Dumb Window Screen Question

[Dimitrios Paskoudniakis]

Just bought a 10 yr old house last year. We removed the window screens to clean them, and now I can't seem to reinstall the taller ones upstairs. The tallest screens are all the same height, and I can install the ones on the lower level, but they all seem about 1/8 inch too tall on the upper level and won't reinstall. I slide the top under the window frame, but then can't get the bottom above the bottom of the frame. If I put in the bottom first, I can't get the top in. Even if I get on an extension ladder outside, I can't get them in.

What am I doing wrong?

[Norminn]

Upside down .. bottom of screen is flat and doesn't have a groove to fit into the frame?

[Dimitrios Paskoudniakis]

That's not it.

[Jim Tiberio]

Just keep playing with them from side to side or flip it around front to back I suppose, you just aren't catching the groove up top.

[Dimitrios Paskoudniakis]

Oh please. Of course I'm catching the groove up top. If I flip front to back, the tabs that hold the screen in will be on the outside. We're talking about maybe 1/8 of an inch in height.

There is a support about halfway up the screen. I find if I push it outward, while pulling the bottom inward, I can get the bottom to fit, but my fingers are pinched and if I let go, the screen just pops out and falls to the ground. Tomorrow I'll try that approach by getting on the ladder from the outside.

Surely there must be an easier approach.

[Art]

Have you double checked the design of the ones on the lower floor that you were successful with. Maybe they are slightly different and belong on the top floor.

[Lawrence]

Most screens can only be removed and installed from the outside. On mine there are two small springs at the top of the frame that have to be compressed to get the screen frame in. Insert the top of the screen frame (the one with the springs) first into the slot then slide it up to the top. Lever the bottom in and give a hard push upward with your thumbsfrom the bottom of the frame. Mine are so tight that i have to use a putty knife underneath the frame to lever it up over the lip of the slot.

[Steve Barker]

I've never seen a screen that is removed from the outside. That wouldn't be very secure either. You need to make sure the window glass above the screen is being pushed all the way up. They will drop a small amount when you take the screen out.

[hillacc at yahoo.com]

I used to have screens like this, and they could only be put in from the inside. They could be removed from the outside by prying them up, but they wouldn't go back in that way no matter what was tried. The easiest way of all to get them in was to have someone on the inside pulling on the tabs and flexing the screen and someone on the outside pushing and making sure the screen didn't pop back out. Either that or use three hands on the inside....

Jo Ann

[Dimitrios Paskoudniakis]

Thanks. I think that's exactly what is needed.

[Goedjn]

Are the window casings vinyl? Of so, wait for a hot sunny day, and keep the screens cool until you're ready to put them in. That 1/8" is easily within the thermal expansion range of a tall window. Alternatively, if the screens only catch at the top and bottom, jam the top in place, and have someone else bow the middle out by pushing gently on the frames while you wedge the bottoms into place and latch them.

[Dimitrios Paskoudniakis]

Good idea.

I discovered that 3 of my screens on the first floor have the pull tabs on the bottom, and I need to install 4 on the second floor. My first action will be to move the 3 with pull tabs to the second floor, then I only need to add tabs to 1 window. I can then reinstall the other screens on the first floor from the outside if needed. Thanks.