Why a Screened-In Pool Is a Smart Investment for Your Home
A screened-in pool transforms your backyard from a simple swim space into a year-round retreat — blending comfort, safety, ease, and value. With the right enclosure, you enjoy more peace of mind, less maintenance, and often a better home resale value.
Top Benefits of a Screened-In Pool
Pest & Debris Protection — Swim Without the Bugs or Leaves
One of the biggest advantages of a screened enclosure is that it keeps the uninvited out. Mosquitoes, flies, spiders, and other insects are much less likely to invade your pool space — and neither are leaves, twigs, dust, and other debris carried by wind or rain.
This means:
- Less time — and money — spent skimming and cleaning the water.
- Cleaner, clearer water more often, reducing the need for excessive chemical treatments.
- More pleasant, bug-free swimming and lounging experiences.
Popular Types of Pool-Enclosure Screens & Mesh
In addition to mesh-density and material type, there are specialty screens designed for extra benefits beyond insect protection:
- Florida Glass privacy screen — a vinyl-laminated fiberglass mesh that offers more privacy (obscures view from outside) and can reduce visibility into the enclosure while still allowing airflow and light.
- Solar / Shade Screens — these are designed to block some of the sun’s rays / UV light, helping reduce sun glare, keep pool area cooler, and protect pool furniture or surfaces from sun damage.
- Pet-Resistant / Heavy-Duty Screens — often vinyl-coated polyester mesh, designed to withstand damage from pets, kids, or other stress, making them more durable for long-term use and active households.
Improved Safety for Kids, Pets & Guests
A screened pool enclosure acts as a protective barrier — reducing the chance that children, pets, or unintentional visitors wander into the pool unsupervised.
This added safety is especially meaningful in households with young children or pets, offering peace of mind and lowering the risk of accidental falls or other pool-related accidents.
UV & Weather Protection — More Comfortable & Sustainable Swimming
In sunny, warm climates — especially places like Florida — long exposure to direct sunlight can be uncomfortable and even harmful. A screen enclosure filters sunlight and offers shade, helping protect swimmers from UV exposure.
Additionally, enclosures provide a buffer against wind, rain, and occasional storms — helping maintain a more stable environment around the pool, making it usable more often.
Lower Maintenance & Costs Over Time
With fewer leaves, dirt, bugs, and debris blown into the pool, you’ll spend far less time cleaning, skimming, vacuuming — and likely use fewer chemicals to maintain water quality.
Less debris and environmental stress also mean less wear and tear on pool filters, pumps, and liners — potentially extending the lifespan of your pool equipment.
Longer Swimming Season & More Usable Outdoor Time
Because a screened pool is more protected from weather, bugs, and debris — and often remains more comfortable due to shade and airflow — you can enjoy the pool for more of the year.
This makes the pool not just a summer luxury — but a more regular, valuable feature for relaxing, exercise, or entertaining friends and family.
Added Privacy, Aesthetic Appeal & Home Value
A quality screen enclosure also enhances your backyard’s privacy — shielding pool activities from neighbors or passersby.
Visually, a well-designed enclosure can integrate beautifully with your home’s landscaping and architecture, giving your outdoor area a polished, finished look.
Finally, because of all these practical benefits — safety, low maintenance, comfort, and aesthetics — a screened pool can increase your property’s resale value, making it not just a lifestyle upgrade, but a financial one, too.
What research & industry sources say about value impact:
A well-built screened (or “pool-cage”) pool enclosure in Florida can increase resale value by roughly 5%–10%compared to a similar home without one. Because a pool plus an enclosure offers additional benefits (comfort, reduced maintenance, privacy, safety, extended usability), adding a properly built enclosure tends to increase demand among buyers, thereby boosting “perceived value” beyond the pool itself. Many Florida buyers consider a screened pool standard rather than a luxury, so in some markets, a home without a screened enclosure may be less competitive.
What to Consider — Planning Before You Enclose
| Local codes & permits: | Many areas require permits or have building regulations for pool enclosures — check first. |
| Material & mesh type: | Using quality framing (e.g. aluminum) and proper screen mesh (fine enough to block insects but still allow airflow and light) ensures durability, comfort, and long-term protection. |
| Maintenance of the screen itself: | Screens and frames need upkeep — cleaning, occasional repairs — to maintain their protective function. |
| Design & aesthetic balance: | Consider how the enclosure integrates with your yard, any landscaping plans, and how much space you want for poolside living or garden areas around the pool. |
How to Choose — What Matters Based on Your Needs
When selecting a screen for your pool enclosure, consider:
- Your climate and insect activity: If you live where small insects (gnats, no-see-ums) are common — e.g. near marshes or the coast — a finer mesh or No-See-Um screen might be worth it.
- Durability needs: Pets, kids, storms — if you anticipate rough use or frequent wear, heavy-duty polyester or pet-resistant mesh is often better than standard fiberglass.
- Maintenance level & long-term cost: Cheaper screens (fiberglass) are easier on the budget now but may need replacement more often; premium screens cost more upfront but last longer and require less maintenance.
- Lifestyle: privacy, shade, aesthetics: If you want more privacy or shade, consider privacy screens or solar screens rather than basic insect mesh.
- Airflow & visibility preferences: Wider meshes (like 18×14) offer better airflow and clearer view; finer meshes may slightly reduce airflow/light but offer better insect protection.
For many homeowners — especially those in sunny, bug-prone, or windy climates — a screened-in pool isn’t just a “nice-to-have” addition. It transforms the way you use your pool, turning it from a seasonal, high-upkeep setup into a comfortable, safe, and low-maintenance backyard haven.
Investing in a quality enclosure can save time and money over the years, increase safety for kids and pets, reduce maintenance, and even boost your home’s appeal and value.
If you’re on the fence about enclosing your pool, it may well be one of the smartest upgrades you make to your home and lifestyle.
JJB Pools & Spas provides expert pool maintenance, pool repair, pool resurfacing, pebble surfacing, and pool renovation across Tampa Bay — serving Largo, Palm Harbor, Dunedin, Belleair, South Tampa, Hyde Park, Palma Ceia, St. Pete Beach, Westchase, Odessa, Nine Eagles, Davis Islands & Clearwater Beach, and surrounding areas. We use only the best pool and spa industry brands, including Wet Edge Technologies, Primera Stone, Prism Matrix, Luna Quartz, Signature Matrix, and Aquabella Tile. JJB Pools is also a platinum warranty station for all Hayward brand equipment, and an expert in Variable Speed Pumps and energy-efficient pool heating. Call for a free estimate! (727) 412-4373