Tips for Keeping Your Pool Free of Swimmer Bugs

It’s one thing to find accessories in your pool that someone forgot to put away and another thing entirely to discover bugs. Aside from the ick factor, pool pests can make it unsafe to use your pool and even cause damage to your pool’s filtration system. Below, we go over what to do to get rid of swimmer bugs in your pool.

Skim/Vacuum Visible Bugs

Start by getting rid of any visible swimmer bugs you see in your pool. One way to do this is to use your pool skimmer. If the bugs are deeper down in the pool, use a pool vac to take care of anything on the bottom.

Use an Algaecide

Lingering algae can attract swimmer bugs or other pests to your pool. Minimize this issue by using a high-quality algaecide. Follow the directions on the container for the correct amount to use. However, you may need to increase the amount you use for the first few treatments to get rid of the swimmer bugs if you have a lot of them.

Use Supreme IT

This is a highly recommended insecticide that kills nearly 100 different kinds of pests. It also lasts for a long time after it’s applied. Simply follow the directions and apply it to your pool’s water and along the sides of your swimming pool.

Prevent Future Pest Issues

It’s usually not too difficult to get rid of swimmer bugs. What you need to do next is prevent them from coming back. One way to accomplish this goal is to be proactive about maintaining your pool. Of course, this has many other benefits in addition to keeping unwanted pests away. Start by skimming your pool each day before you use it. Additionally, take the following steps with pool maintenance geared toward keeping pests away:

• Check water chemicals—anything that’s off either way can create ideal conditions for pests
• Cover your pool when it’s not being used to keep lingering bugs from getting back into your pool
• Clean your pool’s filters, since they can get clogged with bugs

It’s also a good idea to keep the grass around your pool area short so bugs don’t have a hiding spot once you get them out of your pool. On a related note, keep the vegetation around your pool trimmed as well. Also, consider planting mint, basil, lavender, petunias, chrysanthemums, and similar plants with the ability to deter pests naturally near your pool.

One last step you can take to keep swimmer bugs and other pests away from your pool is to turn off your pool’s lighting when you’re not actively using your pool. Most bugs are naturally attracted to light. Also, avoid placing lights directly aimed at your pool’s water. If you prefer to do this for aesthetics, use dimmer lights or ones with color filters to minimize glare and illumination.

If you take care to maintain your pool on a routine basis, you can prevent bugs and other issues from interfering with your ability to enjoy it for many years to come. If you haven’t yet built your pool, reach out to San Diego Pools, the pros with decades of experience. We are one of the premier pool companies in San Diego, and our pool design and construction experts are dedicated to building exactly the pool you want and providing you with the highest-quality service in the industry. To get started on building the pool of your dreams, call us today at 888-707-7786.