It’s March, and spring is in the air. As I write this, I’ve got most of the windows in my house thrown open to let in the breeze.
Essential to this experience, of course, are the screens that prevent any unwanted bugs or other pests inside. If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you know that I’m a proponent of taking strategic measures to optimize your screens offerings and drive greater value for your customers.
But there’s one specific screen application that is worth special attention. And that brings me to today’s tip:
Optimize the value of your patio door screens.
Sliding patio doors have long been a top-ranking choice for homeowners looking to connect their indoor spaces with the outdoors. They enable abundant light into the rooms where they’re installed, and offer convenient access to patios, gardens and other outdoor living areas. Getting the most from them requires the pairing of a high-performance patio door screen, allowing homeowners to enjoy ample breezes and easy entry and exit.
The patio door screen has the potential to be a highly trafficked component of your complete door system. More than any standard window screen throughout the rest of the home, a patio door screen may see daily operation, requiring rugged durability that can stand up to repetitive use. This is especially true throughout the Southeast and Southwest regions of the United States, where year-round warm weather allows homeowners to open their patio doors most days of the year.
And it’s here that the typical screens-related challenges for door and window manufacturers rear their heads. Producing a high-quality patio door screen is tough, technical work that requires several dedicated technicians that may be better allocated somewhere else on your plant floor. Quality and consistency are essential, even more so than for a typical window screen, which may not see daily use.
All of which are why strategic outsourcing of your patio door screens (and others, too) might make sense for your business, enabling you to focus on the quality of your doors and windows, while an expert partner handles your screens. A dedicated screens producer can offer a range of product upgrades that may be more difficult to produce in-house—indeed, advanced screens technology and mesh upgrades can offer clearer views, better longevity and even enhanced security, which can be especially impactful for homeowners. Finally, an ideal partner should be able to deliver your screens in the manner that makes the most sense for your business, whether that’s to your factory floor to be paired with your complete systems or directly to the job site.
For the forward-thinking fabricators, it’s worth considering. It’s an easy way to enhance the value for your customers while you focus on what you do best: making high-quality doors and windows.
John Ryba is technical services director for Quanex.