With year-round outdoor living in the South, having patio and pool privacy is important for homeowners who spend a lot of time on their patio, or in the pool and deck area. Privacy screens have a functionality factor in that some screen types are made specifically to keep the sun's UV rays out, as well as insects that threaten to ruin your outdoor activities. In warmer regional zones, we live in an area especially prone to mosquitoes and other insects. Privacy screens provide an excellent barrier between you and unwanted pests of all types.

Before you make improvements to your patio or pool area, check with your neighborhood's homeowner's association (if you have one) to make sure you are not violating deed restrictions. Once you are clear, you can decide on the style and type of privacy screen you would like to install. The following tips and information will help make your decision a little easier.

Benefits of Privacy Screens

• Privacy Screened-In Patio Adds Resale Value To Your Home. If your patio and/or pool is next to your house, you're in luck! Installing a privacy screen will be fast to install and can instantly transform your outdoor area into a comfortable, shaded environment. Not only are you adding an extra space for easy outdoor living, a screened-in patio adds resale value to your home. According to Zillow.com, the return on investment for this type of home-improvement project is estimated at nearly 80% in most cases! So you'll enjoy all the benefits of the privacy screened patio or pool while you live in your home and then it becomes an attractive selling point if you decide to put your home on the market later.

• Privacy Screens Are Ideal for Homes in the South. So much hot summer sun renders an unshaded patio or pool deck unusable and uncomfortable for most of the year. Privacy screened-in patios and pools protect you, your family and pets from the harsh rays of the sun in the day and offers a secluded retreat to simply enjoy being outside at night.

• Privacy Screened-In Patio And/Or Pool Decks Are Great Place For Relaxation. You can sit comfortably and look out at the nature in your backyard. Or just sit back, read, enjoy a cold glass of lemonade, nap, or just do nothing - whatever you do to unwind and slow down.

• Creates A Safe Additional Play Area For Your Children And Their Friends. Even if it is raining outside, your children (and pets) can still have a place to play outside and get fresh air. And because it's right outside your back patio door, you can keep an eye on them in a close, safe environment.

• Helps Protect Your Own Personal Home Space. Just as the name implies, privacy screen helps to block out unpleasant external sights that would otherwise create an eyesore or visual disturbance. Plus they screen your activities and movements from the watchful eyes of neighbors.

Keep in mind, screened-in patios and pool enclosures will require regular routine maintenance. While the patio itself will be protected from the elements for the most part, this is not true of the screening. Dulando Screen & Awning uses only the best quality privacy screening materials, so you can count on years of use before it may be necessary to replace parts of the screening.

Overall, a screened-in patio and/or pool enclosure can be a wonderful addition to any home in the Southern region. Not only does it help you better utilize your outdoor spaces, but a quality privacy screen can also add significant resale value to your home down the road. Homeowners looking to make a smart and useful home improvement investment should consider this option for themselves.