Should I Hire a Pro for Swimming Pool Maintenance?

By Tom Moor

Prepping your pool for the summer is an exciting time. Although it's a project you can do, there are benefits to hiring a professional pool contractor.

A swimming pool can make your home the envy of the block, especially on a hot summer day.

A well-maintained pool serves as the perfect centerpiece to a neighborhood party or family get-together, but you’ll have to roll up your sleeves — and get a little dirty — if you want your pool to sparkle.

Depending where you live, some pools lie dormant during the winter before coming to life again in late spring; others, in warm-weather climates, stay open year-round.

But all of them — no matter where you live — need regular maintenance.

Prepping and maintaining your pool

Waking your pool up from its winter hibernation takes time and money.

“You have to buy new chemicals, a new cartridge filter and lube up all of the O-rings and make sure all the equipment is running well,” says Eric Larsen, owner of Larsen’s Pool & Spa in Tampa, Florida.

After removing the cover, cleaning any debris and topping the pool off with water, one of the most important steps is balancing the chemicals, Larsen says.

“There’s five major tests — the chlorine, pH levels, alkalinity, calcium and stabilizer levels,” he says. “Pool chemistry can be very confusing. We try to simplify it for new pool owners. It takes a month or so for many people to feel comfortable. You can use a test strip once a week, though, to check all five major steps.”

Test water on a weekly basis to ensure chemicals are at the right levels, pool technicians say.

“You have to pay attention on a weekly basis,” says Bill Moore, owner of Moore’s Pool Service in Scottsdale, Arizonia. “It can take 30 minutes to an hour.”

Advantages of hiring a pool pro

On the other hand, Moore says it generally takes less than 20 minutes for a professional to come by each week and maintain your pool.

Moore, whose company services 300 pools every week, says many people don’t have time for regular upkeep since most pools in Arizona are open year-round. He estimates about 50 percent of homeowners pay pool professionals for weekly maintenance.

“People get behind and can’t do it every week,” he says. “Then algae starts, and there are equipment issues. People will tell us they didn’t know they needed to change out the filter, and the motor burns out. Once they turn the pool green three times, or people just can’t do it anymore, they hire a professional.”

As part of a weekly service, most professionals will shock the pool (which consists of adding chlorine and other chemicals, as needed), skim surface debris, vacuum, check the filters for debris and clean the pump and pump basket.

Pool maintenance costs

Moore says pools typically cost $30,000, but can range up to $200,000 — so keeping it in good shape only makes sense.

“It’s a big investment,” he says. “The hardest part, in some cases, is that the kids are gone, and some people get frustrated putting money into it to upkeep it.”

Larsen says it generally costs $125 to $200 for a spring tuneup. Moore charges $90 to $150 a month for weekly service.