For hot, sun-facing windows
Solar Screens for Windows
Stop the afternoon sun before it hits the glass. Keep the view and the breeze.
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Tap what you need to begin.
- Solar mesh, per window+$20
- Window rescreen with solar mesh$65
Added to the screen price. Prices are for standard windows; other windows are quoted.
Text us anytime. We reply fast, nights and weekends too. Calls go to our message line; we call back within 1 business day.
Why solar screens
Beat the Afternoon Sun
Heat stops outside the glass
Blocks up to 90% of solar heat on sun-facing windows (manufacturer rating).
You still see out
The view is a little dimmer, and in daylight it's harder to see into the house from outside.
The breeze still comes in
It's a screen, not a shade: open the window and you get the breeze.
Bugs stay outside
Open the windows on a warm evening without letting the mosquitoes in.
Works in your frames
Frames in good shape? We rescreen them with solar mesh at your home.
Built to fit
New screens are measured and built at your home, one for each opening.
How it works
Solar Screen Installation: How It Works
Same-day service: we measure, build and install in one visit.
Measure
At your homeWe measure each window and check which frames can be rescreened.
Build
On-siteWe rescreen your frames or build new screens with solar mesh, right there.
Install
Same visitEvery screen goes back in its window before we leave.
Best fit
Where Solar Screens Help Most
Afternoon sun
West- and south-facing windows that take the afternoon sun.
Inland homes
Inland homes, from El Cajon and Santee to Escondido and Poway, where summer heat runs hotter than on the coast.
Rooms that bake
Bedrooms, offices and other rooms that bake in the afternoon.
Sunny patio doors
Sun-facing sliding patio doors (solar mesh adds $40 per door).
Areas we serve: East County, North County Inland, La Mesa and Spring Valley. See every area we cover
Reflected sun
Window Melting Your Turf or Siding?
Energy-efficient windows can bounce enough sun onto artificial turf or vinyl siding to warp or melt it. A solar screen on the window doing it is one of the most common fixes.
What's happening
- Low-E glass is made to reflect the sun's heat, so it throws back more sunlight than plain glass.
- The panes of a double-pane window can flex slightly inward, and the curved glass can focus that reflection on one spot.
- The spot moves with the sun, so the damage shows up as a melted streak in artificial turf, a warped patch of siding, or a softened trash can or patio chair.
- It is often worse in fall and winter, when the sun sits lower in the sky.
The common fix
- An exterior solar screen on the offending window. The mesh sits outside the glass, so sunlight hits the screen first.
- What bounces off the glass has to pass back through the mesh, which cuts down and scatters the reflection.
- Only the window causing it needs one. You keep the view and the breeze.
- Nothing goes on the glass, and the screen comes out like any other.
We can't promise a screen stops every reflection: that depends on the window, how it's mounted and the angle of the sun. To find the window, note the time of day the damage happens and which windows face that spot. Then text us a photo of the window and the damage. Solar mesh adds $20 per window to the screen price, and a window that doesn't take a standard screen is quoted by your tech.
Pricing
Solar Screen Prices
Prices as of October 2026. Solar mesh is an upgrade added to the screen price.
Window rescreen
$65per window
Standard window rescreen with solar mesh.
Get a Free Estimate- $45 rescreen + $20 solar mesh
- Your existing frame
- Done at your home
New window screen
$75per window
New standard window screen with solar mesh.
Get a Free Estimate- $55 new screen + $20 solar mesh
- New custom frame
- Built on-site
Sliding door rescreen
$135per door
Sliding door rescreen with solar mesh.
Get a Free Estimate- $95 rescreen + $40 solar mesh
- Standard patio door
- For sun-facing patios
Other windows
Quoted
Double-hung, casement, pull-pin or other non-standard window with solar mesh.
Get a Free Estimate- Screen quoted by your tech
- + $20 solar mesh
Double-hung, casement or pull-pin?
$145 minimum for mobile service
Compared
Solar Screens vs. Window Tint
Solar screen
- A screen on the outside of the window.
- Stops sunlight before it reaches the glass.
- Lets air through when the window is open.
- Comes out like any screen; you can switch back to standard mesh.
Window tint
- A film applied to the glass itself.
- Works at the glass, not before it.
- Doesn't let air in or keep bugs out.
- Stays on the glass until it's removed.
We install solar screens, not window tint. Shading a patio or a big opening instead?
Why us
Why Homeowners Pick Us
Hundreds of 5-star reviews
From happy customers on Google and Yelp.
No time limit on our workmanship
If something we installed isn't right because of our work, we fix it at no charge.
Local since 2005
Serving homes all over San Diego County.
Callback within 1 business day
Call, text or send the form. We'll call you back within 1 business day.
- Google
“Jim and his crew did a great job to improve the look and function of our screened windows. They were quick and professional. I would definitely use them again.”
Brad E.September 2026 · on Google - Google
“I have been using Jim at San Diego Mobile Screen for at least the last 10yrs. I use Jim because he ALWAYS does quality work, is fast, clean and the finished product always top notch. The price is always fair.”
Tad A.June 2026 · on Google
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do solar screens cost?
Solar mesh adds $20 per window to the screen price: $65 for a standard window rescreen with solar mesh, or $75 for a new standard window screen. On a screen door it adds $40. Double-hung, casement, pull-pin and other non-standard window screens are quoted. There is a $145 minimum for mobile service.
How much heat do solar screens block?
Solar screen mesh is rated by its manufacturer to block up to 90% of solar heat. How much cooler a room feels depends on the window, the direction it faces and the house.
Do solar screens block the view?
No. You still see out. The mesh is darker than standard screen, so the view is a little dimmer, and in daylight it's harder to see into the house from outside.
Are solar screens the same as window tint?
No. Tint is a film applied to the glass. A solar screen is a screen on the outside of the window that stops sunlight before it reaches the glass, and lets air through when the window is open. We install solar screens, not tint.
Can you put solar mesh in my existing screens?
Yes, if the frames are in good shape. We rescreen them with solar mesh at your home: $65 per standard window.
Can a solar screen stop my window from melting my artificial turf or siding?
An exterior solar screen on the window that is doing it is one of the most common fixes. The mesh sits outside the glass, so it cuts down and scatters the sunlight that low-E glass would otherwise bounce onto your turf or siding. We can't promise it stops every reflection, since that depends on the window and the angle of the sun. Text us a photo of the window and the damaged spot.
Which windows should get solar screens?
West- and south-facing windows that take the afternoon sun, especially inland, where summer heat runs hotter than on the coast.
Ready to Beat the Afternoon Sun?
Free estimate. No obligation. Or text us a photo of your windows.