Pools are one of the most desirable property additions in Australia and all over the world. They create a fun space for you, your family and your friends to relax and enjoy warm weather days with a swim. Swimming is also one of the most effective and enjoyable forms of exercise. A swimming pool significantly increases your property values when you want to sell your house. But pools also attract numerous pests including mosquitoes, rodents, frogs and other insects. While some of these pests may just be a nuisance, some are disease carriers that put your family’s health at risk. Here are some tricks on how to keep out these pests from your pool.
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Install a pool cover
This is the most effective strategy to keep pests away from your pool. A pool cover creates a protective barrier between your swimming pool and its surrounding environment. It is also effective against scurrying and flying pests. It stops mosquitoes from using your pool as a habitat as well as preventing other pests from accidentally dropping into your pool. Your pool cover should always be in place when you are not using your pool, especially after sunset when most pests are active.
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Keep your property clean
Garbage attracts pests. Food scraps that have been dropped on the ground attract all forms of rodents and insects while other debris along your property creates perfect hiding spots for different types of small pests such as snails and bugs. Always ensure that you keep your property clean by picking up all garbage from your property on a daily basis. This not only reduces the chances of pests being attracted to your property but it improves the overall aesthetic appeal.
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Clean your pool
The pool cleaning process includes removing surface debris from your pool, using safe cleaning chemicals and ensuring that your pool water is recycled/refilled on a regular basis to avoid your pool becoming a reservoir of stagnant water. Bugs, such as disease-causing mosquitoes, use stagnant pool water as a habitat. Algae also form on unclean pool water which further attracts other bugs that feed on it. It is advisable to use a professional cleaning service regularly to ensure that your pool is clean at all times.
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Switch off underwater lights
Underwater pool lights are an aesthetic addition that makes the pool beautiful after dark. However, a lot of bugs such as moths are attracted to light, and if you leave your underwater lights on when you are not using your pool you are guaranteed to wake up to several dead bugs on your pool surface. Floating bug corpses also attract other scavenger pests looking for an easy meal, which further compounds the pest issue.
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Fence your pool
Fencing is a relatively affordable, yet effective strategy for controlling the pests that can access your pool. While it won’t deal with flying pests, a properly installed fence should keep out most scurrying bugs and rodents away from your pool.
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Reduce/Eliminate Poolside Shrubbery
It is tempting to have poolside foliage that would make your pool area more attractive. But any shrubbery along your pool creates a habitat that attracts most pests. It also creates hiding places which make it more difficult to identify whether you have a pest problem. Frogs, rodents and snakes can also fall from any branches along the pool onto the pool surface. Regularly trim foliage or transplant any shrubbery along your pool to keep it pest free.
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Proactively defend your pool from pests
If you have a recurring pest problem, then you need to actively take measures to manage it. Install bug zappers for flying insects, traps for rodents and other larger pets and install high intensity halogen lamps around your pool as they repel most pests. Most professional pool companies can suggest the perfect protection system for the type of infestation that you have.
While all of these strategies are effective, total protection can only work when you implement two or more complimentary strategies depending on your region’s pest profile.
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