Bug Protection for Your Screened-In Porch

If there’s a way into your screen porch, you can bet pests will find it. In a well-built screen porch, the door should be the only potential way a pest can find its way into the room.

In order to effectively protect against bugs, a screen porch must be completely enclosed, but if your porch wasn’t well built from the start, it is often the deck floorboards that were overlooked. Traditional decking has a 1/8” or 1/4” gap between boards, which is more than enough room for mosquitoes or other bugs to crawl through.

Here are the three most effective ways you can build or update a structure to provide more complete protection from creepy-crawlies.

Long-Term Costs of Operating an Outdoor Fire Feature in Bethesda, Maryland

Nothing provides quite the same blend of ambiance and function as an outdoor fire feature, but many people wonder about price. With so many fire features to choose from, which one is going to provide all the aesthetic beauty and functional warmth without breaking the bank?

This article compares three of the most common fire feature types: natural wood-burning fireplaces, biofuel fireplaces, and natural gas fires. For the sake of comparison, electric heaters are also included below. While not a traditional fire feature, they are a common alternative for those looking to heat their outdoor spaces.

How to Plan for Recessed Lights in a Custom Screened Porch Design in 2021 

Recessed lights can offer a streamlined, clean, modern look, so it’s little surprise they’re becoming increasingly popular not only in interior spaces but in outdoor living areas as well. If you’re considering recessed lighting for your screened-in porch, here are six factors to keep in mind before you take the plunge.

The Role of Egress in Building Rooftop Decks

Rooftop decks are becoming increasingly popular in Maryland and Northern Virginia. If you’ve started to look into adding one to your property, you might have come across the term “egress” during your initial research. What exactly does this concept mean, though, and how could it impact your potential new home improvement project?

If you live in the Maryland, Virgina, DC area, and are entertaining the idea of building an outdoor screen room, you want to invest in creating a space that's as functional year-round as possible. This translates to designing a screened porch area that's comfortable and usable for as many months of the year as you can. Luckily, there are many ways to ensure your outdoor living space is fortified against bugs and the elements.