In many Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley neighbourhoods — especially near greenbelt, rivers, farmland and marsh — mice and rats chew through standard fiberglass screens to get inside. Metal mesh screens stop them.
Why metal mesh works. Rodents chew to get through or to nest. Standard fiberglass mesh cuts easily under persistent teeth. Woven aluminum or stainless mesh is too hard for rodents to chew through, so it denies entry at the screen itself rather than relying on the window being closed.
Where it matters most:
- Ground-floor and garden-level windows and doors
- Homes backing onto forest, fields, creeks or marsh (Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, Richmond, Ladner, Delta, Abbotsford, Chilliwack)
- Older homes with gaps around frames
- Rural and acreage properties
- Homes with pet doors that are left open
What to know. Metal mesh is stiffer and slightly heavier than fiberglass; it has marginally less airflow and visibility, but most homeowners don't notice once it's installed. It costs more than fiberglass but lasts far longer and prevents a much costlier rodent problem.
Best pairing. Use metal mesh on ground-floor windows and patio screen doors — the openings most likely to be tested. Upper-floor windows can stay fiberglass to save cost. Bloom Bug builds metal mesh screens to your exact measurements, with DIY shipping across BC and Alberta or professional installation across the Lower Mainland.