Torn or Punctured Screen Mesh
A torn or punctured screen mesh is the most common screen repair call CDW receives throughout California. Any tear in the mesh, regardless of size, creates an entry point for insects. In California's climate with its long warm season and active insect population, a small tear that might be a minor inconvenience in a cooler climate is a functional failure that lets mosquitoes and gnats into the home from spring through fall. CDW replaces torn and punctured mesh with the correct mesh type for the specific window and California location.
Bent or Damaged Screen Frame
A bent screen frame no longer holds the correct rectangular shape, which means the screen won't fit correctly in the window opening and the mesh can't be held taut. The most common causes of bent frames are accidental impact during window cleaning, wind loading from California's coastal and Santa Ana wind events, and pet damage from dogs and cats pushing against the screen. CDW repairs bent frame sections where the damage is localized and the frame profile is otherwise sound, and replaces the full frame where the damage is too extensive for repair.
Screen Won't Stay in the Window
A screen that keeps falling out of the window has a spring latch or retaining clip that has failed, a frame that has been bent enough that the retaining mechanism no longer engages the window's screen channel correctly, or a screen that has warped from UV exposure and no longer fits the window opening dimensions. CDW diagnoses which of these applies before recommending any repair.
Screen Frame Corners Separated
Screen frame corners are connected by plastic or metal corner keys that hold the frame sections at 90-degree angles. California's UV exposure weakens plastic corner keys over time, and the frame's seasonal expansion and contraction from California's temperature cycling fatigues the corner joint connections. A frame with separated corners loses its rectangular shape, which prevents correct window fit and prevents the mesh from being held taut. CDW replaces failed corner keys and reinforces separated frame corners.
Screen Spring Latch or Clip Broken
The spring latches and retaining clips that hold window screens in their channels are small hardware components that are susceptible to corrosion in California's coastal areas and to UV-related plastic brittleness in California's high-sun inland areas. A broken latch or clip allows the screen to fall out of the window. CDW replaces broken spring latches and clips with compatible replacements for the specific window's screen retention system.
Screen Mesh Sagging or Loose in the Frame
A screen with mesh that has gone slack or is sagging in the frame has either a failed spline that's no longer holding the mesh taut in the frame channel, or mesh that has stretched from sustained UV exposure. California's UV intensity accelerates mesh material degradation that leads to sagging faster than in less sunny climates. CDW replaces the spline where the mesh itself is still sound, and replaces the mesh where the material has stretched or degraded beyond recovery.
Screen Discolored or UV Degraded
Standard fiberglass screen mesh can develop a brown or gray discoloration from UV exposure over time as the fibers degrade. UV-degraded mesh is also structurally weakened and more susceptible to tearing from normal contact. In California's high-sun regions, this degradation can occur within three to five years on south and west-facing windows. CDW replaces UV-degraded mesh with UV-stabilized alternatives where the California sun exposure warrants the upgrade.
Screen Too Small or Incorrectly Sized After Prior Repair
A screen that was replaced with the wrong size during a prior repair won't seal the window opening correctly and allows insects to enter around the screen's edges. CDW measures the specific window opening and fabricates or selects a correctly sized replacement screen or mesh panel.