How much does Swimming Pool Maintenance cost?

Swimming pool maintenance cost guide

Even though the market of swimming pools is in a fall, more than 16% of Americans still own a swimming pool in the backyard. And considering the fact that about 40% of people who attend public pools don’t shower first, having a private swimming pool is a great idea to protect your family’s health.

Here you will learn about:

• Average cost of pool maintenance services
• Most common pool maintenance services
• Additional expenses related to the pool maintenance
• Other frequently asked questions

Swimming pool maintenance services include pool cleaning, namely biochemical cleaning of the water, pipes, and filter as well as regular repairs of pool parts, such as hardware and pipes. On average, homeowners spend around $200 per cleaning. The prices, however, lie between $80 and $315 per cleaning and depend on the services you require. General cleaning will fit into the average cost, while additional repairs can raise the price. The estimate for a particular pool cleaning depends on the frequency of service, pool size, and additional features that you need to take care of.

The weekly pool cleaning costs between $150 and $320, while a biweekly service will be cheaper $75-$300. Once in a month cleaning would cost even less, about $50-$200. Of course, a system of discounts may apply if you cooperate with a swimming pool cleaning company regularly.

Most common pool maintenance services

Most swimming pool maintenance services offer a list of the most common services for their clients. The most common are described below. Yet, in case you don’t find the required service on the list, request its cost in the comments or simply ask your pool cleaning provider for the estimate.

What is included in standard maintenance fare?

The basic maintenance that almost every pool maintenance service provider has in mind includes testing and adjusting PH level of the existing water in the pool, correction of the calcium level, and general sanitizing of the water. This service is mostly conducted at the pool opening and general monthly checkups. The cost is about $80.

In the package for a monthly pool maintenance that costs $100-$200 per month, you get leaves and debris removal, skimmer basket cleaning, and pool walls brushing.

How can I control water temperature in my pool?

There are special heating and cooling components that can be installed in any pool. For the early spring and late fall, the water will get heated, while for the hot months it will be cooled. The thermostat is available for you to control the required temperature at all times. Such a service is based on a single installation of the controller and then costs between $75 and $250 for electricity expenses a month.

How much should I pay for the basic weekly pool cleaning?

The general visual inspection of your pool and its following cleaning costs about $100-$200 monthly when you cooperate with a professional pool cleaning company. If you’d like to save on the cleaning and maintenance, read useful tips in one of our blog posts.

What is pool vacuuming and do I need it?

Pool vacuuming is one of the best ways to clean the outdoor swimming pool from floating dirt, oils, or waste both from the surface and the bottom. It’s performed with a special pool vacuum cleaner. Should you be willing to save on expert help, be ready to pay $600 for the unit; or go with hiring a pool cleaner for about $100-$200 per month.

Do I need professional filter inspection?

While you can clean the filter on your own, it’s highly advised to invite a swimming pool maintenance expert who will check your filters and repair them if needed once a month. If you hire a person to clean the pool regularly, then this service is likely to be included in the standard fare.

How chemicals choice depends on the maintenance cost?

Every pool needs special chemicals to maintain the water clean, transparent, and non-smelly. The market offers a wide variety of chemicals from classy Chlorine to Algaecides and water stabilizers. Each chemical is required for different purposes:

• Algaecide to kill algae ($20-$25)
• Chlorine (Bromine) to kill the germs ($15-$60)
• Clarifiers to clean the cloudy water ($20-$30)
• Pool shock to maintain chlorine level even in winter ($20-$30)
• Stain remover to prevent stain build-up on the pool walls ($15-$30)
• Water stabilizers to maintain PH level, calcium, and treat hard water ($20-$30)

Experts advise using all the chemicals in any pool to maintain it properly.

Can I maintain the pool myself?

The short answer is "yes, you can." However, be ready that you still need to make some investment in pool maintenance. To perform the basic cleaning you will need to get a pool vacuum ($600), buy a skimmer ($10), and invest in a good brush ($30), not even mentioning the cost of chemical supplies.

Additional expenses related to swimming pool maintenance

Besides chemicals and basic pool maintenance, there is an array of expenses that you will have to deal daily. For instance, electricity and wear and tear of the pool elements as well as unexpected repairs. The numbers below are calculated on average for the whole country, but the actual cost of these expenses will depend on the size of your pool and your geographical location.

How much electricity does a pool need?

Electricity use of any pool depends on its size in the first place. Besides that, additional heating and cooling system, as well as underwater lights, will raise the yearly cost significantly. The average backyard swimming pool (14x28 feet with a depth of 6.5 feet) requires somewhere between $100 and $1,500 for electricity per year.

What is the cost of the filter replacement parts?

Pool filter is not an extremely complicated mechanism that requires sophisticated hard-to-get parts. Generally, you can buy the parts for about $25-$100 and replace them on your own. If you want a professional to do the job, be ready to pay about $20-$45 for labor.

How soon can wear and tear of hardware parts be expected?

If you build a new pool from scratch, then the replacement or any repairs to the hardware parts can be expected no sooner than 2 years later. In case your pool is not new, be ready that even the initial cost of repairs may get as high as $1,500 depending on the complexity of the service required and the uniqueness of the pool parts.

Do I need to repair pool leaks?

Repairs of pool leaks are essential to maintaining the integrity and proper work of the whole system. If you detect the leak yourself, then it’s free of charge. If you invite a professional for it, be ready to pay about $175/hour per visit (the cost is that high due to the complexity of the service). The service includes not only detection but also repair of plumbing and pipe leaks. If you neglect the leaks maintenance, be ready to face complete damage to the pool cleaning system and the bill of about $1,500-$2,300 for its repair.

Other frequently asked questions

How often do I need pool maintenance?

As it's already been mentioned, swimming pool maintenance can be divided into weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly service. Professional pool cleaning is advised at least once a month, once a week is a preferable option. Such a frequency allows maintaining a good quality of water and general condition of the pool. Besides professional cleaning, daily check-ups and basic cleaning are highly advised.

How much does chemicals balancing cost?

If you don’t know anything about the water in your pool (let’s say you just bought the house), then you need to ensure that water quality is acceptable. Such services usually cost about $50-$150 for a visit. Weekly maintenance of the water quality will cost you about $50-$150 as well.

What is included in the pool opening service?

Pool opening includes all basic and deep pool cleaning services and the preliminary examination of the water quality. For very neglected pools, the opening may also include installation of ladders, grab rails, steps, and even repairs of the surrounding floor. The opening of a pool costs more than usual pool maintenance service; be ready to pay about $250 for it.

How much do pool closing services cost?

Swimming pool closing happens anywhere in fall when you don’t plan to use the swimming pool anymore. Winterization of your pool includes balancing of the water chemicals, final cleaning, lowering water level, preparation of the hardware for winter, and removal of any pool accessories. Many homeowners complete such preparations without professional help; however, if you don’t have time for it, be ready to call an expert for help and pay about $200-$250.

Bottom line

Swimming pool maintenance is a time-consuming, yet an essential process that happens daily, weekly, and monthly. On average, the cost of pool maintenance is about $80-$315 per month but the cost can be cut down should you perform some of the activities yourself.