Open Sliding Window When It's Raining

Do you remember when you were younger (some of you!) and you had a window you could open from the top when it was raining - and no rain would come inside your window? We have only a slider, but when it's cool and I want the fresh air, I want to open my window! This is how I am going to be able to do it with sliding windows....

It's costing me about $5.....(or a little less)

Step 1: Supplies

You will need

A sliding window's screen that can be removed.

Strong magnets with holes in them (pack of 12) - I would only use the ones I got from HomeDepot for about $3.75 (see photo)

Clear vinyl - think picnic table cover - I got mine at Hobby Lobby - my window was longer than the 52" piece so I had to splice it - I did it with clear packing tape up near the top where it couldn't be seen (not sure how long it will hold, but I taped it on the inside - and the 2 pieces fit exactly - but since this is my first attempt, I'm doing it the quick way!

Needle and polyester thread - don't use cotton as it will eventually rot.

Packing tape (clear)

Step 2: Cut Vinyl to Size

I bought 1/4 yard of the vinyl - but since I needed more than the length I cut mine in half - measured how much extra and put it on the top.

To measure - you want your vinyl to be positioned along the edge hanging over into the screen. When you install the vinyl you're going to sandwich it between the frame and the screen. That will give you your sizing. Then position the 6 magnets along the far edge of the vinyl where there's only screen. (the vinyl will be held inside by where it's tucked and the magnets on the far edge) Then on the INSIDE where it will be dry, use the clear tape to tape each magnet in place. Once that's done, on the OUTSIDE of the screen take the remaining 6 magnets and allow them to cling (they are so strong! They'll pull out of your hand onto the screen!) to the magnets on the other side of the screen. Try to tape them to the outside of the screen (tape was basically ineffective, but if I held the outside magnet against the screen in place with my hand when I removed its mate, I was able to keep it in place long enough to sew it there.

Step 3:

Take your needle and thread - using a doubled thread with a knot on the end and sew (like a snap) through the middle and around until you had trapped the magnet onto the screen. (if you slip the needle through the thread AFTER going around the magnet, you will not need a huge knot - poke needle through the center but before pulling tight, bring it from around behind the magnet and slip the needle through the thread to catch the knot) I am living dangerously by only going in and out 4 times - but the magnets are so cheap - if they fall off (remember they're on the OUTSIDE of the screen!) I can buy more. They are a choking hazard for littles though, so be careful! Once you've sewed them on you can remove the tape that's holding them. Just peel it off in strips and it will rip around the thread - don't try to take it off in one piece. Make sure you're sewing them on with the correct polarization...you don't want to sew them in such a way that they reject each other! So it's very important to figure that part out BEFORE you sew them! If you mess up - it's easier to remove the inside taped one and flip it over than cut the thread around the sewn one...

Step 4: Installing It.....

Once you've gotten everything so that it stays put, you want to install it on the window! Take just your screen and get it into the window - pop the top out and slip the plain side of the vinyl (making sure that the taped magnets are on the INSIDE away from rain or wet) and feed the vinyl down the crack between the screen and the frame to the bottom - it's a little tricky dealing with the screen tabs - if your screen is narrow like mine, you can pop the screen more easily if you press on the farthest side of the screen where the springs are to release it from the side you're working on. Once you get the vinyl into place just allow the magnets to attract each other!

You can try leaving this on permanently, or you can put it on when it rains. I haven't decided what I want to do - so I'm leaving it up. But when it does rain, you want to close the window OVER the edge of the vinyl (see last photo) so that any rain will hit the window or the vinyl and not come inside. You'll get air flow around the vinyl without the rain inside!

Hope this all made sense! If I confused you let me know...I may need to add some steps....