostly large panels: tall walls and a wide roof. The standard screen lets the breeze through, keeps the view open, and keeps out most insects and blown debris.

For most homes, standard screen on the roof and most walls is the right call. The question is whether any part of the cage needs something more.

No-See-Um Screen: For the Bugs That Get Through

No-see-ums are biting midges. The University of Florida describes them as extremely small, with many species under about 1 millimeter long, and notes that several species breed in the marshes, swamps and mangroves of coastal Florida, where they can be so thick they drive people indoors (UF/IFAS Extension). The same publication pictures one next to standard window screen to show just how small they are.

That is where no-see-um screen comes in. Phifer’s No-See-Ums 20x20 has a tighter weave, 20 strands by 20, and Phifer says it keeps out most tiny bugs, such as no-see-ums, while still letting breezes through. Phifer also makes TuffScreen No-See-Ums, a finely woven polyester screen that it describes as rugged enough for kids and pets (Phifer, pool and patio screening).

Who needs it? If you get bitten on the pool deck at dusk and you never see what bit you, that is your answer. Homes near the water feel it most. Along our stretch of the Gulf coast, that means places like Hernando Beach, Aripeka, Hudson and Homosassa.

The trade-off is simple. A tighter weave has smaller openings, so it lets through a little less air and you see through it a little less clearly than standard screen. Many homeowners decide it is worth it. Some put it only on the walls closest to where they sit.

Not sure which screen your cage needs? Call (727) 857-3714 or get a free estimate. Chris will go over the options with you at the visit.

Pet Screen: For Claws and Noses

Standard screen is not made to stand up to a dog that jumps at the wall or a cat that climbs it. Pet screen is. Phifer’s PetScreen is a vinyl-coated polyester that Phifer describes as tear- and puncture-resistant, strong enough to prevent tearing by dogs and cats (Phifer, PetScreen).

It is heavier stuff, and you can tell by the numbers. Phifer lists PetScreen at about 36 percent openness and about 64 percent UV blockage (Phifer, PetScreen). In plain words: less air and less light get through than with standard screen, and it is more noticeable to look through.

That is why pet screen usually goes where the pets are, not on the whole cage. Phifer recommends PetScreen for patio and porch enclosures, windows and screen doors. On a pool cage, that usually means the screen door and the lower wall panels your dog can reach, with standard screen everywhere else.

Privacy Screen: For the Bottom of the Walls

Privacy screen blocks the view into your pool area from the side. Phifer’s Glas-Shield is one example: an 18x14 fiberglass screen with a vinyl laminate, made to add privacy and keep dirt and debris out. Phifer recommends it for lower enclosure panels and walls, and says it is not made for roofs (Phifer, pool and patio screening).

So privacy screen is a lower-panel product. It works well along the bottom of the walls that face a neighbor or a street, where it blocks the view of anyone sitting at the pool and keeps out the dirt and debris that blow in at ground level. The upper walls and the roof stay standard screen, so the cage still breathes and you still have your view of the sky.

How to Choose for Your Cage

Most cages end up as a mix. Here is the short version, by problem:

Your problem	Screen to ask about	Where it usually goes
None, the old screen is just worn out	Standard 18x14	The whole cage
Bitten at dusk by bugs you cannot see	No-see-um	Walls near where you sit, or the whole cage
A dog or cat tears the screen	Pet screen	Screen door and lower wall panels
Neighbors can see in, or debris blows in	Privacy screen	Lower wall panels facing the view

A few questions help settle it before the estimate:

• Where do you sit? Put the upgrade where people actually spend time.
• How close are you to the water? Coastal homes see more no-see-ums.
• Which panels do the pets reach? Usually the door and the bottom row.
• Which walls face the neighbors or the street? Those are the privacy candidates.
• Does your HOA need to approve it? We help with the HOA paperwork when it is needed.

What Happens at the Estimate

Choosing a screen is easier standing in your own pool area than reading about it, so that is where we do it. Here is how a rescreen estimate goes:

1. You call or send the form. Jennifer gets back to you to set up a visit.
2. Chris looks at the cage. He checks the screen, the frame and the hardware: the spline, the screws, the door and its closer. If the frame or the gutter it hangs from has a problem, you hear about it then, not halfway through the job.
3. You pick your screen. Standard, no-see-um, pet or privacy screen, panel by panel if you want a mix. Chris walks through the trade-offs for each spot on your cage.
4. You get a written price. Every cage is different, so we price it in person, and the price is good for 30 days.

There is no pressure to decide on the spot. Many homeowners want to talk it over, or check with the HOA first, and that is fine.

Why We Rescreen the Whole Cage

Whatever mix you pick, we do full rescreens: every wall and roof panel in one job, not one panel at a time. Patching single panels leaves old, faded screen next to new, and the rest of the old screen keeps wearing out. Every rescreen also gets new spline (the rubber cord that holds the screen in the frame), and we replace worn hardware like screws and door closers. The work comes with a 1 year warranty.

If the large gutter your cage is fastened to is sagging or leaking too, take care of it at the same time. A super gutter change out takes the screen off anyway and includes a full rescreen, so the gutter and the cage are done in one job. Our post on super gutter warning signs shows what to look for.

We rescreen pool cages and lanais across Hernando, Pasco and Citrus counties, from Spring Hill and Brooksville to New Port Richey and Inverness. Rain Storm Solutions is a Florida Certified Specialty Contractor, license SCC131154760. See our pool cage rescreening page for the full job, or call (727) 857-3714 or get a free estimate to have Chris look at your cage.