Nothing is more welcome after a long, hot day than the fresh evening breeze when summer comes.
However, if you’re worried about the insects that summer also brings, you might hesitate to keep your doors and windows open.
Purchasing a set of fly curtains is a good way to enjoy the breeze without letting the bugs inside.
Here’s Why Fly Curtains Actually Keep Flies Out:
Fly curtains are designed to let the summer air in your house while keeping insects out. Magnetic mesh fly curtains work especially well, as they use magnetic strips to snap the panels back into place immediately after adults, kids, or pets pass through them.
Do Fly Curtains Actually Work?
Fly curtains are excellent deterrents for keeping insects out of your house in the hot summer months. The type of fly curtain you choose will determine how effective they are.
If you are looking for the most effective option, you will want to choose the magnetic mesh fly curtains. Their mesh panels are impenetrable to flies, mosquitoes, or other bothersome flying insects.
These panels are drawn to each other by magnets, allowing the curtains to remain sealed by default. Without fumbling for a door handle, you can pass through them and trust that they will close completely behind you.
As long as you care for your fly curtains, they should work wonders at keeping flies out of your home. If you or your pets damage the mesh panels and create holes, your curtains will lose their effectiveness.
To make sure your fly curtains work, use them with care or purchase a replacement pair if they suffer from any damage.
How do Fly Curtains Work?
You can find fly curtains in a few different styles, but they are all designed to keep insects out of your home.
Especially for homeowners who love their deck, patio, or backyard, having a barrier to keep insects from coming inside during the summer months is essential.
Fly curtains can provide an easy and affordable solution if you want the freedom to come in and out of the house without constantly opening and closing a door.
Let’s look at the main fly curtain styles and how they work to keep insects out of your home, even if you have a high-traffic doorway.
Magnetic Mesh Fly Curtains:
Magnetic mesh fly curtains, also known as magnetic screen doors, have become a very popular barrier to keep insects out of the house.
These curtains are an excellent choice when it comes to effectiveness and affordability.
When you purchase a magnetic mesh fly curtain, you will open up the package to find two door-length mesh panels attached to a single header to mount above the door.
The separation between these two panels is where you will walk through once the curtains are installed. Each panel has magnetic strips placed along these seams. These magnets cause the curtain to snap back together anytime someone walks through it.
Thanks to the magnets, your doorway will instantly reseal itself after someone passes through. This minimizes the time that any insect could sneak in during foot traffic times.
The mesh construction keeps any insects from entering when the curtain is still and sealed along the magnetic edge.
Many homeowners enjoy the hands-free appeal the design has to offer. If your hands are full of dishes for the backyard barbeque, the magnetic seal will open as you gently push your way through.
You don’t need your hands to open any doorknobs or slide any screens. No matter how full your hands are, you can come and go easily with this design.
It works well to let kids and pets pass through easily as well. This gives the magnetic mesh curtain an edge over a standard screen door. Although screen doors have long been a favorite for keeping bugs out in the summer, they usually require a free hand to slide them open or pull them closed.
Even if you’re a renter, installation is easy with this type of fly curtain. Many brands will come with sticky-back velcro that you can directly attach to the top of your door frame. The header of the curtains will stick directly onto this velcro.
You can reinforce the curtains with tacks or nails if you have a wooden doorframe. If you have a metal or aluminum frame, you will have to rely solely on the velcro.
Once the curtains are set up, you can still detach them anytime you need. Peel the curtain header off the velcro strip. You can press it on later when you want to hang them up again.
Chain Link Fly Curtains:
If you don’t like the appearance of the mesh fly curtains, you might be interested in chain link fly curtains.
You can find these specialty curtains made of long, thin strips of chain link. These curtains are usually made of aluminum. Each strip of aluminum chain link hangs next to each other to create a long, single panel curtain.
These curtains can be finished in various colors, so you can make your fly curtains match your home decor.
To pass through, it’s simple. You part the chain links and walk through them the way you would with any beaded curtain. The chain links will sway back into place, once again forming a barrier between flying insects and the inside of your home.
These chain link curtains are well-loved by pet owners who want to keep an entrance open for their animals while keeping out unwanted insects.
When fly curtains are installed over the door to the backyard, for example, pets can easily come and go as they please while insects are deterred from entering.
This fly curtain will offer a barrier to insects who want to enter your home but can’t offer 100% effectiveness. These are best suited for those who need a lower level of protection.
To see how these chain fly curtains look in use, you can check out this short video on YouTube:
Do Beaded Curtains Keep out Flies?
If you have a decorative pair of beaded curtains around, you might be wondering if these can function like the chain link fly curtains.
Beaded curtains can help deter insects from entering the home. However, based on the size of the beads and the space between them, you might only be deterring larger insects from coming inside.
If you want to block larger insects like dragonflies or bumblebees, beaded curtains can get the job done.
If you are trying to block smaller flying insects, select a pair of beaded curtains that don’t allow much space between beads. The more material to block the fly’s path, the more effective your curtains will be.
Beaded curtains will not offer complete protection, but they can offer a decorative deterrent that gets the job done for your home.
Are Screens Better than Fly Curtains?
Screen doors have long been the traditional solution to keeping insects out of the home.
While screen doors work well when fully closed, they can have some disadvantages in their practical use.
If you are looking for the ideal solution for a high-traffic back door, you might find fly curtains suit your home better. Let’s see how these two solutions compare.
First, screen doors can require a free hand to open, especially if they are sliding doors. It can be complicated to pass in and out of your door when your hands are full. It can also make it challenging for younger family members to use independently.
If you find your screen door doesn’t close as well as it used to, you give insects a chance to enter every time someone passes through. A good pair of mesh fly curtains should eliminate this issue since their matching magnets allow the curtain to seal off the doorway instantly every time.
Fly curtains are easily removed, which makes them perfect for seasonal use. You can easily put up and take down your fly curtains if you only need protection from insects for a few of the warmer months of the year.
Above the doorway, you will install a pair of metal brackets. The header of your fly curtains will click into those brackets and hang securely over your doorframe. You slide the header up and out of the brackets when you want to remove the curtains.
This easy install can make fly curtains more appealing than a traditional screen door. A screen door will also cost much more than a simple pair of lightweight curtains. If you are looking for a flexible, affordable option that will consistently work well, you can choose fly curtains over a screen door.
What is the Best Way to Keep Out Flies?
If you are looking for an easy and effective way to keep flies out of your house this summer, magnetic mesh curtains are the best choice.
These curtains are affordable and very effective at keeping insects on the outside. They are user-friendly, as you can pass through them easily, and they will immediately seal themselves off again once.
Final Thoughts:
You don’t need to invest money in a traditional screen door to keep the insects out of your house this summer.
Spending less on a pair of fly curtains can do the trick just as well.
For the most extensive protection, you can try magnetic mesh curtains. These family and pet-friendly curtains will deliver excellent results while easy to use.
Beaded curtains or chain-link fly curtains are other great deterrents against pesky summer insects for a more decorative option.
Sources:
Bob Vila: The Best Magnetic Screen Doors of 2022