If you own a pool, regardless of where you live or how frequently it’s used, pool maintenance is a vital aspect of keeping it clean and functional. However, it takes time and effort to keep your swimming pool in excellent condition, and with a busy schedule, remembering to clean and maintain your pool isn’t always a top priority.
While you can do some aspects of pool maintenance on your own, there are numerous reasons to consider hiring a pool maintenance service to undertake the time-consuming process. In this post, we’ll look at the cost to maintain a pool, common signs that your pool needs maintenance, and what you can expect when hiring a professional pool maintenance service.
How Much Does Pool Maintenance Cost?
Any pool owner will tell you that having a pool is a commitment. Although it may be tempting to handle the work yourself, swimming pool maintenance services can often complete the same tasks in less time due to years of training and knowledge. But, how much can you expect to spend if you hire a professional pool maintenance service?
The national average cost for weekly pool maintenance services is approximately $285 per month. Roughly $165 of that total cost is for onsite pool maintenance services, and the rest is for the various chemicals used to keep your pool clean, all of which every pool owner would have to purchase to keep their pool water balanced correctly.
Furthermore, different swimming pools necessitate different cleaning services and equipment, which could affect how much you pay for professional pool maintenance. Here are some of the other factors that could influence the cost of hiring a professional pool cleaning service.
Pool Size
Many professional pool cleaning services bill by the hour, so the longer it takes to clean your pool, the more you’ll have to spend. As a result, a larger pool that requires more attention will cost more to clean and maintain than a smaller one. Additionally, larger pools require more chemicals to properly clean, which could also affect the total cost of the services.
Pool Type
While the hourly cost of professional pool cleaning services will almost certainly be the same whether you have a saltwater or chlorine pool, the amount you pay in chemical charges will vary. While a saltwater pool costs more to install than a chlorine pool, saltwater pools require fewer chemicals.
However, saltwater pools require twice-weekly tests, whereas chlorine pools only need to be tested once per week. Water balancing is even more crucial to saltwater pools because modifying sanitation production is slower to react than chlorine. Also, for saltwater pools with a heater, heating the water increases the PH, which can cause mineral buildup in the heat exchanger.
Pool Equipment
Another factor that could influence the cost of pool maintenance services is the type of equipment used in your pool. As a result, the efficiency and quality of your pool equipment will impact the amount of work required.
What’s Included in Weekly Pool Maintenance Services?
Owning a pool requires a lot of responsibility. If you would rather spend time relaxing in your pool than maintaining it, hiring a weekly pool maintenance service may be the best alternative if you are too busy to perform proper pool chemical management and debris removal.
While weekly maintenance is still required, pool service eliminates the need to spend additional hours cleaning your pool. Although most pool maintenance services do not include filter cleanings or salt cell cleanings, pool owners can still pay a one-time premium fee to have these things done (once a month is ideal).
Let’s look at some of the services you can expect when hiring a pool maintenance service.
Deep Cleaning
Debris is sure to end up floating in your pool, especially if you have a pool cover. Pools are known for accumulating leaves, but it’s not uncommon to find pebbles, bugs, or twigs, as well. These floaters in your pool are not only unsightly, but they may also be harmful, clogging your pool filters, pumps, and baskets.
Professional pool cleaners will be able to skim the water’s surface to clean large debris and clean out any obstructions that could negatively affect your pool. Additionally, they will also be able to brush sediment from your pool walls and vacuum the pool floor.
Chemical Balancing
A pool must be chemically balanced and have a specific pH range, ideally between 7.4 and 7.6. While a pool with an excessively acidic pH is corrosive, a pool that is too alkaline frequently scales and can develop discolored water. During each pool service, pool cleaners will ensure that your water’s pH level is tested, and they will add chemicals to keep your pool in balance and safe to swim in.
Equipment Inspection
Even though your pool is designed to have water in it, there are various concerns that can arise as a result. Standing water is a breeding ground for bacteria, algae, insects, and other contaminants. While these problems are not uncommon, they are certainly not desirable.
Pool service companies with maintenance departments tend to be more proactive when it comes to monitoring your pool equipment and diagnosing issues. We recommend that you enlist the services of a professional that can solve any problems you’re experiencing with your pool equipment.
Signs That Your Pool Needs Professional Maintenance
A neglected swimming pool can not only result in additional damage to your pool and cost you hundreds of dollars in repairs, but swimming in an unmaintained pool can also be hazardous to your health. As a result, it’s critical to ensure that your swimming pool is properly maintained.
How can you tell whether or not you need maintenance? Here are some of the most common signs that your pool needs professional assistance.
Discolored Water
Discolored water is one of the first signs that your pool is in trouble. Pool water should be clear and devoid of dirt and residue, and any color change could mean that algae are most likely present in your pool. Any color change is a serious indication that something is wrong and needs to be fixed.
Decreased Water Level
Water loss is a common sign that your pool is in trouble and must be repaired. Unfortunately, a pool leak is difficult to detect because most leaks occur gradually over time. If the water level in your pool has significantly decreased, an underlying leak likely exists, and you should contact a professional.
Discolored Grout
The grout in almost any swimming pool will grow discolored over time. This is attributable to several factors, such as surface debris and grime lodged in the grout or chemical reactions between the water in your swimming pool and the grout material. If your grout has become discolored, you should contact a pool maintenance service at your earliest convenience.
How PoolStar’s Smart Skimmer Can Help with Your Pool Maintenance
If you’re looking for a simple and effective way to monitor your pool’s water quality with exceptional precision, accuracy, and simplicity, choose PoolStar’s PoolSmart Skimmer.
Temperature and weather conditions can change your pool’s water chemistry in less than 24 hours, making weekly pool maintenance essential. Fortunately, the PoolSmart Skimmer is a solar-powered, Wi-Fi-enabled, real-time water chemistry reading device that makes water chemistry management simple for every pool owner.
The PoolSmart Skimmer records pool water level every 15 minutes and provides you with water chemistry readings to proactively monitor your pool for potential leaks and quickly detect imbalances in your pool’s water, allowing you to take appropriate action before your water quality deteriorates.
Our PoolSmart Skimmer provides you with all the tools you need to accurately and precisely measure your pool’s chemistry to keep your pool in the best condition possible and help you get the most out of your investment.
At PoolStar, we want to make pool water quality monitoring easier and more convenient than ever before. Learn more about how you can drastically improve your quality of life as a pool owner by contacting us today to learn more about our PoolSmart Skimmer.
The PoolStar Command App Can Help!
While owning a swimming pool can be a lot of fun, maintaining your swimming pool is a difficult task that can be expensive and requires a lot of work. Fortunately, the PoolStar Command app is a valuable resource that allows you to stay ahead of any pool maintenance and repair to ensure your pool is always in the best condition possible.
Giving you access to a wealth of pool-related resources, tips, techniques, and helpful guidelines to make pool ownership more manageable than ever before, the PoolStar Command app is a valuable resource for any pool owner.
Not only can you integrate all of your PoolSmart IOT systems to build a centralized smart pool control center, but you can also register to receive real-time water chemistry updates and gain access to vital pool maintenance programs.
If you’re looking for the best way to gain additional control over your pool and save money in the long run, today!