SCREEN ARTICLES

Home Security

Insect Security Screen Dubai

When you think of insect and mosquito net screens in Dubai, rarely did you think they could also provide additional home security. Until now!

At Safety Screens, we have turned the insect and mosquito net market on its head. No longer do you need to use flimsy fiberglass flyscreen nets on your doors and windows that constantly break. Now you have the option of installing an insect screen that is made from tough stainless steel. These screens have been developed in Australia to provide protection from flying bugs as well as intruders. They are so strong that they are security rated by the Australian Standards commission.

In Dubai and across the UAE, home security is not normally a big consideration when it comes to locking your doors and windows. Unfortunately, living in a metropolitan city like Dubai comes with the normal security concerns that we should all be aware of. We hear stories of many home owners not bothering to lock their villa doors and windows however we don’t recommend this. If you like to leave a door or window open, then we highly recommend you install a stainless steel mesh Safety Screen over the opening. This way you can let the breeze flow through your home while keeping a secure, lockable barrier over the door or window. Our mesh screen doors come with a triple locking system and are often more secure than your existing window or door lock!

There are also a number of other considerations and methods to keep your villa secure and safe including:

Locks

Use high-quality locks on doors and windows. Deadbolts are the highest security rated locks you can use, particularly for French doors which need extra bolts to ensure they can’t be forced open. Of course, if your doors are not well locked you can always put a security screen over it to provide extra protection while also keeping insects out.

Electronic access

Consider electronic locks that require keypad entered codes, voice access or phone app. These are convenient and especially useful to avoid lost keys entering the hands of potential burglars.

Alarm systems

Security systems, window and glass break sensors or other alarms can alert authorities to a breach while also acting as a loud acoustic deterrent. If you are on a budget, you can even use fake ones with a flashing light. Add and display generic security stickers as an additional element.

Lights

Well-lit entrances with outdoor motion activated lights will discourage potential intruders. Consider solar powered lights to save energy. Indoor lights on timers are also an old traditional method of lighting up the inside of your villa to make it look like someone is home.

Visual inspections

Walk around your villa and inspect any possible access points to make sure frames and hinges of doors and windows are in good condition and strong. See what tools you have lying around that could potential be used to gain access (including ladders and hammers) and secure these in a lockable shed.

Hide valuables

Keep valuables out of sight, such as money, jewellery, laptops and phones. Better yet, install a small safe that is secured to the floor of your villa. Consider an entertainment unit with doors that hide the TV when not in use or other hideaway systems. Burglars look for quick, grab and go items.

Expensive purchases

Dispose of empty boxes from expensive purchases, like TV screens, computers, consoles; make sure they are not left sitting in plain view outside.

Surveillance cameras

Install cameras around all the access points to your villa. They can be helpful to identify and catch thieves with video evidence. But it is more useful to have a connected smartphone app, so you can check as soon as there is a triggered alert and contact authorities.

Hold mail and deliveries

Notify mail services to hold your mail and put deliveries on hold if you will be away for an extended period. This is a classic sign to potential burgers that no one is home. Or ask a neighbour to collect your mail and advertising leaflets for you.

House sitter

Hire a house sitter while you are away. Or get a friend or neighbour to visit your villa, not only to check but put out and take in bins. Also continue the gardener if you have one to keep the villa neat and clean. Unfortunately the gardener will quickly work out your daily routine and when you are away on holidays. Ensure your gardener is thoroughly vetted through an agency and does not have access to your villa while you are away.

Sliding Door Precautions

Even when locked, sliding doors by their very design are fairly easy to break open. The use of a timber or metal rod in the track may seem like a good idea but it is not a recommended solution. The only way is to install high quality triple locking glass doors or installing a steel mesh locking security sliding screen door Dubai.

WiFi Network

Keep home wi-fi networks secure and hidden to prevent hacker access to personal and financial information or access to an automated home system.

Home Automation

Home automation can give you remote access or scheduled control of lights and locks as well as cameras and alarms. You can get real-time alerts about suspicious activity, so you can take quick action.

Prevent Climbing

Second stories are often more vulnerable to a breach. Ensure windows and doors that can be accessed via garage roofs and balconies are secured with a quality triple lock and a steel screen.

There are many simple and effective solutions to keep your home safe and secure. If you would like to discuss improving the security of your villa then please feel free to contact one of the experienced Safety Screens Dubai representatives who can provide a number of options for you.

Mesh Screens

Insect Screen Pet Doors in Dubai!

We get many requests to fit pet doors in our premium stainless steel screen doors. However due to their security rated design, this had been extremely difficult. We have been working hard over the last 2 year to develop a robust solution that both provides great access for your pet while still offering the strength expected of these security screens.

At last we have cracked the code! We’ve been working with pet door manufacturers to find a perfect solution for our stainless steel screens. We had previously installed these pet doors into a hinged door but we were unable to do it into our sliding screen door. The issue was the pet door would extend out from the screen and hit the existing door or hit our interlock security device. We wanted to ensure that our screens maintained their security rating by using the doors interlock. Through many months of trial and error we have finally developed a great solution.

Recently we installed an extra-large pet door (the client’s pet was a large Alsatian dog!) on a sliding screen door. The only downside is there is the possibility that an intruder can enter your home through the pet door. We recommend using the pet door locking lugs for extra protection to your home.

Looking at the future we will continue to develop pet door options so they can be installed across our range of screens. In particular, we’ll be developing options for our hinged flyscreen door next. This door is still manufactured from aluminium however we insert a simple fiberglass mesh or polyester tough mesh. These are a bit more of a budget option when compared to our premium stainless steel screens.

Please feel free to contact us to discuss your pet door needs and to arrange a free measure and quote.

Screens

Why Stronger Mesh Screens Provide Safety for your Kids

Mesh screens are vital to your homes as they form a crucial part of your safety and security system. However, it’s less well know that insect screens can be made with stainless steel. Stainless steel screens are not common in the Middle East but are very popular in Australia, North America and South Africa.

One of the key reasons stainless steel screens are a common form of window screen is that they provide a physical security barrier to stop kids from falling out of high rise windows.

They prevent falls

If you are using the standard mesh screens for the windows of your home, these screens provide a false sense of security. That is, their position on windows will make you feel as if your kids cannot fall out through the windows. However, these standard fly nets don’t offer any kind of protection against falls. So, if you are using the common fiberglass type screen, kids may push out the mesh and fall from the window. This situation could be tragic. But if you use stronger stainless steel mesh screens, they will prevent your kids from falling out the windows. This is perhaps the most important reason to install high quality secure stainless steel mesh screens on your apartment or home.

They serve as safety barrier

Whether you are around or not, there are times when you may have to leave your kids to play alone inside your house. Their curious minds often want to head outside to play. A standard fibreglass mesh screen can’t prevent kids from going outside. When they go outside they can be exposed to dangers such as an un-fenced swimming pool or a busy road. You can avoid such problems by simply installing a lockable stainless steel mesh screen that will provide a barrier to stop our little ones from going outside unsupervised. This means that you can have peace of mind while your kids are playing at home.

They withstand high impact

If you have kids at home, your fly nets are likely going to experience high impact. Also, the kids may want to tamper with them or even cut them with sharp objects. The standard screens can’t withstand such activities; hence, they will be destroyed. Nonetheless, stronger mesh screens can withstand high impact and any activities. It should be noted that this benefit goes beyond just safety at this point; it also saves you a lot of money. When the kids destroy the standard screens, you will have to replace them. But they can’t easily destroy the stronger ones; hence, you don’t have to spend anything on replacement or repairs. Therefore, stronger mesh screens are safe to be used where you have kids. A quality steel mesh screen should come with a multi-year warranty so you know it will last and survive the daily wear and tear and years of use.

In conclusion, you should not forget that the security and safety of everyone in your home can depend on the type of screen that you install. You should therefore prioritise the safety of your little ones by going for stronger high quality powder coated stainless steel mesh screens. They provide the security and longevity that a cheaper fiberglass screen simply cannot offer.

Mesh Screens

Benefits of Powder Coating

Powder Coating stops aluminium from rusting

Powder coating is an environmentally friendly dry paint finish that protects our aluminium screen mesh and frames from corroding and rusting. Powder coated aluminium and steel requires no maintenance and gives many years of worry free performance. In the tough UAE environment, powder coating is the preferred choice to protect most metal based products.

How does powder coating work?

The final finish of a powder coated piece of metal looks like a traditional paint finish but is actually a dry paint process. Finely ground particles of paint powder are electrically sprayed onto the surface of the metal to be painted. An electrical charge is run through the metal and the powder heats up and bonds with the metal surface. This results in a durable, smooth and quality finish that not only protects the metal, but looks great too. Powder coating can be done in a wide variety of colours so villa owners can perfectly match any aluminium profile with their existing home colour scheme.

Advantages of powder coating

There are many advantages to powder coating which is used on our aluminium fly screen, security screen frames and stainless steel mesh here in Dubai. These include the following:

Powder coating results in a much thicker and denser protective painted finish than traditional painting providing a longer life.
It is more durable than traditional wet coated paint as the bonding is stronger.
Environmentally friendly as the powder does not contain any solvents like traditional wet paints.
Cost effective as it is more efficient to manufacture and apply.
Maintenance free as no special cleaning of the metal surface is required. With aluminium powder coating finishes it can simply be wiped down as required to keep it clean and looking great.
Available in a large variety of colours. In the UAE the Jotun range of colours are the most commonly used powder and match most villas in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and across the UAE.

Disadvantages of powder coating

Can be difficult to touch up if damaged. Due to the high quality and thickness of the powder paint, a painted repair can be tricky to perform.

Can be difficult to achieve a thin coat.

Takes time as the application must be complete within a dedicated powder coating facility.

Why use aluminium frames?

In conclusion, powder coating of aluminium is considered the best all round method of protecting our insect screen frames. They remain looking great even when exposed to harsh UV rays for decades and require very little maintenance. Easy to clean and durable there is no better solution to your security screens or fly screens in the UAE.

Home Security, Mesh Screens

Life’s Great Pleasure

I love sleeping. And I love my bed.

One of the great pleasures in life is a good night’s sleep. Good ventilation is vital to sleeping as it clears the expired CO2 from your room and brings fresh breathing air in. Sleeping with your door or window open allows the fresh air to flow through your bedroom and has been proven to be beneficial for sleeping and your health.

There are however, a couple of issues with having your door or window open, namely bugs and security.

We’ve all been woken to the buzzing sound of a pesky mosquito. We also need to be mindful that an open window or door, even at night, can be an access point to intruders. Luckily (this is a site about insect and security screens) there is a perfectly simply way to protect yourself from both of these types of intruders – mesh screens!

If security isn’t a concern we have our range of pleated mesh fly screens that fit all doors and windows. These provide a perfect barrier to all flying insects giving you a peaceful night’s sleep.

If you would like to feel safe when your door or window is open, our range of stainless steel mesh security screens are the perfect solution. These tough screens have been designed to keep bugs out while also providing a security barrier. They do this while still maintaining a great contemporary look.

Please feel free to contact us to discuss your personal needs and for a free quote.

Mesh Screens

Mesh Screen Combinations

Recently we’ve been finding that a number of villa owners are opting to install a combination of our two primary screens. That is our secure stainless steel screen along with our pleated retractable screen.

Commonly we are asked to fit the tough security screen to high traffic areas or those where the client would like to leave their glass doors and windows open. In the other doors and windows we fit our modern pleated fly screens. These provide insect protection only and are a great budget friendly option. In this way we can design a total villa solution that fits within your budget and needs.

We have also found that many people are now actively avoiding the old roll-up style screen. These fiberglass mesh screens appear good on paper however they do not wear well in the harsh UAE environment. They are also almost impossible to repair. At Safety Screens we do not recommend the roll up mesh window screen. Please feel free to contact us for an obligation free measure and quote to arrange your screens before winter ends

Screen business

Meet the Staff – Dennis our Steel Artisan

Dennis is one of our more recent additions to the Safety Screens team. Dennis has over 25 years’ experience working in the building industry; which we put to good use in our day to day operations. Originally from an electrical background, Dennis saw the light a few years ago and move over to building construction and maintenance.

Dennis can be found both in our fabrication shop in DIP as well as being out on-site fitting the screens he’s personally built. He loves being part of the entire fabrication process and seeing a happy client after one of his screens has been installed. He’s also quiet handy with any maintenance issues our clients have asked us to look at including door handle repair and the odd painting touch up. Dennis who is always happy to meet our clients and we trust he’ll be smiling while installing one of your screens!

Mesh Screens

Cleaning your security screen

As the winter weather has bought its normal seasonal rains, we’ve had a few questions asking about the best way to clean our mesh security screens. Due to their robust construction and 0.8mm stainless steel weave, they can attract a bit of dust, particularly after the rain.

The easiest way to clean the screens is to simply dust of the dry sand and dust with a soft brush. This will remove a large portion of the visible dust. You may need to do this weekly.

Approximately once a month you may need to give the screens a deeper clean. Using a sponge and warm soapy water with a mild detergent, simply wipe down the screens to remove all the dust that can get stuck between the mesh and in the corners. Then wipe the mesh down with a wet cloth to remove the soap residue.

The tracks can easily be vacuum cleaned to remove dry dust or wiped out with a wet cloth. This simple maintenance will have your screens looking great for years to come.

Home Security

Winter is here!

The cool weather is making our screens run hot! Our screens, particularly the pleated fly screen, have been in high demand these last few months. They are proving extremely popular in the Dubai market. We’ve even put on additional staff to keep up with the demand and to provide as many screens before the Christmas holidays.

We are also getting many questions about the construction and material used in our screens. All our screens come with a robust aluminium frame that provides the user with peace of mind that they’ll last. The powder coated frame ensures they survive the tough conditions found in the UAE. The mesh screen is either a security rated stainless steel wire that is woven together or the pleated screen uses a polyester mesh. Both options provide a good barrier for flies and mosquitoes but only the stainless steel mesh is security rated.

If you’d like a free measure and quote please feel free to contact us and we’ve always got time for a chat to discuss the best insect and security screen for your home.

Home Security, Mesh Screens

A crazy few weeks!

We’ve certainly come back from our summer holidays and hit the ground running. With the summer not too brutal this year we’ve been overwhelmed with interest in our screens as people get their villas ready for winter.