Phantom Screens, a Canadian company has been providing homeowners with attractive screen solutions for 25 years. Delivering retractable screen options that bring fresh air and ventilation into homes, all while keeping flies and other outdoor pests away. We spoke with Holly Attfield, Project Manager at Phantom Screens, to tell us more about the company and how this small business that started out in a garage in British Columbia, is now a booming Canadian operation.
Phantom Screens began in Abbotsford, BC in 1992, where the manufacturing still happens today. In the earliest days, Phantom Screens were produced in a tiny garage and were available in just two colours. In 2017, as Phantom Screens celebrates its 25th anniversary in its newly expanded production facility, its suite of products provides solutions to virtually every screening need.
In the last few years, retractable screens have become very popular with homeowners looking to update the screens and screen doors throughout their homes. We asked Holly Attfield why this has become such a trend and she explained, “Homeowners are looking to add pools, outdoor kitchens and dining spaces to their homes. This move toward outdoor enjoyment comes with a need to eliminate those pesky mosquitoes, black flies, ladybugs and other flying pests that get in the way of an enjoyable poolside evening.” She says. “Additionally, builders are embracing the outdoors by making the openings on new homes bigger than ever. Folding glass walls, multi-panel sliding doors, large porches and decks create a unique challenge that traditional screens just can’t solve.”
Luckily for homeowners who are enjoying these beautiful homes, Phantom Screens offers solutions that traditional screens can’t. Attfield states, “Phantom’s newest retractable large-opening screens will cover doorways up to 24 feet wide and 10 feet high, and disappear out of sight when not in use. They feature a thumb latch integrated into the handle for controlled openings and mesh that is completely secured into track to prevent unwanted pests. The highlight of this retractable screen is its customizable stopping points for easy in and out access, allowing homeowners to personalize where they would like the screen to open and close.”
Danny Motkaluk, Co-owner of Ontario Screen Systems Inc., the Ontario distributor for Phantom Screens says, “there’s nothing like being able to leave your large doors wide open to enjoy the breeze without letting in the bugs. The functionality of easy in and out access, without compromising design of your multi-panel door system, is remarkable.”
With the spring and summer months bringing warmer and longer days, this is the time of year to install your very own Phantom Screens. Attfield says, “homeowners sometimes forget how much value a retractable screen adds to the spring and fall seasons. In fact, one of the biggest advantages of Phantom Screens is the refreshing cross-ventilation they provide when multiple doors in the home are left open with the screens pulled across. Why spend to use your air conditioner when the fresh, outdoor air can cool your home much more cost-effectively?”
With that being said, we wanted to learn more about these retractable screens and if there was a place in the home that is ideal for them. Attfield expresses that there is no “best place” for the screens, as the “best place” is where the homeowner would most enjoy a seamless connection between indoors and outdoors.
For more information on Phantom Screens, follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or visit www.phantomscreens.ca
