Hudson Valley Pool Owners Warned of Liner-Eating Ants

If you have a pool you know there's a lot to worry about. And now you can add ants to the list.

Some friends of mine have been dealing with a slow leak in their pool since last summer. They've checked all of the seams, inspected every square inch of the liner, and even used a special dye to look for leaks. The frustrating situation has continued over the winter, as water has been slowly leaking out of the pool with no apparent cause.

Finally, they reached out to an expert who told them that the problem is most likely ants. Ants? What could ants have to do with a leaky pool?

It turns out that ants have been known to feast on vinyl pool liners, causing damage that you may not even notice until it's too late.  Here in the Hudson Valley, we can get some serious ant infestations. Depending on where you live, you may have seen colonies of ants suddenly appear in your yard, flower beds, around decks, and even pools. Although they don't eat vinyl or seek it out, In times of especially dry weather, ants have been known to chew through a pool liner in search of hydration. Thirsty ants can cause teenie tiny holes to develop in your liner, undetectable to the eye. Enough of these holes can cause a measurable amount of water to drain from your pool, causing a serious problem.

The expert our friend contacted suggests all pool owners spray around their pool every season for ants. Even if you don't see them, they could be living under the liner in the soft sand that was put down as a base for above-ground pools. When it comes to pool maintenance expenses, some ant killer is just a drop in the bucket. But it could save Hudson Valley pool owners thousands of dollars in repairs and endless headaches.

And if you do happen to keep your pool from being eaten alive, here are some other great hacks to make the most of your outdoor oasis this summer: