If you live in Brunswick County, NC, you have probably asked (or been asked) the same question: will a screen porch keep out no-see-ums?
The short answer is yes. The longer answer is that it comes down entirely to the screen. Standard porch screens stop mosquitoes and larger bugs, but no-see-ums are small enough to slip right through. Stopping them takes a tighter mesh made to block insects this size.
At Shoreline Screening Solutions, that tighter mesh is the screen we install most. After hundreds of screened porches across Brunswick County, from marshfront lots to homes backing up to ponds and golf courses, we can tell you the right screen keeps no-see-ums out and gives you your porch back all season long.
What Are No-See-Ums (and Why Do They Get Through Regular Screen)?
No-see-ums are tiny biting midges, small enough that most people never spot the insect that bit them. They breed in salt marshes, tidal creeks, ponds, and damp low-lying ground, which is why they turn up in such numbers near the water in places like Ocean Isle Beach, Holden Beach, Shallotte, and Oak Island.
Their size is the problem. A standard insect screen has openings wide enough for a no-see-um to pass straight through, so a porch screened with regular mesh can still leave you swatting at dusk. To stop them, the weave has to be finer than what most porches come with.
The Screen That Stops No-See-Ums
What you want is a no-see-um mesh: a tighter weave than standard screen, with openings small enough to block near-microscopic insects while still letting air move through. It is the default screen in most of our installations, because along this stretch of coast, no-see-ums are the bug people most want gone.
At Shoreline, that mesh is part of our screening system, a porch screening system we developed over 25+ years of installing screens along the Carolina coast. It pairs a high-performance polycore screen with powder-coated aluminum framing and salt-safe hardware, so it holds up to coastal weather instead of sagging or rusting after a couple of seasons.
Our system uses three screen types, and many homeowners mix them on a single porch:
- No-See-Um screen: The default choice, with a tight mesh that keeps out the tiniest coastal insects while holding your airflow and view.
- Pet screen: A thicker, scratch-resistant mesh for lower sections where dogs and cats lean or paw.
- Privacy screen: A denser weave that softens the view from outside while still letting in light and air, good for porches facing a neighbor or a road.
For most homes, a no-see-um screen across the whole porch is all it takes to stop the bites.
Why Coastal Porches Need a Stronger System
But won’t the screen just blow out in a storm? Along this coast, plenty of cheaper systems do.
Ours does not. It holds up about three times better than standard screening under high wind, and in our years of installing along coastal NC, we have never lost a panel to a storm. That same aluminum framing also lets us span large, panoramic panels up to 140 square feet without the extra bracing that chops up your view.
Salt air, humidity, and hard sun quickly wear down ordinary screen and hardware. Using materials designed for the coast is the difference between a porch you enjoy for years and one you patch up every season.
Screen Porch Installation Across Brunswick County
We install our screening system in porches throughout the area, including some of the buggiest spots around:
- Homes along the Intracoastal Waterway
- Marshfront and pond-backed lots
- Golf course communities
- Neighborhoods with heavy mosquito and no-see-um activity
If you live near any of these coastal communities, no-see-ums are probably part of your summer, and a properly screened porch is the fix:
Ready to Reclaim Your Porch?
If no-see-ums have taken over your porch, they don’t have to. Get a free estimate, and we’ll come measure your porch and walk you through your screen options. Most residential installations are done in a single day and come with a 10-year warranty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will a regular porch screen keep out no-see-ums?
Usually not. Standard screen stops mosquitoes and larger bugs, but no-see-ums are small enough to pass through the wider mesh. A no-see-um screen has a tighter weave sized for insects this small.
Can I still see out and get a breeze with no-see-um screen?
Yes. The tighter mesh keeps your airflow and your view. Black mesh, which we install most often, gives the clearest look outward.
Can I combine no-see-um screen with other screen types?
Yes. Many homeowners pair no-see-um screen with pet or privacy screen on different sides of the porch.