Australia has long had a love affair with the humble flyscreen and it’s no wonder.  With the majority of our population living on the coast, in warm often humid conditions, Australian residential areas are a hotbed for flies, mosquitoes, bees and other biting insects.

A traditional mosquito screen can do a serviceable job of keeping the bities out, but a security screen does is so much better.  Here’s why.

Mosquito screens are easily damaged.
a. Mosquitoes and flies are drawn to the lights of your house… even the carbon dioxide you breathe out in your sleep attracts them.  Mosquitoes are relentless.  If they can sense there is someone behind the screen, the will buzz around the screen looking for an entrance.  Traditional mosquito screens are easily damaged and even a small hole… perhaps caused by a child pressing a pencil into the screen… is enough for mosquitoes to gain entry.

The rubber tubing that holds the gauze in often stretches from being refitted, and needs replacing.  There would not be too many houses in Australia with flyscreens, that don’t have the little roller needed to refit the rubber tubing as it comes loose so often!

b. They are more difficult to clean.
Because of their fragile nature, mosquito screens are far harder to clean than security screens.  Dusting them off with a brush can stretch the gauze making them look unsightly, causing rubber borders to come loose, and damaging the screen itself so that holes are inevitable, and the bities will find their way in.

c. An open window, with only a flyscreen, is as dangerous to children as an open window.
Flyscreen gauze is not designed to withstand any horizontal pressure, even the pressure exerted by a small child leaning against it, stabilizing themselves with their hands after climbing onto a window sill.  Whilst no parent would ever allow a child to climb up onto an open window sill… a window with a flyscreen provides a false sense of security that the window is safe. 

Recent accidents where children have fallen from a window after leaning from a screen are a terrible reminder that a fly screen, is for flies, a security screen, is for flies and people.

d. Flyscreens, don’t keep people out
When I see stories of someone who has been assaulted, a woman or child in their bed, where access was gained by a villain simply pushing in, or cutting a flyscreen gauze, I have to turn away, knowing that had that house had our Security Screens installed, it never would have happened.  Just like gauze flyscreens provide people with a false sense of security that children can’t fall out gauze window screens, they also fall into a false sense of security that a gauze window will act as a deterrent to someone wanting to access their property at night.  Access can be gained by pushing in, or cutting gauze window in moments, it happens almost silently and the room’s occupant would be unlikely to wake.
Melbourne’s typical hot, humid summer nights require windows to be opened to allow rooms to cool down but without a security screen….every time you do this it’s like playing Russian roulette.

e. Houses with security screen are easier to sell, easier to rent out, and attract higher values/rents
A house with security screens as opposed to gauze window screens will generally sell for a higher price than a house without, as it ticks many of the boxes that buyers are looking for.  House secure? Tick.  Insurance likely to be honored as reasonable precautions taken to secure house?  Tick.

But even more so, security screens allow a higher rent to be charged.  Many renters can’t afford home contents insurance, as it’s normally tacked onto general home insurance at a large discount.  They are relying on home security to protect their belongings.  Security windows provide that security.  IN the event they DO pay for home contents insurance… then no problem… their security windows will ensure they have the best chance of getting a reasonably priced policy, and that it will be honored if they ever have to call on it.