Choosing by how the window opens
This is the whole decision. The screen has to work with the sash rather than against it.
Sliding mesh. A framed mesh panel running in its own track alongside the window sashes. The neatest option on a sliding window, and best designed in at the start on a three or four-track system.
Pleated mesh. The mesh folds concertina-style and stacks into a slim side channel. Suits wide openings and doors, and it retracts almost completely out of sight.
Pull-down mesh. A roller system pulled down from a cassette at the head. Good on casement and top-hung windows where there is no track to work with, and it rolls fully away when not needed.
Zig-zag mesh. A pleated system engineered for very wide spans, where a single pleated screen would be unwieldy.
Outward-opening sashes
A common practical problem. If the window swings outward — a casement or top-hung unit — an external screen would block the sash.
So the screen goes inside. Pleated and pull-down systems suit this best, because they fold or roll clear rather than occupying the plane the handle needs.
It is far easier to plan this at the point of ordering the window than to retrofit afterwards, which is why we raise it at survey.
Mesh grades
Standard. Stops mosquitoes and the usual flying insects. Minimal effect on airflow and visibility.
Fine. For smaller insects. Noticeably more restrictive of airflow, which on a window you rely on for ventilation is a real trade-off.
Pet-resistant. A heavier grade that tolerates a cat or dog pushing against it. Worth it on a door a pet uses.
We will steer you away from the finest mesh unless you have a specific reason — the airflow difference is more significant than people expect.
Dust, which matters here
Mumbai road dust clogs mesh faster than anything else, and a clogged screen is a screen that no longer ventilates. Brushing or vacuuming it a few times a year — more on a road-facing elevation — keeps the airflow you paid for.
Retractable systems have an advantage here: rolled or folded away, the mesh is not collecting dust when you are not using it.
Fitting to new or existing windows
On a new window, a screen track can be built into the frame from the start, which is always neater. On an existing window, the screen is mounted in or over the reveal, and the reveal depth decides which systems are possible.
Send a photo of the window with the sash open and we will tell you which of the four suits it. See window types if you are specifying new windows and want the screen designed in.