Gillian's Blinds
Fly Screens for St Christopher’s Care Home in Northampton
Opening windows and doors is one of the simplest ways to bring fresh air into a busy commercial kitchen. However, it can also provide an easy route inside for flies and other unwanted insects.
St Christopher’s Care Home wanted to improve ventilation within its kitchen facilities while maintaining a practical physical barrier against insects.
Gillian’s Blinds fitted three made-to-measure Blind Screen® fly-screen systems at the care home in Northampton: two across kitchen windows and one across an external kitchen doorway.
Why Fit Fly Screens in a Care Home Kitchen?
Commercial kitchens can become warm, particularly during busy periods and warmer weather. Opening windows and external doors helps fresh air circulate and can create a more comfortable working environment for the kitchen team.
In any kitchen where food is stored, prepared or served, it is also important to reduce opportunities for flies and other insects to enter.
A properly fitted fly screen creates a physical barrier across an open window or door while still allowing fresh air into the room. It provides a practical way to improve ventilation without having to choose between keeping the kitchen closed or opening it directly to the outside.
Fly screens do not replace a commercial kitchen’s cleaning, food-safety or pest-management procedures. They can, however, support those wider measures by helping to prevent insects from entering through open windows and doors.
Assessing the Windows and External Door
Specifying fly screens for commercial premises involves more than simply measuring the width and height of each opening.
At St Christopher’s, we needed to consider:
- The size and configuration of each window
- Which sections of the windows opened
- The available fitting space around the existing frames
- The commercial sink and equipment positioned in front of one window
- How the external kitchen door was used
- The need to maintain practical access for staff
- How the screens would retract when not required
The installation included two differently configured kitchen windows and a full-height external doorway. Each opening therefore needed to be assessed individually before the appropriate Blind Screen® system could be specified.
Made-to-Measure Blind Screen® Fly Screens
We recommended Blind Screen® fly screens fitted with Breeze In™ fly-screen fabric.
Breeze In™ is designed to allow airflow while helping to keep flies and other insects outside. When the screen is not required, it retracts neatly into a slim cassette, leaving the window or doorway clear.
Blind Screen® systems are made to measure and can be retrofitted to many existing windows and doors without requiring structural alterations. This made the system a practical choice for the established kitchen facilities at St Christopher’s.
Each system could be tailored to its particular opening while providing a consistent finish throughout the installation.
A Fly Screen Above the Commercial Sink
The first fly screen was fitted across the large kitchen window directly above the commercial sink and washing-up area.
The window contains several opening sections and is positioned immediately behind the sink and commercial spray tap. The screen therefore needed to fit neatly around the existing opening without taking up valuable workspace or interfering with the equipment in front of it.
We measured and specified a Blind Screen® system to cover the complete window opening. The window can now be opened when ventilation is required while the Breeze In™ fly-screen fabric provides a barrier between the kitchen and the outside.
The finished frame sits neatly around the window and does not encroach upon the working area below it.
A Second Fly Screen Above the Kitchen Worktop
A further Blind Screen® fly screen was fitted to another large, multi-pane window above a kitchen worktop.
Although this was also a kitchen window, its layout and surroundings were different from the opening above the commercial sink. It required its own measurements and fitting assessment rather than simply repeating the first specification.
The made-to-measure system covers the complete opening while continuing to allow natural light and visibility through the window. It can be used whenever the window is opened and retracted neatly when it is no longer required.
A Retractable Fly Screen for the External Kitchen Door
St Christopher’s also required a fly screen across an external kitchen doorway.
An open external door can provide valuable ventilation, but it creates a much larger opening than a window. The doorway must also remain practical for staff who need to move through it during the working day.
We fitted a full-height Blind Screen® system across the doorway. The main door can be opened while the Breeze In™ fly screen remains across the opening, allowing airflow and helping to keep flies and other insects outside.
When completely clear access is required, the fly screen can be drawn back neatly into its slim cassette.
Accurate measuring and specification were particularly important for this part of the project. The finished system needed to cover the full doorway while operating neatly within the existing space and without unnecessarily restricting access.
One Coordinated Fly-Screen Solution
The installation at St Christopher’s demonstrates how Blind Screen® fly screens can be adapted for several different requirements within the same commercial property.
The project included:
- A fly screen across the window above the commercial sink
- A second fly screen above a kitchen worktop
- A full-height retractable fly screen across an external kitchen door
Each system was measured, specified and fitted for its individual location. Using Breeze In™ fabric throughout created a coordinated solution across the kitchen facilities, while the made-to-measure frames produced a neat finish around each opening.
The care-home team can now use the relevant windows and external door for ventilation while maintaining a practical barrier against insects.
Are Fly Screens Suitable for Other Commercial Premises?
Made-to-measure fly screens can be useful wherever a business or organisation needs ventilation while reducing opportunities for insects to enter.
Suitable premises may include:
- Care homes
- Commercial kitchens
- Cafés and restaurants
- Schools and nurseries
- Community buildings
- Staff kitchens and break rooms
- Other food-preparation or service areas
Every property and opening is different. A professional measuring appointment enables us to examine the windows and doors, understand how they are used and recommend a suitable fly-screen solution.
As a Blind Screen® Gold Partner, Gillian’s Blinds provides specialist product advice, professional measuring and specification, expert fitting and ongoing local support.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fly Screens
Can fly screens be fitted to existing windows?
Yes. Blind Screen® fly screens are designed for retrofit installation and can be fitted to many existing windows without structural alterations. We assess and measure each opening before recommending the appropriate system.
Do fly screens prevent fresh air from entering?
No. Breeze In™ fly-screen fabric is designed to allow airflow while providing a physical barrier against flies and other insects.
Are fly screens suitable for commercial kitchens?
Fly screens can provide a practical barrier across open windows and doors while allowing ventilation. They can support a commercial kitchen’s wider food-hygiene and pest-prevention measures but do not replace other necessary procedures.
Can you fit a fly screen to an external door?
Yes. Blind Screen® fly screens can be made for doors as well as windows. At St Christopher’s, we fitted a full-height retractable fly screen across an external kitchen doorway.
Can the fly screens be retracted?
Yes. When they are not needed, Blind Screen® fly screens retract neatly into slim cassettes, leaving the window or doorway clear.
Can you fit fly screens in homes?
Yes. We supply and fit fly screens in homes as well as commercial premises. Blind Screen® fly screens can be used on kitchen and bedroom windows, French and patio doors, bi-fold doors and other openings where you want fresh air without inviting flies and other insects inside.
Looking for Fly Screens in Northampton?
If flies and insects are preventing you from comfortably opening the windows or doors at your property, a made-to-measure fly screen could provide the practical solution you need.
Established in Northampton in 1989, Gillian’s Blinds combines long-standing local experience with specialist Blind Screen® product knowledge. As a Blind Screen® Gold Partner, we provide professional advice, measuring, specification, fitting and ongoing local support.
We supply and fit made-to-measure fly screens for homes and commercial premises across Northampton, all of Northamptonshire, Rugby, Milton Keynes and the surrounding areas. Our free measuring and consultation service allows us to assess each opening and recommend the most appropriate system for your property.
To discuss fly screens for your home, business, care home or commercial kitchen, contact Gillian’s Blinds, call us on 01604 646007, email [email protected], or visit our showroom at 12 Low Farm Place, Northampton, NN3 6HY.
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- 12 Low Farm Place, Northampton, NN3 6HY
