Before air conditioning became the “norm,” the screened porch was considered a necessity for many southern households as a respite from sweltering heat and humidity. The screened porch even served as a safe, cool place to rest at night. This is where the term sleeping porch came from. Over time, as different notions of outdoor rooms for all sorts of uses caught on, the screened porch’s popularity waned.
Over the past decade, the popularity of the screened porch has re-emerged. The buzz in outdoor living design is now all about ways to bring the outdoors in — and a screened porch does that perfectly! This time around, however, escaping from the heat is not the only focus. Our focus includes protection from bugs and the serious health issues they bring, especially the mosquito. Mosquitoes are responsible for West Nile Virus, Eastern Equine Encephalitis, Heartworms in dogs and cats and many more illnesses.
At least 61 different species of mosquitoes exist in South Carolina. Mosquitoes are pests that can cause itchy bites, but they can also cause serious health issues. Mosquitoes can carry harmful viruses and parasites that infect millions of people worldwide each year. Mosquito-borne diseases can cause brain inflammation (or encephalitis), birth defects, internal bleeding, complications from parasites and even death in some cases.
Second on the list of dangerous bugs are ticks. The major tick-borne diseases in the southeastern U.S. include Lyme Disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Southern Tick Associated Rash Illness (STARI), Ehrlichiosis and Tularemia. According to TickCheck, South Carolina had 465 confirmed cases of Lyme Disease between 2000 and 2015. However, due to the fact that the CDC’s data only represents confirmed cases, the actual quantity of Lyme Disease cases may be far greater. The site estimates a total of 4,650 true cases of Lyme disease in South Carolina, making tick-borne illness a major concern for residents.
In our endless pursuit of outdoor living enjoyment, while trying to escape the annoyance and dangers of insects, we recommend the screened porch — a functional, attractive outdoor room that allows you to feel like you’re outdoors, while safely indoors. All over the Columbia, SC, area, we are getting more and more requests for screened porches — especially in waterfront areas like Lake Murray and Lake Chapin where mosquitoes are more prevalent due to many properties’ proximity to standing water. Having a screened porch gives homeowners a variety of benefits, and having protection from insects is definitely high on the list!
Archadeck of Central SC specializes in being able to provide quality outdoor spaces for homeowners with varied budgets and lifestyle needs. We offer custom-designed screened porches along with low-maintenance, budget- friendly alternatives to traditional wood-framed screened porches.
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Contact us today for a design consultation— the call and the consultation are free, but the benefits you will get from a screened porch addition are priceless! You can reach us by phone at (803) 784-1566.
The Archadeck of Central SC team – Mike Reu, Marshall Reu and Tucker Reu.
