Pool Maintenance

During this whole coronavirus madness we recently heard an interesting argument. Pools kill tens of thousands of people each year. In all fairness, pools don’t kill anyone, people who are negligent with their kids and aren’t watching them kill as do people who shouldn’t be swimming in the first place and drown as a result. But the argument was – we as a society have accepted annual drowning deaths, because the pleasure we derive from pools is greater.

Sounds rather grim, doesn’t it? The same argument has been used with cars as well. The takeaway is, if we know COVID-19 will kill “x” amount of people each year, but we value our economic prosperity more, then we should all open up as soon as possible. Tough policy discussions, and definitely far from anything we want to touch on here on a pool maintenance blog. But we mention it because installing or buying a pool doesn’t end with the idea that pools are cool and swimming is fun. You need to maintain this puppy, and it’s not as simple as you might believe.

First thing to consider (before the actual pool) is the insurance on the pool. Owning a pool will directly impact the liability of the homeowner. As a homeowner you might need what’s known as an umbrella liability policy or an addendum to your current homeowners insurance policy. If your current policy’s limits are not sufficient to cover the damage of your pool, that is something to be looked into with a fine-tooth comb (or your eyes and brain if said comb is being occupied).

Now that we got the ugly insurance issue out of the way, let’s get to the practical parts. The average cost of maintaining a pool is roughly $1,200 to $1,800 per year. This involves water testing, adding the necessary chemicals, vacuuming the bottom of the pool, etc. If you live in a colder climate you can expect these figures to rise significantly. On top of the simple maintenance you then need to factor in repair and utility costs. Heaters, lighting, pumps and filters don’t run on their own. Your monthly electric bill will be heavily impacted and in addition to repairs you’re looking at anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000 per year.

So now that you understand the costs, the next pressing question is who will do all this? Many folks prefer to maintain their own pools. Some do it to so not to add on to the above mentioned costs, while others are handy around the house and want to extend their handiness to the pool as well. However, we’d like to present a compelling case to hire someone for your pool maintenance.

First, it is highly efficient to have someone doing this for you as you’ll take three times as long to engage in routine cleanings. Second, your pool is an investment. A properly running pool that is attractive will up the value of your property. Professional pool maintenance companies can spot problems before they become giant headaches and the good ones will keep your pool operating in tip-top shape. Should you ever need to re-sell for any reason, tacking on an extra $30,000 to the sale price because of the pool is a compelling reason to hire a professional.

A pool is pleasurable, great for the family and neighbors, and regardless of your stance of how many lives would be saved without one, an all-around nice addition to any home. Take the maintenance seriously however. Pools are like dogs – they look cool in the window or catalogues, but are a long-term investment.