Screen enclosures, rescreening and repair in Orlando

An Orlando mailing address doesn’t always mean City of Orlando jurisdiction. Large communities that use Orlando addresses, such as Dr. Phillips, are unincorporated parts of Orange County. Projects inside city limits are permitted through the City of Orlando; unincorporated addresses go through Orange County’s building division.

The difference affects which permit portal, plan review and inspectors your project sees, so we confirm jurisdiction from the parcel before planning permits. Rescreening that doesn’t touch the structure may not need a permit at all; new enclosures and structural repairs usually do.

The City of Orlando has more than 100 lakes, and plenty of backyards face open water or a stormwater pond. Those lots raise two enclosure questions at once: how to keep the view, and how to keep out the smaller flying insects that come with water.

• Keeping the view: bronze framing tends to recede against water and trees, charcoal screen is easier to see through, and post spacing can be planned around the best sightline within what the engineering allows.
• Smaller insects: a finer 20×20 mesh on the walls you sit beside can help. The screen options guide covers the tradeoffs.
• Exposure: open water means more wind reaching the enclosure, which the engineered design accounts for.

The National Weather Service office that covers Orlando puts the typical start of the wet season in late May, with afternoon storms common through summer, and Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. A screen roof lets rain through, so deck slope and drainage matter more than many people expect.

Enclosures are designed for code wind loads, but none is hurricane-proof. The most useful pre-season step for an existing enclosure is making sure the frame, connections and bracing are sound. If something looks bent or loose, request a structural assessment rather than just new screen.

Many Orlando neighborhoods have homeowners associations with architectural review. Frame color, screen color, roof height and visibility from the street are common review items, and approval usually has to come before the permit application. We can supply drawings and color details for the submission.