It’s hot outside. Wouldn’t it be nice to take a dip in your own backyard pool? As popular as private swimming pools are, there is a lot of information and misinformation out there about what swimming pool ownership really entails, including essential maintenance tasks, finding the right pool installation company, and Moreover. Here’s a look at what to expect when you own a swimming pool. And yes, a swim would be nice right now.

Q: In your experience, how much does it cost to hire someone to maintain a swimming pool?

A: Of course, it varies widely geographically. With a weekly or monthly contract, an average of $ 1,500 to $ 2,000 per year can be expected in areas that require stop and start service for winter storage. Punctual hiring for maintenance will cost much more.

Q: What types of maintenance are required for a swimming pool?

A: All pool tasks can be described as cleaning or monitoring tasks. Daily removal of debris from water intakes should be followed by weekly cleaning and vacuuming. Remember to brush the walls above the waterline. Backwashing or filter cleaning should be done at least twice per summer, on average, but should be done more often if the pool is used very frequently or all year round.

Keeping an eye on the water levels should be done on a constant basis. A high water level can upset the chemical balance. A low water level can do the same and damage the equipment. Chemical levels should be checked and maintained at least twice a month.

Q: What types of maintenance are most often overlooked?

A: Unfortunately, the easiest thing to do is also the most ignored. Large debris from skimmers is quick and easy to remove. Doing this on a daily basis can have a huge impact on overall water quality, chemistry, and pump repair costs. The hardest part is doing it daily.

Cleaning the pool can be time consuming and easily postpone to next weekend. This decision, taken too often, can be a costly mistake. Buying a semi-autonomous (robot) pool vacuum can save you a lot of time.

Q: What type of pool will produce the highest resale value?

A: The simple answer is: an inground pool has a higher resale value than an above ground pool. However, there are many factors to consider. Overall, a swimming pool adds a little monetary value compared to the cost of installing one. Current estimates are about an 8% increase. However, the market value can increase dramatically if you are in the right neighborhood.

When it comes to saltwater pools versus chlorine pools, there isn’t much of a difference. They each have their advantages and disadvantages.

Safety concerns, maintenance requirements, the general housing market and more all have an effect on resale. A trusted real estate agent can provide you with current market information. I am by no means an expert in finance, but there are better ways to increase the selling price of a home than by installing a swimming pool.

Q: Are there other alternatives to using chlorine?

A: A common misconception is that saltwater pools are not chlorinated pools. The truth is, saltwater pools generate their own chlorine from the salt itself, rather than just putting in chlorine. In conventional swimming pools, salted or not, chlorine is needed to keep them safe for swimming.

However, natural pools that use complex filtration instead of chemicals to stay safe are quickly gaining popularity. They are environmentally friendly and require minimal maintenance. Current high installation costs and potentially expensive repairs still keep potential consumers away, but that should change as the word spreads.

Q: We have heard that swimming pool pumps can be quite energy intensive. Is this true, and if so, what do you recommend for people who want to keep an energy efficient swimming pool?

A: You heard that right. A single speed, powerful pool pump can use up to 1,500 watts of electricity. Compared to a mid-size window air conditioner that uses around 900 watts of power, pool pumps consume quite a few kilowatts.

There are a few things you can do to increase efficiency. The easiest way is to just be diligent in keeping the air intakes free of debris. This keeps the pump pressure to a minimum and can reduce energy costs.

The ideal method of saving energy is to reduce the daily running time of the pump. However, it can only be reduced to a certain extent before other problems arise. A bare minimum of one complete water change per day is required. Installing an on / off timer will remove human error from the equation.

Running your pump during daylight hours, when sunlight is affecting chlorine levels, will keep the concentrations equal throughout the pool. The pump can operate for shorter periods without disturbing the chemical balance.

Finally, replacing an old single speed pump with an Energy Star qualified variable speed pump is your best option for saving energy. They can be quite expensive initially, but the money saved on energy costs will quickly cover the investment.

Deane is a 30+ year veteran in the home contracting, renovation, maintenance and repair industry. His experience ranges from outsourcing licensed construction to owning a property maintenance company. Currently operating a home repair and DIY consulting service, it empowers its customers in their home repair and renovation efforts.