We have a birdcage and a propane grill that we use all the time inside the birdcage. Not a problem. Wind direction sometimes blows the smoke into the covered portion of the lanai, but not often, and the birdcage is large enough and the grill on wheels so I can roll it to another spot if necessary.

I use to live in Pensacola, Florida for 6 years and had owned two different homes during that time with pools. Neither had a bird case, just a privacy fence. In fact I never saw a bird cage the entire time I was in Pensacola and there are thousands of pools there.

I believe the Florida law requires a barrier around residential pools because in the past many children have drowned in a neighbors pools. Since fenced yards are not allowed in TV except for a CYV, a bird cage has to be used whether you want it or not.

You were right about pests could get into the pool that didn't have a bird cage. My worse experience was one day I lifted the lid off the skimmer to empty the basket and inside coiled up was a water moccasin. Since I'm not a fan of snakes, I went and got my neighbor who was a Marine and with a golf club he was able to get the snake. Another time on a very cold day with the temps in the 30's I checked the pool and found a dead frozen squirrel floating in the pool. Another time we had a hurricane come right next to Pensacola and we had winds of 95 mph and when I checked the pool afterwards I had about 50 pine cones laying on the bottom of the pool. It was not fun trying to lift them up from 8' deep with a pole net.

You don't need to choose between enclosing you lanai and having a birdcage. We did both. We expanded and enclosed the lanai on all three exposed sides with sliding doors that collapse into the space of one panel (4 feet). We also put a birdcage on one of the sides of the lanai such that the 16 foor door, when fully opened, creates a 12 foot opening into the birdcage.

While we love being able to use the lanai regardless of the weather, we also love to eat most of our meals and have happy hour out in the birdcage. We were fortunate to have the cage on the east side of the lanai such that the hot afternoon sun is not an issue after about 4 PM. We also added an outdoor floor fan and light combo (available from Sams Club as a seasonal item) that goes into the hole in our table where an umbrella usually would be. The shade from the house and the air from the fan makes even the warmest afternoons and evenings very comfortable. I was extremely dubious about the value of the birdcage, but am now very happy I listened to my wife and included it into the design of our expanded lanai.

To prevent birds from escaping.

Sailor 47: So you are saying that the suncreening type on the roof actually keeps the temperature down when it is really hot?

Yes, there is a tighter weave screen that keeps even the smallest flying bugs out. In addition, there is a "solar-type" screen for the roof of a birdcage. T&D gave us all the options.

The CYV we rented last had a small pool and a birdcage over the entire back. The only thing we saw inside. . . you guessed it. . . GECKOS. I couldn't figure out how they got in either.:smiley: I just told them "sorry no solicitors allowed"!! In our seven visits, we've noticed it is windy a lot. The birdcage does help block the wind a bit. If you have a garage screen and a birdcage, opening the doors and getting that breeze though the house, without fear of bugs, is sweet. Reminded me of my days as a kid and having only an attic fan. Open your bedroom window at night and getting that breeze is was nice!

So is that the reason for garage screens? To get a cross breeze?

[QUOTE=John_W;459226]I use to live in Pensacola, Florida for 6 years and had owned two different homes during that time with pools. Neither had a bird case, just a privacy fence. In fact I never saw a bird cage the entire time I was in Pensacola and there are thousands of pools there.

Awhile back we visited a good friend in the Pensacola area who talked about his birdcage. He said that his was unuual for the area because of the area's proximity to hurricanes. Apparently the locals who do have cages cut all the screens preceeding a hurricane in an attempt to avoid structural damage to the framework. His birdcage appeared to be built twice as strong with double the bracing as one sees in TV. I assume it cost double of ours, not to mention the cost of re-screening every 2, 3 or 4 years.
I also have a Miami native as a neighbor, and he told me that if TV is ever threatened with a strong hurricane he was planning to cut his screens to save the basic metal structure.
The only problem we have with our birdcage is that the local squirrels will chew holes in the screens if we leave food outside unattended for a good period of time.:mad:

So why are they so popular in TV? When the hurricane? came through or was it a tornado? did people have much damage to their birdcages?

The tornado of a few years ago damaged all types of structures that it hit; roofs, walls, garage doors, trees, signs, landscaping, whole buildings (including a church), vehicles, and of course birdcages. Not much is protected from one of those. Since we have owned in TV there has not been a hurricane of any real consequence. Anything that came near or over TV was pretty well pooped out by the time it got to us, and I don't know of too much local damage. During one storms we had a few of the older screens tear but that's it.

They're probably popular because of the insects,...not necessarily mosquitos, but blind mosquitios (I forget the scientific name) and dragonflies that look like bombers and are numerous during warm weather.

sun screen
 

Yes the sun screen is denser and blocks some of the intense sun. It's not like standing under a shade tree but it does reduce the temp. within the Bird Cage but is still open enough to ventilate the area.

They allow you to be outside in the fresh air without the rest of nature. Open Lanai in Florida give a nice place for every critter known to this part of the country access to a place to set up a homestead.

I love to grill out. At certain times of the year, common house flies can be a real bother. My attached bird cage eliminates that problem. That is the only reason we added it.