Flyscreens let you sleep with the windows open on Algarve summer nights without mosquitoes, and early summer is the time to fit them, before the evenings get warm. Roller screens suit most Portuguese windows because they fit inside the shutter guides; pleated screens are best for wide patio doors; fixed frames work on windows you rarely open. Measure each opening separately, because no two windows in an older house are quite the same size.
On a July night in Tavira, the choice without flyscreens is between a closed, hot bedroom and an open window with mosquitoes. Near the Ria Formosa, in Cabanas or along the saltmarsh edge of Santa Luzia, the evening mosquitoes arrive as soon as the light goes. A screen on the bedroom window solves it without chemicals, plug-in repellents or air conditioning running all night.
Why it matters more each summer
Mosquitoes have always been part of summer by the Ria Formosa. What has changed is the species. The tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, which bites during the day as well as at night, was first found in the Algarve in 2018 by the national surveillance network run by INSA, the national health institute. Its 2025 report, published in April 2026, found it in 28 municipalities across Portugal, ten more than the year before. It breeds in tiny amounts of standing water, such as plant saucers and blocked gutters, which means houses and gardens rather than wetlands.
There is also a less obvious reason. Houses that stay shut on summer nights trap heat and moisture, and we see the results in black mould in bedrooms and wardrobes the following winter. Screens let the house breathe at night, which is when the air outside is coolest.
The types, and where each one works
Portuguese windows and the shutter box
Most houses and apartments in the Algarve have external roller shutters, with a box above the window and aluminium guides down each side. That changes how screens are fitted. A vertical roller screen can usually sit inside the same opening, in front of or behind the shutter, and roll up into its own small cassette, so the shutter and the screen work independently. Get the order wrong and the shutter strap or the screen catch gets in the way, which is why it is worth measuring with the shutter both up and down.
Older houses in the centre of Tavira often have wooden shutters on the inside and windows that open inwards. Those need a different solution, usually a fixed or hinged frame on the outside of the glass. And if the house is in the historic centre, it is worth checking before fitting anything visible on the facade.
Mesh: standard, pet resistant, and fine
The mesh matters as much as the frame. Standard fibreglass mesh is almost invisible from inside, lets the air through and lasts years. If there is a cat or a dog in the house, reinforced pet resistant mesh is thicker and stands up to claws, at the cost of slightly less light. For houses right by the saltmarsh, a finer mesh keeps out the smallest biting insects as well as mosquitoes, although it lets a little less air through.
Torn mesh does not mean a new screen. In most frames the mesh and the rubber spline that holds it can be replaced on their own.
Holiday lets: what survives guests
Screens in a holiday let get treated harder than in a family home. Guests do not know how they work, and the most common damage is a roller screen let go so it snaps up, or a pleated door pushed instead of slid. A few choices help:
- Roller screens with a brake, so they roll up slowly even if released.
- Pleated doors with a magnetic closure rather than a small latch.
- Fixed frames in bathrooms and kitchens, where nobody needs to open them.
- A short note in the house manual, with a photo of how each screen opens.
Measuring and fitting
Every screen is made to measure, and the measuring is where most DIY screens go wrong. Older Algarve houses rarely have square openings: a window can be a centimetre wider at the top than at the bottom. We measure each opening in three places, check how the shutter and the window handle sit, and choose a fixing that avoids drilling into the window frame where possible. Clip-on and frame-mounted fixings are useful in rented flats, where drilling is not allowed.
The other thing to plan is time. Screens are made to order after measuring, and the weeks before the summer holidays are the busiest of the year for this work. Measured in May or early June, they are on the windows before the hot nights start.
What it costs
Our handyman team fits flyscreens, shutters and blinds in Tavira from 95 euros per window, including on-site measuring, a made to measure screen and fitting, with labour inside the Tavira council area included. There are discounts when the whole house is done at once. Replacing torn mesh in an existing frame costs less than a new screen. Send us the number and type of windows and doors, and we can give you a price before coming to measure.
When a screen is not the answer
Screens keep insects out of the house, but they do nothing about where the insects come from. If there are mosquitoes in the garden during the day, the source is usually close: plant saucers, a blocked gutter, an uncovered water butt or a pool cover holding rainwater. Emptying those is free and does more than anything else. A wasps’ nest under the roof or in a shutter box is a job for pest control, not a handyman. And if the reason for keeping windows open is damp and mould inside, the cause is worth understanding too, as we explained in why Algarve houses grow mould in winter.
Questions owners ask
What is the best type of flyscreen for a Portuguese window?
A vertical roller screen in most cases. It fits inside the opening next to the roller shutter guides and rolls up out of sight when not in use.
Can I fit flyscreens without drilling the window frame?
Often yes. Clip-on and frame-mounted fixings hold the screen without drilling into the window, which is useful in rented homes and newer aluminium frames.
How much do flyscreens cost in Tavira?
From 95 euros per window with our handyman team, including measuring, a made to measure screen and fitting. Large patio doors cost more, and whole-house orders get a discount.
When should I order flyscreens for the summer?
In May or early June. Screens are made to order after measuring, and the weeks just before the summer holidays are the busiest.
Can torn flyscreen mesh be repaired?
Yes. In most frames the mesh and the rubber spline can be replaced on their own, without buying a new screen.
