Swimming pool maintenance

Posted by FenderAxe on October 18, 2009, 10:20 pm

Hi there --

I'm considering buying a home with a swimming pool, but I'm concerned about
the monthly cost of maintaining the pool.

Is it difficult to maintain a pool's chemical balance yourself? If you hire
someone to maintain the pool, what is the amount you normally pay per
month?

Any information about this will be appreciated.

Thanks --

FA

Posted by DD_BobK on October 18, 2009, 10:36 pm

> Hi there --
> I'm considering buying a home with a swimming pool, but I'm concerned abo=

> the monthly cost of maintaining the pool.
> Is it difficult to maintain a pool's chemical balance yourself? If you hi=

> someone to maintain the pool, what is the amount you normally pay per
> month?
> Any information about this will be appreciated.
> Thanks --
> FA

In SoCal...

I paid (in 2005) ~$100 / month (the pool guy supplies all the chems)

if you develop a rhythm & keep a handle on the water chemistry its
easy

add extra chlorine if it rains, a wind storm blows in a bunch of
leaves or if the pool gets heavy use

cheers
Bob

Posted by on October 18, 2009, 11:01 pm

>Hi there --
>I'm considering buying a home with a swimming pool, but I'm concerned about
>the monthly cost of maintaining the pool.
>Is it difficult to maintain a pool's chemical balance yourself? If you hire
>someone to maintain the pool, what is the amount you normally pay per
>month?
>Any information about this will be appreciated.
>Thanks --
>FA

I have a 15000 gallon in ground concrete pool in Florida (12 month
operation). It costs me about $40 a month to keep the pump going and I
figure about another $25-30 a month for chemicals averaged over the
year. It is higher in summer, less in winter.
Keeping things balanced is really pretty easy as soon as you get your
routine established. I put 2 tabs in the floater once a week in the
winter and 3 in the summer. I shock it once a week in the summer with
1.5 gallons of liquid chlorine in the summer and about a gallon in the
winter. Occasionally if I see it clouding up a little I super shock it
with 5 gallons.
When the pool was new it was eating a half gallon of acid every week
but that tapered off and now it seems to be getting along with minimal
pH problems. (4 years old)
In a liner pool I imagine you will have the opposite problem and be
adding soda ash all the time.
I don't really put anything else in there now. When I was using all
the acid I needed some baking soda now and then to get the total
alkalinity up above 100. That has calmed down too.

From what I see watching my neighbors, they have more problems with
too many chemicals more than not enough. You don't need to use
everything the pool store might try to sell you. I like my pool guy,
since he doesn't push things on me I don't need (Curtis at the San
Carlos Pinch a Penny, great guy and good pool man)
Most of the time the pool is swapping water with the spa so the spa is
basically free.

Posted by Master Betty on October 19, 2009, 12:03 am

> Hi there --
> I'm considering buying a home with a swimming pool, but I'm concerned
> about
> the monthly cost of maintaining the pool.
> Is it difficult to maintain a pool's chemical balance yourself? If you
> hire
> someone to maintain the pool, what is the amount you normally pay per
> month?
> Any information about this will be appreciated.
> Thanks --
> FA

Assuming it's a chlorine pool it's pretty easy. Go to a pool supply store
and develop a relationship with them. Have them test your water for you and
they will tell you what to do.

I have a Polaris which makes mine very easy to maintain. Hopefully yours
will too. You need a pool vacuum at least.

Keep your chlorinator full and shock about once a week.

My pool is pretty small and I run the filter 12 hours a day. The cost to run
isn't very much. I get away with about $200/year on chemicals. In the winter
I turn it off and put the cover on. Water here is pretty expensive and that
is probably my highest cost.

If you have problems post here. There is lots of advice here. Beware of
supply guys. Some will sell you anything. I don't like to talk to the store
owner. I think it's best to find someone who doesn't care as much about
selling and just getting you what you need. You'll be able to tell.

I was nervous when I bought my house with a pool but it turned out okay.

Jim

Posted by Jim Elbrecht on October 19, 2009, 7:13 am

>Hi there --
>I'm considering buying a home with a swimming pool, but I'm concerned about
>the monthly cost of maintaining the pool.

The cost isn't so bad--- but it takes time.

>Is it difficult to maintain a pool's chemical balance yourself?

No-- but you need to keep at it. 15 minutes a day will save you
spending a whole day/weekend, draining and refilling. I second
the robo-vac suggestion.

> If you hire
>someone to maintain the pool, what is the amount you normally pay per
>month?

Did you ask the homeowner all these questions? If they had a pool
guy, talk to him. If not- ask where they got their supplies.

Jim

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