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leepoffaith

Would you build a pool in Florida with no Screen Enclosure?

leepoffaith
14 years ago

So, i'm in the process of designing my pool and I live in the Tampa, FL area. At first my thought was I HAVE to have a screen. Everyone else does and that is just the way it is. Well, now that i'm in the designing part, there is only just so much you can do with a screen. Here in lies my question: would you build a pool in Florida with no screen enclosure? Are the bugs really that bad? First of all the screen limits the pools design. Secondly, on a 30x55 entertaining area it's going to cost me upwards of 15k to put in a screen. All my neighbors have them and it seems like everyone in Florida has one, but are they really needed or it is just that everyone has them so everyone gets them?

Comments (48)

  • jharrell
    14 years ago

    I'm in the Tampa Bay area too and have a screen enclosure. I can't imagine what cleaning the pool would be like without it. I do have an oak tree over it, and I think that would make a big difference, so much debris comes in from that tree even with the screen it would be a mess without. This is the biggest benefit IMO.

    The bugs would be bad as well, is nice being able to sit out there in the evening and not have any mosquitoes.

    A few things, mine needs re-screening, it's 15yrs old now and the screen is brittle and getting holes. Also the screen cuts down solar energy/UV by about 40% from what I have found, this leads to less sunburn, and a cooler pool. The cooler pool is nice in the summer (mine won't go above 87 degrees on its own) but in spring/fall it is also cooler, needing more heat to be comfortable.

    I highly recommend it, but then again mine came with the house I didn't have to pay for it directly :).

  • domingos35
    14 years ago

    i live in west palm beach and my 30x16 pool is not screened in and i have to problems at all keeping it clean.
    living in an hurricane area theres no way i would buy a screen enclosure.
    yes the pool water gets warmer compared to a screened in pool.buy a good automatic cleaner ,net the pool every day (5 minutes day) and keep your money

  • leepoffaith
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Thanks for the responses thus far!

    Domingos - Do you have problems with bugs at all? I'm not worried about cleaning the pool since I work from home and can always clean it during my lunch break. I'm worried about wanting to sit outside around 9-10 PM and being bothered by bugs.

  • fletch58
    14 years ago

    I am on my 2nd one in the orlando area without a screen. This one has a small lake in the back and still not that bad with bugs. We have a screened lania for when we just want to sit out. I think they are fine but highly over rated

  • gw_monkeyjac
    14 years ago

    I think something else you need to consider are the animals/reptiles that will end up in your pool without an enclosure. I live in Pinellas County and I have a screen enclosure and I still regularly fish out frogs, snakes and lizards from the pool. I can't imagine what I would find in there without the cage. It also helps with tree debris. Something else to consider is resale. If you sell your house and you're the only house on the block without a cage, that may be a negative. I think aesthetically, they're hideous, but they seem to be quite useful in this area.

  • domingos35
    14 years ago

    nope.no mosquito problems

  • chulaman
    14 years ago

    I just finished my pool in the Orlando area and have no screen. No bug problem and I like it just fine this way.

  • fletch58
    14 years ago

    You have bigger problems if you have a screen and have that many critters. Do you like in the Everglades LOL ?
    I had the 1st pool 5 years and occasionally get a frog, thats it. As far as resale, you can't make a blanket statement like that.


    I think something else you need to consider are the animals/reptiles that will end up in your pool without an enclosure. I live in Pinellas County and I have a screen enclosure and I still regularly fish out frogs, snakes and lizards from the pool. I can't imagine what I would find in there without the cage. It also helps with tree debris. Something else to consider is resale. If you sell your house and you're the only house on the block without a cage, that may be a negative. I think aesthetically, they're hideous, but they seem to be quite useful in this area.

  • donnawb
    14 years ago

    My brother in in South FL and he doesn't have a cage and I can't remember being bothered with bugs. We doesn't have large trees around him tho.

    When I first moved down here years ago I lived in an apt with a pool and I don't remember getting bit by bugs either.

    I do hope that you have a lanai or some shade somewhere tho because my brother doesn't and it is hard sitting out there in the sun all day. If you don't have a lanai I would suggest getting the holes drilled for umbrella's.

  • sis3
    14 years ago

    At the risk of making Pinellas County seem like bug ridden backwoods, I would not consider building a pool here without a screen. I think a lot depends on your immediate environment but here we have overhanging trees and, at times, skeeters, deer flies and lake midges, frogs, snakes, raccoons, and many other nocturnal mammals, small neighborhood children, plus not to mention large biting reptiles! The screen helps to keep them all out.
    Screens aren't pretty but neither would be sharing your swimming pool with a water moccasin!

  • leepoffaith
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Thanks for all your feedback! Just to clear up a few things, I live in Hillsborough County in a town called Riverview. I've lived here for a little over a year now. We do get the little tiny frogs in our lawn, but they aren't too bad. We also have the lizards, but since we only have 2 new trees in our back yard they are not back in the back yard either. I've only seen 1 snake and it was in the front yard and was a black racer.

    I'm not too worried about reptiles, nor am I worried about having to fish leaves out of the pool. My main concern is bugs. In particular nats, misquitos and love bugs. How do hotels keep these types of bugs away from their pools?

  • brentr_gw
    14 years ago

    leepoffaith, we are in the process of building our pool. We are screening aprox 938sf and it is costing @ 7.5k which includes 92 ft of 12 x 12 footer. I would get multiple quotes. We even got one quote a little cheaper but we like the present person. Look at out posting , "New pool in Jacksonville FL" Our property backs up to a preserve so we need the screen to protect from bugs etc. We were told that there would be less cleaning to do, besides we do not have a privacy fence and it would cost us a whole lot more to go this way.

  • flchad
    14 years ago

    Here's my experience of growing up as a kid in FL with a pool w/out a screen and also having just built one as an adult. I cant imagine having a screen enclosure. The house I grew up in had a big yard and we would run all around the pool and yard as kids. I dont see how people deal with having the pool seperated from the rest of the yard. At that house (in Valrico - a stone's throw from Riverview) the house had huge oaks and my dad covered it in the winter. My job was to net the pool. It wasnt too bad even with an acre of oaks.
    The pool I just put in...again, cant imagine not having the openness of the whole yard tied in with the pool. It feels caged in to me when I go over to someone's house that has the screen enclosure. Also, I never cared for how they look.
    You can get bug zappsers and deloto misquito if the bugs are bad which they are not for me. Also, you can build it w/out the screen and add the screen later. Just have them do the deck so that you can add a screen later. Everyone has their own things they like. good luck.

  • jparkfire
    14 years ago

    I guess I am sensitive to Biteing bugs. I was on the intercoastal in St Pete last week and got eaten alive in just a few minutes, at dusk. Seeing everyone else with a screen should give you a big clue. I live on the east coast by I-95 and my neighbor had a pool without a screen. He has one now. I'll bet he couldnt enjoy his pool without it. I lived in Houston and had a pool with no screen. I couldn't enjoy it at night because all of the mosquitos buzzing around my head and biteing me. The PBs will tell you they build pools some places without screens, but I'll bet that if you can afford it you will enjoy your pool much more with the satisfaction there will be no bugs or critters in the pool with you. Our next pool will have a screen.

  • jrgina
    14 years ago

    IMHO Screens suck!
    Had first pool screened in old house,pool in new house no screen. much better!
    Water gets warmer,good spring and fall.
    We`re on a lake,open and breezy,lot better than being closed in.
    Cages dramatically raises home owners insurance in Fla.
    Screen repairs are costly.Hurricanes love screens!
    Unless you are completely surronded by shedding trees,
    avoid a screen!
    JR

  • leepoffaith
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I'm so on the fence with getting a screen... I'm working with a designer now and I'm having him draw up 2 scenarios. One with and one without. The screen itself is going to run me 7k right now and we are looking at a 55x28. To be really happy we are going to need to go atleast 35x55 which would bring that price up. Without the screen we are looking at about 3k for an anti-mosquito system for the entire yard, plus about 50 bucks a month for the chemicals for this. It's a rough decision and one that I don't want to regret.... Ugh!!!

  • brentr_gw
    14 years ago

    If you are on the fence, don't put one in now. Just have the footers poured in case you put one up. It should cost about 1k for 12" x 12" footers. That way if you decide you need it because of bugs etc. have it screened then.

  • Nick Knatterton
    8 years ago

    We considered not adding another pool enclosure for several days because of the costs, yet working in the lanai after dusk one day I had about 8 mosquitos residing on my leg and others looking for various parking spots on my body. Needless to say this motivated us to get a cage again.

  • Kim H.
    8 years ago

    We are just completing our new pool project and we're in the Daytona area. We chose to not have a screen enclosure. To us we just don't like the feel of being in a "cage". Also, we are on a retention pond and wanted to be able to enjoy as much as a view as possible.


  • Nick Knatterton
    8 years ago

    I wish you well with your decision.

  • PRO
    Pool Pro Office
    8 years ago

    I have designed and built pools for 30 years on the east coast of Florida. A screen enclosure is not a must. Advantages would be open house to pool with out bug issues and cleaner pool. Disadvantages cost and repair costs and pool is cooler and closes area in. I have always had an open pool and enjoy it as much as a screened pool.

  • karenwatsonerikzon
    7 years ago

    I am in the exact same boat. I am trying to make this decision. I have chosen a pool landscape that is truly organic and natural looking. I had a pool in NC, literally, in the woods. It did take a lot more cleaning and the bugs were an occasional nuisance, but I loved the openness and aesthetics of not having a cage. I do live on a preserve now in SW Florida and definitely will not have the issues that I had with leaves and debris that I had before. I also don't mind cleaning a few things out now and then. Even in a caged pool, critters can find their way in. All of this feedback helped me make my decision so I appreciate all of your opinions. It is going to be no screen for me..... for now! :)

  • PRO
    IPC Team
    7 years ago

    We have been designing pool enclosures for 20 years and there is an option for you to have a retractable enclosure - not net screen, but rather polycarbonate. The segments of the enclosure slide into one another on tracks, so you can totally remove the enclosure. Also there are low models so you can see your surroundings all the time. Or a dome type. Please see the images below.

    Jiri

    https://www.sunrooms-enclosures.com/

    Retractable pool enclosure - high · More Info


    Retractable pool enclosures - low · More Info

  • hat777
    7 years ago

    Good morning. We recently moved to Florida and are getting a pool. Saw your discussion on houzz and wondered about your final decision. Screened enclosure or not? Thank you

  • gw_monkeyjac
    7 years ago
    It depends on a lot of variables such as your environment, tolerance to pests, trees in the area, sun exposure, etc. There are pros and cons on each side. Screens limit the bugs, critters and tree debris in your pool. On the other hand, they make the pool cooler, are expensive, increase insurance costs, need to be cleaned and maintained. It's individual to your community also. Are you on the water where a screen would block a beautiful view? It's not mandatory but in certain situations it may make your pool environment more enjoyable. You need to look at your individual situation to figure this out. If you're not sure, live without one for a while and see what the pool is like without it. You'll know pretty quickly in the summer months whether you need a screen or not.
  • PRO
    IPC Team
    6 years ago

    Hello hat777, gw_monkeyjac is right, it all depends on your needs and preferences and options are endless. There is no final solution - not even based on the weather. Let us know what you decided. Don't forget to choose a proven installer, because most problems do not come from choosing the product itself but rather the provider who builds it. Look for positive reviews and customers reactions. :-)

  • Wayne Engel
    6 years ago

    We previously owned a house with a pool in North Port. The house backed up to a preserve and the pool was caged. When we enlarged the cage last year, we had an open view to the preserve and used "super screen" for the cage which was not as dense. It kept the mosquitoes out, but allowed tons of tiny black bugs to get into the pool - which I had to scoop out daily. We have now moved to a house on a lake in Englewood and are putting in a pool. Our new cage will use 20/20 screen. The house currently has a small screened lanai and we have tons of no see ums plastered onto the outside of the screen - trying to get in. I can't imagine being able to sit outside for even a few minutes without a cage!

  • MDV
    6 years ago

    No screen here (west FL) but I think the key is not having and trees or heavy landscaping around. I personally don't care for cages; they seem confining and limiting to a basic rectangle box. My contractor said nowadays people are about 50/50 on cages. I've had no problem with bugs, frogs nor debris in the pool. Rarely run the vacuum, and I dont have sod in most of the yard yet.

  • mrshanson1
    6 years ago

    For this picture above, I just love your pool decking surround. Is that cement? It almost looks like granite.... So beautiful. Please let me know what is it?

  • PRO
    IPC Team
    6 years ago

    WOW, thank you petersuzanne2 - really informative reading about the use of screened enclosures and all the uses it has :-).

  • colleenpetch
    4 years ago

    We are trying to decide the same as well! In south Florida. I think we are going to go with removing the screen as we get the pool resurfaced and we will be able to extend the travertine patio out much farther around the pool. I know ascetically it will look better. We do have some bamboo trees I hope we don’t have to cut down from shedding. Also praying the mosquitoes aren't too bad. Our screen is so old that we figured If somehow we really miss it we can put one back years down the road.

  • H B
    4 years ago

    Have built 3 houses without cages in the FT LAUDERDALE western suburbs. Few homes were built with cages unless you bought in a development. Never had problems. Moved to Naples in a high end development. Every house has a cage over pool but me. Looked at the fabulous clubhouse pool. There is no cage and everyone is enjoying themselves. Peer pressure forces the new buyer to spend tens of thousands extra. The developer laughs all the way to the bank. Funny thing the multi million dollar homes across waterway don’t have cages over the pools

  • Nancy
    4 years ago

    We have had a house with a pool cage and without. I love the pool cage! Everything stays cleaner. We are currently building a two story home with large covered lanais up and down adjoining the infinity pool looking out to a long lake with bird island. It has large front porches with phantom screens on French doors. The back has full walls of slider doors that pocket into the walls. So we can open the entire house to cross breezes and not worry about bugs, leaves in the pool or any other critters that inhabit our area. It makes the house seem more expansive and you don’t have to screen the lanais at the railings. There will be a 35 foot wide “picture window” screen (no posts) across the entire pool. So we would never have another pool here in Florida without the screen enclosure.

  • HU-968878482
    3 years ago

    How much did the screen cost increase to have the “picture window?”

  • Nancy
    3 years ago

    We specified it initially as part of the pool and cage package so it was not priced separately and we did not get a comparison.

  • LINDA
    3 years ago

    I have lived in Florida since 73 and due to the BUGS and no see mees, which are very tiny biting lying insects, I would not have a pool without a cage and would make sure the screening is what they call 20 20, anything less they come right they it.

  • Barbara Mathis
    8 months ago

    If you don’t put up a pool cage, what kind of fence do you put around your pool that looks nice and doesnt block our view of the bay? The state requires either a fence or cage even though the bay is right there. Any suggestions?

  • colleenpetch
    8 months ago

    I posted here years ago when we were deciding about taking our pool screen down. We did it and It was the best decision we made! It looks much better and we dont have issues with debris and bugs (we did have to cut some trees down close to the pool). We love having it all open. Regarding the fence so you can still see the bay, our friends have a fence that looks modern and you can still see through. I posted a pic of our pool and an example of a possible fence.



  • Barbara Mathis
    8 months ago

    Thanks for the response.Your pool is beautiful. After hearing all these resonses i dont think we will put cage back up after hurricane. Has anyone done a cable fence that you would not see as much

    This is our pool on bay in Fl

  • colleenpetch
    8 months ago

    Your pool and backyard is amazing! I agree, I wouldn’t put a cage back on. I hope you get some good suggestions for the fence.

  • Lila S
    8 months ago

    We just done building our pool in SF and we passed inspection, there are other options other than pool screen, which is a door alarms, you install them at every exterior doors that leads you to the outside. You can buy those from Amazon $15 each. We installed 4.

  • Barbara Mathis
    8 months ago

    I thought you needed a cage or a fence

  • Lila S
    8 months ago

    You will need a small gate on both rear side of the property, and you also install alarm on them. But nothing around the pool.

  • Sholom David
    8 months ago

    Note if you live in a community with a pool at the clubhouse does it have a cage? I guess if the communities developer doesn’t have a cage around the pool we have to use common sense. By the way you rarely see cages over pools where there are expensive custom homes along waterways by the beach in Florida

  • Barbara Mathis
    8 months ago

    You still have to have a fence around a pool even if you live on the water. what kind of fence do people put up that doesn’t block the view , looks nice and doesn't stand out?

  • Lila S
    8 months ago

    Barbara Mathis, we don’t have a fence around our pool, you don’t need one unless you live in a community with their own rules. City inspector just asked us to have alarms on the sliding doors.

  • Lila S
    8 months ago

    You need to chose one of the options, we choose the doors alarm. What I highlighted in green is about the 2 gates in the rear sides that I pictured above.