Huntsville Screened Porches - Motorized and Retractable Screens
A retractable screen sits in a housing above an opening and rolls down in side tracks when you want it. Motorised versions run on a switch or remote. Manual versions pull down by hand. Either way the point is the same: you get insect protection when you need it and an unobstructed view when you do not, which fixed screen cannot give you.
This is mostly a retrofit product. If you have a patio cover, a pavilion or an open porch, screens can usually be added without touching the structure. If you are building from scratch and want screens permanently in place, a conventional screened porch costs considerably less.
Motorised or Manual
Manual retractable screens suit single openings up to roughly ten feet and cost far less. They are a good answer for one problem opening.
Motorised screens make sense on wide spans, on anything above head height, and where there are several openings you would otherwise operate one at a time. Practically, the deciding factor is honesty about behaviour: a manual screen that is awkward to reach stops being used by August. If you will not pull it down, pay for the motor or do not buy the screen.
What Matters in the Specification
- Side tracks, which are what stop wind pulling the mesh out of the channel. Trackless systems look neater and hold up less well in a north Alabama gust
- Housing size, since a wider opening needs a bigger tube and a deeper housing, which affects how the installation looks
- Mesh choice, from standard insect mesh to no-see-um weave or solar mesh for west-facing openings
- Motor and remote, including whether you want wall switches, a handheld remote or integration with existing home controls
- Wind sensors, which retract the screen automatically above a set wind speed and are worth having on any exposed elevation
- A manual override, so a power cut does not leave the screen stuck down
The Local Case for Retractable Over Fixed
Two reasons this product does well here. First, the dominant residential mosquito in north Alabama is the Asian tiger mosquito, which bites during the day, so insect protection is wanted in the afternoon as well as at dusk. A retractable screen lets you have shade and protection at four and an open view at seven. Second, our shoulder seasons are genuinely pleasant, and a fixed screen sits between you and that for months when you do not need it.
Where They Get Fitted, and Where They Do Not
Good candidates are wide openings on a covered structure, a garage bay you want to use as a workshop without insects, and the open side of a pavilion where a fixed screen would spoil the outlook. All three are retrofits onto something that already stands.
Poor candidates are openings taller than they are wide, which makes the housing awkward and the mesh prone to wind movement, and any elevation with no beam or fascia solid enough to carry the housing. We would rather tell you at the estimate than fit something that rattles.
Costs in Huntsville
Manual retractable screens typically run $1,200 to $2,500 per opening installed. Motorised units run $3,000 to $6,000 per opening depending on span, mesh and controls. Multiple openings on one project reduce the per-opening cost. Electrical work for motorised units is quoted separately where a new circuit is needed. Request a written quote.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can retractable screens be added to a patio cover I already have?
Usually yes, and that is the most common way we fit them. The cover needs a sound fascia or beam to carry the housing, which we check on site.
How do they cope with wind?
Side-track systems hold well in normal weather. In a genuine storm, any retractable screen should be up rather than down, which is exactly what a wind sensor automates. We recommend one on exposed elevations rather than treating it as an optional extra.
Are they cheaper than a screened porch?
Per opening, no. A full screened porch is usually better value if you want permanent screening. Retractable screens win when you want the choice, or when you are retrofitting a structure you do not want to alter.
What happens in a power cut?
Specify a manual override. Ask any supplier this question directly, because it is the difference between an inconvenience and a screen stuck in place.
How long do the motors last?
Warranty terms vary by manufacturer and we will show you the actual warranty document rather than quoting a lifespan figure we cannot stand behind. Ask us to put it in writing with the quote.
Related Services
For permanent screening see screened porch installation or aluminum screen rooms. For a solid roof to fit screens under, see patio covers. For an open structure, see pergolas, pavilions and gazebos. We serve Huntsville, Madison, Decatur and Athens.
Permits and Licensing in North Alabama
Which office you deal with depends on where you live, and there is no single North Alabama answer. The City of Huntsville, the City of Madison, the Town of Owens Cross Roads and unincorporated Madison County each run their own review and inspection schedule, and Huntsville takes submissions through ePlans. If the property sits in a FEMA flood hazard area, a flood development permit is issued before any other permit, which catches out homeowners near the Flint River, Aldridge Creek and Big Cove. We handle the filing.
Worth knowing before you sign with anyone, us included: Alabama's Home Builders Licensure Board requires a licence once the cost of the work, labour and materials combined, exceeds $10,000. The statute covers remodelling and improvement, not just new houses, so most projects on this page sit above that line. Check any builder's licence on the Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board site before you pay a deposit.