Welcome to Florida, You Have a Lanai
If you just bought a house in St. Johns County and the backyard came with a screen enclosure over the pool, congratulations. You also just inherited a maintenance system that nobody in your home inspection report fully explained.
We get this question every February from new transplants to Nocatee, Shearwater, RiverTown, and SilverLeaf, so this post is everything we'd tell you if you called us before your first pool service. Some of it will be obvious. A few things might save you from an expensive winter.
What Your Screen Enclosure Actually Does
It blocks bugs. That's the headline.
It also blocks larger debris (leaves, twigs, the occasional squirrel) and slightly reduces evaporation. That's most of the upside.
What it doesn't do:
- It doesn't block pollen. Live oak pollen is fine enough to come right through standard 18x14 mesh. From late February through early April, your pool will look yellow on the surface for a few weeks, even fully enclosed.
- It doesn't block algae spores. They're carried on tiny particles that move through the mesh easily.
- It doesn't fully block UV. It reduces it some, but not enough to slow chlorine burn-off in summer.
- It doesn't block rain. Pool screens are not waterproof. The mesh is designed to let water through and just slow it down a bit.
If you assumed the screen kept the pool "clean," you'll have fewer expensive surprises if you reset that expectation early.
How the Pool Underneath Is Different
A few things about lanai pools that off-the-shelf advice on the internet won't tell you.
Less wind circulation. Open pools get more surface air. Lanai pools have stiller surface water. This means slightly slower evaporation (good) and slightly more potential for surface scum lines and dead spots (less good). Run your return jets pointed across the surface, not down.
More humidity inside the enclosure. The screen traps moisture from the pool. That same humidity is what makes the wood beams and aluminum frame slowly corrode over the years. Some of the older Julington Creek enclosures are starting to show this.
Concentrated debris. Whatever does get in (insects, dust through the mesh, leaves through gaps at the roof line) tends to stay in the enclosure and eventually end up in the pool. Empty those skimmer baskets like the screen isn't there.
Different chemistry curve. The screen slows UV breakdown of chlorine somewhat. You might be able to run slightly lower chlorine and CYA than a fully open pool. Test and see. Don't just copy your neighbor's open-pool numbers.
The Five Things That Fail On a Lanai
In our experience working across St. Johns County, here's where you'll spend money on the enclosure over the next 5 to 10 years.
1. The door doesn't latch right. This is the most common service call. The metal frame shifts slightly with temperature, and the latch needs realignment every 2 to 3 years. Easy fix, but pests and frogs love an unlatched door.
2. Screen tears at corner seams. Wind, branches, and one badly-aimed pool float. Patch kits are cheap and work fine. If you have several tears, replace the panel rather than patching twelve times.
3. Aluminum frame oxidation. Especially on pools near the coast (Ponte Vedra, St. Augustine Beach). You'll see white powdery residue on the joints. Not structural, but it's cosmetic and it spreads. Clean with a mild acid solution annually.
4. Roof panel sagging. If your enclosure has a screen roof (not solid), expect to retension every 5 to 7 years. If it sags, water pools, and that's heavy enough to deform the frame.
5. The pet door, if you have one. Pet doors are the failure point in 4 out of 5 enclosure leaks we see. The seal degrades, dirt gets in, the seal degrades more.
Weekly Care That's Specific to Lanai Pools
Most pool maintenance is the same whether you have a screen or not. A few things change.
- Brush the corners more. Less surface circulation means corners can develop biofilm faster. Quick brush of all four corners, every visit.
- Check the screen, not just the water. A two-minute walk around the inside of the enclosure each week catches frayed corners, loose latches, and that one branch growing through the corner from the neighbor's oak.
- Don't trust the enclosure to keep frogs out. They get in. Have a small leaf net handy.
- Watch for high humidity issues on the patio surface. Persistent dampness leads to slick mildew on pavers. Pressure-washing the deck 2 to 3 times a year is more important under a lanai than out in the open.
What Most New Homeowners Don't Know to Ask
Before you sign with any pool service, ask whether they include lanai care (or just pool care). Most companies, including us, focus on the pool itself and let you handle the enclosure. That's standard.
But if you want full-yard care, ask about:
- Screen washing (usually $100 to $200, once or twice a year)
- Aluminum frame cleaning
- Bird and wasp nest removal (yes, they nest in the frame corners)
- Pressure-washing the pool deck
We do all of these as add-ons. Some companies do, some don't. Get clarity up front so you're not assuming.
A Note About Florida Summers
Your first summer in a lanai pool will surprise you in two ways.
First, the pool stays warmer longer into the evening because the enclosure reduces overnight heat loss. That's nice if you swim after dinner. It also means slightly more evaporation than you'd expect.
Second, summer storms drive water in sideways through the mesh, and the patio gets soaked. Anything you leave on the deck (cushions, books, the laptop you swore you'd only check email on) will get wet. Plan accordingly.
If You're Coming From Out of State
We get a lot of new homeowners from the Northeast and Midwest who've never owned a pool. The mental adjustment that catches most people: in Florida, your pool needs attention year-round, not just June through August. The water never freezes, so the algae never fully stops. December and January are easier months, but they're not skip months.
Plan for weekly maintenance from April through October and at least biweekly from November through March. Budget $150 to $225 a month for full weekly service, depending on pool size and what's included. There's [a longer pricing guide here](/blog/pool-service-cost-st-johns-2026) if you want the breakdown.
Welcome to the Neighborhood
New homeowners in Nocatee, RiverTown, Shearwater, and the rest of St. Johns County: if you have questions about the pool that came with your house, just call. No charge for an honest answer to a single question, no obligation, no email signup required. Owning a pool is genuinely fun once you understand what it's actually doing.
Want a starter visit for your new pool? Book a [pool service in St. Johns, FL](/service-areas/st-johns-county) and we'll come out, walk through everything with you, and leave you with a clear picture of your specific pool.
