Want bug protection without a distorted mesh view? Pull out a retractable screen — then just roll it back when done

Throwing my windows and doors open to let in a crisp breeze is one of my favourite parts of the mild B.C. weather — but the accompanying bugs are not. And while traditional screens and screen doors can keep the insects away, the rigid framed contraptions are often a nuisance. I can’t recall how many frames I’ve bent or how many fingernails I’ve broken putting them back into place after letting in my cat meowing at 2 a.m. outside my bedroom window. And such conventional insect screens often compromise the beauty of a home, block views, diminish natural daylight and make routine window cleaning difficult.

There has got to be a better solution, I have often thought to myself.

Well, there is. Sitting at my son’s baseball practice one night, I started talking to a fellow parent who was excited about his new position at an Abbotsford-based company, Phantom Screens, which makes retractable screening solutions. He couldn’t say enough about the people and the products. Retractable? No finicky frames? No broken fingernails?

Tell me more.

Well, according to Ron Somers, Phantom Screens’ vice-president of sales and marketing, not only are Phantom Screens easily retractable — i.e., they roll away out of sight and disappear — and versatile — they fit a variety of window and door sizes, including French doors and casement windows — they also reduce energy waste. For example, simply installing Phantom’s fully retractable screens in the windows on the west side of a home will allow you to block the hot afternoon sun in the warmer months or fully retract the screens to gain the maximum warming effects of the sun in the cooler months. This allows you to enjoy your outdoor space year-round without sacrificing your views to the outside.

With so many application options, a growing number of architects and builders have started to specify the products more and more during planning and drafting stages of home building. So, while the majority of Phantom’s screens are installed by a network of authorized distributors, in January the company launched a new architectural and builder services program, which provides a dedicated channel for residential and commercial building projects. According to Roberto Amaya, Phantom Screens’ architectural services manager, “The interactive nature of this new program will enable builders to sample a variety of design and product options during the planning and building stages. As a result, I believe they will find it easier to incorporate retractable screen solutions into their projects in new and exciting ways that will enhance and differentiate their work.”

Perhaps the only question remains is how the company came up with the name “Phantom”?

Why the name Phantom?
Phantom’s retractable screens were originally introduced to the Canadian market by a Dutch immigrant Syb Rypma, but, after a partnership was formed with the Rooke family in Abbotsford in 1992, a new name was needed. Rypma’s wife, Kathy, came up with the winning suggestion. “Phantom of the Opera was the big Broadway musical at the time. ‘What about Phantom?’ Kathy said one night. Phantom is a mystery and everyone knows the name,’” Rypma recalls. “We all fell in love with it,” notes Esther De Wolde, Phantom Screens CEO.

What’s new?
The most recent addition to the Phantom Screens product lineup is a small motorized executive retractable screen, the little cousin to the original executive screen, which can retract by remote control, or even with sun and wind sensors. This new smaller motorized screen solution offers all of the benefits and features of the original with the added convenience, versatility and aesthetics of a smaller footprint. With a housing size of only four inches, the screen will fit a wider array of openings and architectural designs than the larger version.

“We are pleased to add this smaller, sleeker executive screen solution to our product line as we work to consistently provide the innovative retractable screen solutions our customers demand,” says Somers.

HOT CAR: A customer’s prized Maserati is protected from the sun and heat with a retractable Phantom Screen. 

What’s custom?
Phantom Screens has a solution for every screen need, as they are custom fit to each opening and they blend in with the existing décor, coming in a variety of colours and finishes from popular neutrals like white and grey to wood grain finishes. “We have always placed high value on our ability to give our customers premium quality customizable retractable screen solutions that perfectly fit their home and lifestyle,” notes Somers.

An example of one of the more interesting applications is an installation of Phantom’s motorized screens on a private residence in Los Angeles. The homeowner needed a solution that allowed him to shade the sun and prevent the solar heat from entering the garage, which holds his prized Maserati. In addition, the entire screen had to remain completely hidden when not in use to preserve the architectural integrity of the building. “Phantom’s screens were the only ones that met all requirements, as they provide solar protection while maintaining the look of the space,” says Somers.

In another case, a homeowner on Vancouver Island who is prone to medical reactions to bee or wasp stings requested a screen solution for his back deck that would not hide the views to the water. When the screens are not in use, the deck returns to an open, unhindered living space with no obstructions to the spectacular oceanfront view. When in use, the space becomes a safe haven from buzzing insects. BCHM