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Old 03-15-2016, 11:03 AM
 
525 posts, read 655,115 times
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My very fey, very tiny but able-bodied and wily, 75 yr old mother bought herself a huge late 19th century craftsman up in Iowa a couple of years ago. She's been slowly fixing it up to her own standards, undoing previous owner's "improvements" and such. She is on a very fixed income and dipping into her savings on this house. Don't even get me started. The idea was for her to downsize. Instead she simply has less yard to keep up and more house that needs work. It certainly is keeping her busy, but she's limited in what she can do HERSELF.

There is a screened in porch added to the side entrance. The previous owner had made these panels with clear plastic sheeting that could be installed each Fall to keep the snow off the porch for winter. Her dog, now deceased, tore all the plastic. They are basically wooden frames that had heavy plastic tacked over them. The frames are currently in her attic.

I told my husband that I wanted to go up there this Fall to repair these panels so she would have them so she can use the porch in the winter. He wants to research a more permanent solution that will be something she can do herself each winter in case we can't make it up there or my sister and brother-in-law who live up there are not available prior to a blizzard.

My idea was some type of heavy vinyl blinds that could roll up in the Spring and roll down in the Fall, and would have clips that held the blinds in place along the sides to prevent the wind from blowing it open. My husband wants something like a louvered glass panel that could crank open. Since we will be paying for this ourselves, expense is a huge issue, though in a weird turn of his usual not wanting to spend a lot of money my husband is saying: "just do it right and pay what it needs". I'm balking at the expense of his idea, not to mention having to coordinate the installation from 1500 miles away. I think we can easily get away for a long weekend and install the rolled vinyl blinds and clips ourselves.

I've never lived in an area that gets snow. What is a good solution for my little mama's porch so it doesn't fill with snow and she can still see outside and maybe even sit out there wrapped in a giant blanket on non-windy days?
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Old 03-15-2016, 12:14 PM
Status: "Mistress of finance and foods." (set 15 days ago)
 
Location: Coastal Georgia
49,990 posts, read 63,301,795 times
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I just saw these on This Old House, and they look like a super solution for folks with old houses in the frozen north.

Indow | Products |

And good for you mother. We're in our late 60s, and we still feel like we had at least one more fixer upper in us.
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Old 03-15-2016, 12:21 PM
 
525 posts, read 655,115 times
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Yeah, that would essentially turn this into a 3 season porch. A wonderful idea, but in the OMG level of expense I'd prefer to avoid. The screens run floor to 10 foot ceiling height. I'm looking for something that keeps this as a screened in porch but just blocks the snow from getting onto the porch in the winter months only. Something either removable or will roll up, or just opens.
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Old 03-15-2016, 12:57 PM
 
16,235 posts, read 25,078,297 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SolaireSolstice View Post
Yeah, that would essentially turn this into a 3 season porch. A wonderful idea, but in the OMG level of expense I'd prefer to avoid. The screens run floor to 10 foot ceiling height. I'm looking for something that keeps this as a screened in porch but just blocks the snow from getting onto the porch in the winter months only. Something either removable or will roll up, or just opens.
Use those existing frames and use thick plastic...you can buy rolls of poly that will work, the frames are probably the biggest expense, lucky you have them. You could hire a handy man if you prefer.

I just found this http://northsolarscreen.com/outdoor-...gh-wind-solar/

Last edited by JanND; 03-15-2016 at 01:08 PM..
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Old 03-15-2016, 01:01 PM
 
525 posts, read 655,115 times
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I think I can do it myself, definitely my husband and I can do it. And I would actually prefer to just use what already worked in the past. My mother would be FINE with this fix. But my husband is worrying that Mom won't be able to take them down in the Spring or put them up in the Fall. I think my little mama could kick my husband's butt, but he's being overprotective and I am appreciative of that.
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Old 03-15-2016, 01:10 PM
 
16,235 posts, read 25,078,297 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SolaireSolstice View Post
I think I can do it myself, definitely my husband and I can do it. And I would actually prefer to just use what already worked in the past. My mother would be FINE with this fix. But my husband is worrying that Mom won't be able to take them down in the Spring or put them up in the Fall. I think my little mama could kick my husband's butt, but he's being overprotective and I am appreciative of that.
So, she hires a neighbor or handy man for that. I added a link in my previous post.
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Old 03-15-2016, 01:30 PM
 
525 posts, read 655,115 times
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And now I'm eyeing these... : Baby Grande Clear Vinyl Heavy-Duty Outdoor Shades | North Solar Screen
That's the thing I was thinking of. But at $600 per shade x 10 + shipping, holy expensive project and it's not even my house. I'm just going to tell my husband we're doing the existing panels and heavy vinyl sheeting and I'll go up there MYSELF every Fall and Spring if she needs me to. I just cannot spend that much. I was hoping for maybe $2k at most. I also need to do something about the insulation (or lack thereof) in her attic. Thinking that insulation board would work.I know I can do that myself. She actually gets frost in her attic.
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Old 03-15-2016, 02:05 PM
 
23,519 posts, read 69,916,722 times
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Frames with plastic are lightweight and easily put up or taken down, especially if there is a locking channel at the top and a simple release at the bottom that is easy to reach. Greenhouse plastic lasts a long time.
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Old 03-15-2016, 02:22 PM
 
525 posts, read 655,115 times
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Explain the locking channel thing please? I was thinking we'd screw these suckers in... But obviously I don't know wth I'm thinking of.
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Old 03-15-2016, 02:43 PM
 
Location: PNW, CPSouth, JacksonHole, Southampton
3,730 posts, read 5,717,254 times
Reputation: 15073
This product is new. Instead of wrapping, you'd be fastening/screwing/tacking. But it's a great concept, and being a UV-protected polycarbonate, should last for many years. 6mm X 48" X 96" Clear Twinwall Polycarbonate Sheet

The twinwall construction provides an insulating air layer. There's an upgrade, with TWO air layers. As you can see, for a fee, they will cut to your exact dimensions. And, I think there's another manufacturer who actually ships the product in twelve-foot lengths.

Last edited by GrandviewGloria; 03-15-2016 at 02:56 PM..
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