Garage screens that turn your garage into a summer room

Up North summers belong in the garage

Summer in Northern Michigan is short, and nobody wants to spend it shut inside. For a lot of families the garage is where summer actually happens: the workbench, the bikes and kayaks, the spare fridge, the chairs that come out on warm evenings.

The problem is the open door. Mosquitoes, black flies and deer flies find you the minute it goes up, and leaves, pollen and whatever the wind carries end up on the floor. So the door comes back down and the garage turns into a hot box again.

Lake homes and cottages get the most out of a screen. A screened garage near the water becomes the place to hose off sandy feet, hang wet towels and sort fishing gear without an escort of mosquitoes.

A garage screen fixes that. Leave the door up, drop the screen, and the garage becomes a shaded, breezy room that's actually pleasant to be in.

How a garage screen works with your garage door

A Lifestyle Screens system is installed in the garage door opening and works independently of the door itself. When you want the screen, open the garage door and lower the screen. When you need to drive through, retract the screen and it tucks away out of your path.

At night or when you leave, retract the screen and close the garage door as usual. The door, the opener and the safety sensors all keep doing their jobs. The screen just adds an option for the hours when you want air and light without the bugs.

Because every garage opening is a little different, we look at how the screen and the door share the space before we install it, so both work smoothly and neither gets in the other's way.

Why a retractable screen beats a zip-up curtain

Hang-up mesh curtains with magnets or zippers are cheap for a reason. They sag, flap in the wind off the bay, leave gaps at the edges and wear out after a season or two of rolling them up by hand.

A retractable garage screen is a finished product. The mesh stores in its own housing when it's up, runs in side channels when it's down and looks like part of the house instead of a temporary fix. It's the difference between making do and actually using the space.

It also comes down with a pull instead of a wrestling match, so you actually use it on a Tuesday evening instead of saving it for the weekend.

Measured and fitted to your opening

Garage openings are rarely perfectly square, and older homes and cottages can surprise you. We measure the opening carefully, check the jambs and header, and fit the system so the screen tracks straight and closes evenly from side to side.

We install Lifestyle Screens because they're built for exactly this use. We'll walk you through the options at a free estimate and answer any questions before anything is ordered.

Care that keeps the screen working for years

Garage screens need very little upkeep. Brush off pollen and cobwebs now and then, rinse the mesh with a hose when it gets dusty and keep the side channels free of dirt and leaves.

Retract the screen during strong wind and storms, and keep it up through the winter while the garage door does the work of keeping out snow and cold. When spring comes, it's ready to go again.

If your garage door itself is due for some attention, spring is also a good time for a tune-up so the door and screen both run smoothly all summer.

What to expect when we come out

We start by looking at the opening, the garage door and the opener, and asking how you plan to use the space. From there we recommend the right Lifestyle Screens setup, explain how it operates day to day and give you a clear quote. There's no charge for the visit.

If the garage door itself needs work, like a worn bottom seal or a noisy opener, we'll mention it. A screen gets the most use when the door behind it opens smoothly and closes tight.