Question 1

Can you repair a window screen without replacing the whole thing?

Accepted Answer

Yes. A small hole can be patched with screen-repair glue or a stick-on patch. If the mesh is torn or saggy, you re-mesh the existing frame (a "rescreen") instead of buying a whole new screen — the aluminum frame is usually still good.

Question 2

What is screen spline?

Accepted Answer

It is the thin rubber cord pressed into the groove around the frame that holds the mesh tight. Rescreening means pulling the old spline out and rolling new spline in over fresh mesh.

Question 3

What tools do I need to rescreen a window screen?

Accepted Answer

New fiberglass mesh, new spline that matches the old cord’s thickness, a spline roller, a utility knife, and a flat screwdriver. The spline roller is the only specialty tool — about $8.

Question 4

How much does it cost to fix a window screen yourself?

Accepted Answer

Materials run roughly $15–$30 for mesh, spline, and a roller — enough to do several screens. If you would rather not, we rescreen a single screen for $45, or $30 each for two or more, at your home in Utah Valley.

Question 5

When should I replace the screen instead of repairing it?

Accepted Answer

When the frame is bent, cracked at a corner, or the corner keys are broken. Mesh repairs will not fix a frame that no longer holds square — that is a rebuild, not a rescreen.

Question 6

Is it cheaper to repair or replace a window screen?

Accepted Answer

Re-meshing an existing frame is almost always cheaper than a whole new screen, because the frame is the durable part. Only replace the frame when it is actually damaged.