One of the more amusing problems you’ll encounter as the owner of a swimming pool is the issue of keeping bugs, frogs and other sorts of creepy crawlies out of your pool. You’ll see a few struggling amphibians in your pool filter, scoop a mouse out with your net, or find small armies of bugs in your skimmer bucket.
The long and short of it is that these animals – like all other animals – are attracted to water. But these animals can be bad for the health of your pool’s water, so keeping them out is going to be a priority. Today, we’re going to talk about some of the things you can do to make sure you keep them out as much as possible. Let’s jump right in.
Trim trees and foliage
Animals need places to hide from predators and they usually do so in places like trees and shrubs. If branches are reaching out over your pool or bushes are located in close proximity to your swimming pool, then chances are larger critters may lose their balance and fall in or make their way in that way.
That’s why it’s important to make sure your pool landscaping is well away from the pool perimeter. The simple fact of the matter is that animals will be less likely to jump into your pool if there’s large stretches of open space between the pool and any potential cover. Make sure your shrubs and trees are consistently trimmed.
Barrier fencing
It’s pretty much the law of the land that you need to have some form of fencing around your pool. But some fences do a better job of keeping critters out than others. Standard slat-style or chain link fences won’t do a great job. Go with fencing that doesn’t have gaps or at the very least, has a solid barrier at the base of the fence so that nothing can crawl under.
Keep your pool covered
Pool covers can disguise and hide the water in your pool, which makes it look less attractive to animals. Simply covering your pool each night can go a long way towards keeping animals out of it.
Scary looking floats
If you’re in a rush and can’t cover your pool at night, feel free to leave a big scary looking animal-like float in the water. Their instincts may convince them that it’s a predator and to steer clear of the pool altogether. In essence, your float is serving as a scarecrow of sorts. Just be careful to not do this too often. Covering your pool is always the best option.
Hopefully today’s blog was helpful and gave you some ideas as to how to keep animals out of your pool. If you’re looking for more advice or have needs for your specific pool, give us a call and we’ll be happy to help you out. Until then, good luck!
