A clean, bug-free pool is achievable with the correct maintenance. Two of the most common bugs in your pool are the backswimmer and water boatman. The bugs generally are not harmful to humans, although the backswimmer in particular can deliver a painful bite. Although most bugs feed on algae, the backswimmer feeds on the water boatman as well as other bugs. None of the bugs can live outside of the water for long periods of time, so getting rid of their food supply and nesting places stops bugs from living in the pool. Shock Chlorination Chlorination kills organic material in the pool. This is critical because bugs feed on algae that grow freely in the pool unless an adequate level of chlorination is present, generally 1.0 to 3.0 parts per million, or PPM. After balancing the pH at a range of 7.2 to 7.6, shock the pool at least twice weekly. Each shock treatment should add 5.0 to 10.0 PPM to the pool’s chlorination level. It’s important to add the chemical to 5 gallons of pool water and stir it in slowly until it's dissolved.

Chlorinate the pool after sundown and pour it very slowly into the pool directly in front of return line fitting. Don’t swim in the pool until the chlorination level is at 1.0 to 3.0 PPM. Brush and Vacuum Clean the walls and floor of the pool by brushing them with overlapping strokes. Vacuum the sides and floor of the pool after brushing it. Cleaning products are available from pool supply stores that aid in the cleaning process. Dedicating 10 to 15 minutes per day to pool maintenance aids in the control of bugs in the water. Algaecide Shock the pool water to and allow it up to 48 hours for the chlorine to evaporate and the level to return to 1.0 to 3.0 PPM. Calculate the amount of algaecide necessary for the pool -- and apply it -- according to the directions on the type of product you use. Approximately 12 hours after application, brush and vacuum the pool to remove the dead algae. Skimming Skim the pool daily to remove bugs and dead algae. Skimming is essential when regular algae treatment is in process.

Dead bugs provide food for other bugs. Also, bugs living on top of the water attract additional bugs. Even organic matter, such as leaves and grass provide shelter, sustenance and a place for bugs to lay eggs. Skim the pool as soon as possible after rain and windstorms. Lighting Insects are coldblooded and lighting provides warmth as well as ultraviolet energy. Since lighting attracts bugs the lighting should be positioned at least 30 feet from the pool. The lighting is then directed toward the pool. High-pressure sodium vapor yellow lights don't attract insects to the extent ultraviolet mercury vapor lighting does. Attract fewer bugs by using as few lights as possible loaded with the lowest wattage bulbs that provide adequate light. Photo Credits Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images Suggest a CorrectionWhen I was a kid, my parents bought a house with a pool in the backyard. My sister and I spent our weekends practicing our dives in the deep end, lolling about on pool floats, and even enjoying some primo relaxation in the attached hot tub on cool nights.

We had friends over all the time, and our domestic social lives were centered around that cool, blue water.That lasted about one summer.carpet cleaning machine amazonThe next year, fewer friends came over. dry carpet cleaning londonWe still dutifully pulled out the pool floats sometimes, but we’d pretty much had our fill of diving for buried treasure or endlessly racing laps. what is the best thing to clean tile and groutBy the third year, hardly anyone went in the pool at all.cheap carpet cleaners perth By the time I hit my teens, my relationship with the pool consisted of two activities: Listening to my parents complain about the broken pump, the leaking seal, or the rising cost of water treatments, and arguing with my sister over who had to clean out the ever-mounting pile of leaves and trash circling the deep end.las vegas pool parties schedule august 2012

I didn’t want to admit it, but I hated the pool.When I hit adulthood, the first of my friends to buy a house bought one specifically because it had a pool. car carpet cleaner sfShe had grand plans for weekly poolside barbecues and big family gatherings for pool volleyball. And they might have happened, if the pipes hadn’t sprung a leak and flooded the backyard, forcing her to get a second loan to cover the cost of repairs. For the next two years, the pool was off-limits while a multitude of pros tried and failed to fix the leaks or seal the liner. Even the pool lights started to pop and fizzle, adding the risk of electrical shock if you got in the pool.I decided then and there I’d never own a pool unless it was made of pink plastic and just big enough to hold some beer and ice.And it turns out that I’m not totally crazy—or alone—in this. There are some very valid reasons to hate pools.Some lucky pool owners can afford a weekly service to handle most of the ongoing maintenance, but the majority of owners go at it alone.

You’ll save money, sure, but you’ll work for it.“Owning a pool is a lot of work and not just a financial commitment, but a time commitment as well,” says Linda Turner, a Realtor® with Coldwell Banker in Niceville, FL.On top of regular water treatments and filter cleanings, literally everything gets in the pool. I’ve had to fish out grocery bags, leaves, bugs, and even rats. But what about those cool robotic pool cleaners, you ask? Much like with a Roomba, you’ll spend most of your time trying to put the thing back on track and keep it away from larger, clog-inducing nightmares—like, you know, rats.Forget the fact that installation alone costs $22,000 on average—the real problem is that the costs never end. You have to buy chemicals, acid treatments, and new filters just to keep the pool from turning green. You could spend $500 a year on the chemicals alone, according to The Wall Street Journal. If you pay a company to maintain your pool, you’re looking at anywhere from $84 to $127 a week.

And that’s if nothing goes wrong.“A homeowner needs to be prepared to repair or replace large-ticket items such as pool pumps, pool liners, cool decks, and screened enclosures,” Turner says.The thing is, the primary equipment will eventually need to be replaced again and again. The pump—the small device that filters water—became a source of constant frustration in my family pool. It would get repaired. It would break again. Then—and here’s the twist—it would get replaced and it would break again. This went on for so long I can’t even remember the number of repairs or missed swimming seasons it took to finally sort out the problem. And it was always only a matter of time before it happened again.When I was growing up, my friends had some truly fabulous pools. High diving boards were common. There was even a slide or two. But that isn’t the case anymore. Homeowners insurance providers have cracked down on safety regulations for pools (I’m betting the twisty metal slide probably wasn’t the safest thing).

Even something as typical as a regular diving board is a big deal.“They [usually] won’t insure one with a diving board. So the homeowner is forced to remove it, if one exists, or they’ll be canceled by the insurance company, who will come and check,” Turner says.While remodeling your kitchen or finishing a basement can be a boon to your resale, pools aren’t—especially if you live farther north. In hot climates like the Southwest, an inground pool might add up to 11% on the value of your home; however, in the Midwest, where the summer doesn’t stretch on forever, you’re looking at maybe only 6%, according to U.S. News & World Report.“As for recouping the cost of installing a pool, it’s a terrible investment, with the return mainly being from whatever enjoyment the homeowner got out of it,” Turner says. “Appraisers typically only give 40% to 50% value, and in some cases, even less than that.”So after all those years of dutiful maintenance and aggravation, when you finally go to sell your home, you won’t even get most of that money back.