Owning a pool can be a great way to enjoy the summer, but it also comes with some costs and responsibilities. Pool upkeep expenses include maintenance, repairs, electricity, water, and chemicals. These costs can vary depending on the size, type, and condition of your pool, as well as how often you use it and how well you take care of it.
In this article, we will break down the average pool upkeep expenses and provide some tips on how to save money and keep your pool in good shape.
Understanding Pool Upkeep Expenses: There are Numerous Benefits of It
Pool upkeep expenses come with their fair share of responsibilities, but the rewards are plentiful. The advantages of efficient maintenance go beyond just financial savings. In this section, we explore the many benefits that diligent pool upkeep brings, ensuring a safe, enjoyable, and long-lasting pool experience for you and your loved ones.
Maintenance
Maintenance is the regular cleaning and servicing of your pool to keep it safe, sanitary, and functional. Maintenance tasks include checking and adjusting the water pH, skimming debris, brushing and vacuuming the pool walls and floor, emptying baskets and traps, cleaning filters, and checking robotic cleaners. Maintenance can be done by yourself or by a professional pool service.
DIY vs. Professional Service
If you decide to do the maintenance yourself, you will need to buy some equipment and supplies, such as a pool test kit, a skimmer net, a pool brush, a pool vacuum, a filter cartridge or sand, and pool chemicals.
You will also need to spend some time each week to perform the maintenance tasks. The average cost of DIY pool maintenance is about $175 to $750 per year.
If you prefer to hire a professional pool service, you will pay for their labor and expertise. A professional service will typically visit your pool once a week or once a month, depending on your needs and preferences.
They will perform all the maintenance tasks for you and provide you with a report of their work. The average cost of professional pool maintenance is about $80 to $150 per visit or $960 to $1,800 per year.
Factors That Affect Maintenance Costs
The cost of pool maintenance can vary depending on several factors, such as:
- The size of your pool: Larger pools require more time and materials to clean and maintain.
- The type of your pool: In-ground pools tend to be more expensive than above-ground pools because they have more complex systems and structures.
- The condition of your pool: Older or neglected pools may need more frequent or intensive maintenance than newer or well-maintained pools.
- The frequency of use: Pools that are used more often may need more cleaning and chemical adjustments than pools that are used less often.
- The climate: Pools in warmer or sunnier regions may need more water evaporation and algae prevention than pools in cooler or shadier regions.
Repairs
Repairs are the occasional fixing or replacing of damaged or worn-out parts of your pool. Repairs can be minor or major, depending on the severity and extent of the problem. Some common pool repairs include:
- Leaks: Leaks can occur in the plumbing, the liner, the shell, or the equipment of your pool. Leaks can cause water loss, structural damage, and increased energy costs. Leaks can be detected by using dye tests, pressure tests, or electronic devices. Leaks can be repaired by patching, sealing, or replacing the affected parts.
- Cracks: Cracks can occur in the concrete or fiberglass shell of your pool due to ground movement, temperature changes, or poor installation. Cracks can cause water loss, structural damage, and aesthetic issues. Cracks can be repaired by filling, sealing, or resurfacing the affected areas.
- Pumps: Pumps are the devices that circulate the water in your pool through the filter and heater. Pumps can malfunction due to wear and tear, clogging, electrical issues, or improper sizing. Pumps can be repaired by cleaning, adjusting, replacing parts, or installing a new pump.
- Filters: Filters are the devices that remove dirt and debris from the water in your pool. Filters can malfunction due to clogging, wear, and tear, or improper sizing. Filters can be repaired by cleaning, backwashing, replacing parts, or installing a new filter.
- Heaters: Heaters are devices that warm up the water in your pool to your desired temperature. Heaters can malfunction due to clogging, wear and tear, electrical issues, or improper sizing. Heaters can be repaired by cleaning, adjusting, replacing parts, or installing a new heater.
The average cost of pool repairs is about $350 per repair, but it can range from $150 to $800 or more depending on the type and extent of the repair.
Factors That Affect Repair Costs
The cost of pool repairs can vary depending on several factors, such as:
- The type of your pool: Concrete pools tend to be more expensive to repair than fiberglass or vinyl pools because they have more complex structures and materials.
- The age of your pool: Older pools may need more repairs than newer pools because they have more wear and tear and outdated parts.
- The quality of your pool: Higher-quality pools may need fewer repairs than lower-quality pools because they have more durable and efficient parts and systems.
- The availability of parts: Some pool parts may be more difficult or expensive to find or replace than others, depending on the brand, model, and year of your pool.
- The location of the problem: Some pool problems may be more accessible or easier to fix than others, depending on where they are located in your pool.
Electricity
Electricity is the energy that powers your pool equipment, such as the pump, the filter, the heater, the lights, and the robotic cleaners. Electricity is measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh) and charged by your utility company. The average cost of electricity for a pool is about $800 to $1,200 per year, but it can vary depending on the size, type, and efficiency of your pool equipment, as well as the electricity rates in your area.
Factors That Affect Electricity Costs
The cost of electricity for a pool can vary depending on several factors, such as:
- The size of your pool: Larger pools require more powerful and longer-running equipment to circulate and heat the water.
- The type of your pool: In-ground pools tend to use more electricity than above-ground pools because they have more equipment and features.
- The efficiency of your equipment: Newer and higher-quality equipment tend to use less electricity than older and lower-quality equipment because they have more advanced and energy-saving technologies.
- The settings of your equipment: Higher settings for your pump speed, filter pressure, heater temperature, and light brightness tend to use more electricity than lower settings.
- The frequency of use: Pools that are used more often tend to use more electricity than pools that are used less often because they require more cleaning and heating.
- The climate: Pools in colder or cloudier regions tend to use more electricity than pools in warmer or sunnier regions because they require more heating and lighting.
Water
Water is the essential element that fills your pool and allows you to swim and enjoy it. Water is measured in gallons and charged by your utility company. The average cost of water for a pool is about $50 to $250 per year, but it can vary depending on the size, type, and condition of your pool, as well as the water rates in your area.
Factors That Affect Water Costs
The cost of water for a pool can vary depending on several factors, such as:
- The size of your pool: Larger pools require more water to fill and maintain.
- The type of your pool: In-ground pools tend to use more water than above-ground pools because they have more evaporation and leakage.
- The condition of your pool: Older or neglected pools may use more water than newer or well-maintained pools because they have more leaks and cracks.
- The frequency of use: Pools that are used more often may use more water than pools that are used less often because they have more splashing and backwashing.
- The climate: Pools in warmer or sunnier regions may use more water than pools in cooler or shadier regions because they have more evaporation.
Chemicals
Chemicals are the substances that balance and sanitize the water in your pool. Chemicals include chlorine, bromine, salt, pH adjusters, alkalinity increasers, calcium hardness increasers, stabilizers, algaecides, clarifiers, shock treatments, and test strips.
Chemicals are measured in pounds or ounces and sold by pool supply stores or online retailers. The average cost of chemicals for a pool is about $175 to $750 per year, but it can vary depending on the size, type, and condition of your pool, as well as the quality and quantity of chemicals you use.
Factors That Affect Chemical Costs
The cost of chemicals for a pool can vary depending on several factors, such as:
- The size of your pool: Larger pools require more chemicals to balance and sanitize the water.
- The type of your pool: Different types of pools require different types of chemicals. For example, saltwater pools require salt instead of chlorine, while fiberglass pools require less calcium hardness increaser than concrete pools.
- The condition of your pool: Older or neglected pools may require more chemicals than newer or well-maintained pools because they have more contaminants and algae growth.
- The frequency of use: Pools that are used more often may require more chemicals than pools that are used less often because they have more organic matter and bacteria.
- The climate: Pools in warmer or sunnier regions may require more chemicals than pools in cooler or shadier regions because they have more evaporation and algae growth.
Opening
Opening is the process of preparing your pool for the swimming season after it has been closed or winterized for the winter. Opening tasks include removing and cleaning the pool cover, refilling and balancing the water, restarting and inspecting the equipment, and shocking and clarifying the water. The opening can be done by yourself or by a professional pool service.
DIY vs. Professional Service
If you decide to do the opening yourself, you will need to buy some equipment and supplies, such as a pool cover pump, a pool cover cleaner, a pool test kit, a pool chemical kit, and a pool shock treatment.
You will also need to spend some time and effort to perform the opening tasks. The average cost of a DIY pool opening is about $100 to $300 per year.
If you prefer to hire a professional pool service, you will pay for their labor and expertise. A professional service will typically visit your pool once at the beginning of the swimming season and perform all the opening tasks for you.
They will also provide you with some advice and recommendations on how to maintain your pool throughout the season. The average cost of a professional pool opening is about $150 to $400 per year.
Factors That Affect Opening Costs
The cost of pool opening can vary depending on several factors, such as:
- The type of your pool: In-ground pools tend to be more expensive to open than above-ground pools because they have more equipment and features.
- The condition of your pool: Pools that are dirty or damaged may need more cleaning and repairing than pools that are clean and intact.
- The type of your cover: Solid covers tend to be more expensive to open than mesh covers because they require more pumping and cleaning.
- The location of your pool: Pools in colder or snowier regions may need more opening than pools in warmer or drier regions because they have more freezing and thawing.
Closing
Closing is the process of preparing your pool for the winter season after it has been used for the summer. Closing tasks include lowering and balancing the water, cleaning and storing the equipment, adding winterizing chemicals, and installing and securing the pool cover. Closing can be done by yourself or by a professional pool service.
DIY vs. Professional Service
If you decide to do the closing yourself, you will need to buy some equipment and supplies, such as a submersible pump, an air compressor, a pool test kit, a pool chemical kit, a pool antifreeze, and a pool cover. You will also need to spend some time and effort to perform the closing tasks. The average cost of DIY pool closing is about $100 to $300 per year.
If you prefer to hire a professional pool service, you will pay for their labor and expertise. A professional service will typically visit your pool once at the end of the swimming season and perform all the closing tasks for you.
They will also provide you with some advice and recommendations on how to protect your pool during the winter. The average cost of professional pool closing is about $150 to $400 per year.
Factors That Affect Closing Costs
The cost of pool closing can vary depending on several factors, such as:
- The type of your pool: In-ground pools tend to be more expensive to close than above-ground pools because they have more equipment and features.
- The condition of your pool: Pools that are dirty or damaged may need more cleaning and repairing than pools that are clean and intact.
- The type of your cover: Solid covers tend to be more expensive to close than mesh covers because they require more pumping and securing.
- The location of your pool: Pools in colder or snowier regions may need more closing than pools in warmer or drier regions because they have more freezing and thawing.
Summary
Pool upkeep expenses are the costs associated with owning and maintaining a pool throughout the year. Pool upkeep expenses include maintenance, repairs, electricity, water, chemicals, opening, and closing.
These costs can vary depending on the size, type, condition, frequency of use, climate, and preferences of your pool. The average total cost of pool upkeep expenses is about $1,500 to $4,500 per year, but it can range from $1,000 to $10,000 or more depending on various factors.