Is a Swimming Pool Maintenance Service Really Worth the Money?

To get the most enjoyment out of your swimming pool, it’s important to keep it clean throughout the year. This requires weekly to monthly maintenance, which entails detailed tasks such as scrubbing, skimming, and vacuuming, as well as checking filters, water levels, and pool chemicals. For pool owners, this type of work may require up to 2 hours to complete, especially if they lack experience or professional-grade tools. Although it may be tempting to do the work yourself, swimming pool maintenance services can perform the same tasks more efficiently in less time, thanks to years of training and expertise.

Pool maintenance often calls for expert-level knowledge due to the chemicals involved in keeping the water in the best condition possible. While tackling this task solo can save money, it may cause more stress than it’s worth, especially if the pool is large in size or located in a heavily landscaped area.

Difficulty: Intermediate to Expert. Pool maintenance is tedious, sometimes complicated work that can take 2 hours or more to complete, depending on your level of familiarity with the task. It takes an experienced professional with the right equipment and knowledge to know how to treat your pool. A swimming pool maintenance service can perform everything from routine maintenance to extensive repairs, and with more efficiency than a DIYer.

When to DIY Swimming Pool Maintenance

In some cases, it may make sense to DIY pool maintenance. If you have experience cleaning pools, own the right equipment and tools, are familiar with pool chemical management, and have enough free time to devote to it, then pool maintenance is a job you can likely handle. Although time-consuming, doing the job yourself can certainly save money in the long run. However, replacing outdated or faulty equipment can get pricey, and some repairs may prove to be more than you can handle alone.

You’ve maintained a pool before and have the experience doing it regularly.

Experience is a great teacher, and if you have maintained a swimming pool before, you will likely know what to expect going into it. In this instance, you’ve likely encountered a wide range of problems that you have already solved, which will help in the event you face similar pool problems again. If you already know what tools to use and how to use them, you can probably tackle swimming pool maintenance without the help of a professional.

You are familiar with pool chemical management.

Managing the chemicals that keep the water in your pool clean might be intimidating to new or inexperienced pool owners. However, if you are familiar with pool chemical management, this task may be a no-brainer for you. Because pools often require frequent chemical testing and adjustments, many homeowners are not as comfortable handling this aspect of the job and instead choose to leave it to the professionals. But if you know the ins and outs of pool chemical management and what your individual pool requires, this is a task you are probably capable of handling on your own.

You are on a budget and would like to save some money.

Tight budgets don’t always leave room for professional pool cleaning services, and that’s OK. If you would prefer to save money by maintaining your pool yourself, hiring an expert may not be an option. In this scenario, you can do yourself a service by researching as much information as possible on the proper equipment and techniques needed to keep your pool clean. Helpful tutorials from YouTube or other videos can guide you through specific tasks, such as checking water pressure and balancing chemicals in the water. You may be able to buy some tools secondhand, which will save you even more money.

You have enough time to devote to the task weekly.

If you have ample time to skim your pool for debris, scrub surfaces with brushes, clean out filters, and check the balance of the chemicals in the water, then it might make sense to do the job yourself. Just know that maintaining a pool is not a job that you can slack off on from week to week; it requires regular, diligent work to make sure it stays clean and doesn’t become a breeding ground for algae or other buildup over time.

You already own pool maintenance equipment and maintain your pool regularly.

Pool poles, vacuums, brushes, and other maintenance equipment can become budget busters quickly. If you already own the necessary tools to maintain your swimming pool, then you’ve already saved yourself the often expensive price tag associated with purchasing them. It’s likely you’re also comfortable using them and know when to use each one, so you won’t need the help of a pool cleaning service to guide you or do it for you. This will help save time and money, as you won’t have to schedule regular appointments or wait for a specific issue to be taken care of; instead you can rely on your own tools and knowledge.

When to Hire a Professional for Swimming Pool Maintenance

You may still be on the fence about hiring a professional pool cleaning service after searching “pool service near me”. If so, it’s advised to consider the time commitment it will take to tackle this job. If you aren’t experienced in pool maintenance, don’t have the time to devote to it, or need extensive repairs, hiring a professional is the best route to take. An expert pool cleaner can likely take care of your pool’s needs in half the time it would take you. Plus, they’ll be able to keep your pool in mint condition so you can spend time swimming in it instead of maintaining it. This ensures you get the most out of owning a pool, since regular maintenance means it stays cleaner longer.

You are not experienced in pool maintenance.

You may be a new pool owner or maybe have never touched a leaf rake in your life. If either scenario is true, you will be better off hiring a professional pool cleaning service to do the work for you. Learning how to maintain a pool takes time, and for homeowners, it often takes trial-and-error to figure out how to use specific tools and chemicals and treat specific problems. An expert in the pool maintenance field will not only be able to work faster but will also be able to use their years of experience to make sure the right chemicals are used to balance out the water or ward off bacteria.

You don’t want to devote time to pool maintenance.

At minimum, pools require weekly cleaning and care to ensure they stay in good condition, especially in the warmer weather. Skimming, checking filters, and testing chemicals all take a good amount of time if done correctly. If you don’t have the time to devote to maintaining a pool yourself, hiring a professional to keep your pool clean is likely the best route versus DIY. This way, your pool will be treated with the proper equipment and chemicals, and you can spend your extra free time however you choose.

The pool needs a deep clean or repairs.

Pools with eroded tile or algae growth will need a trained eye to look at them and determine what kind of work needs to be done to restore them to their former glory. In these instances, it’s best to turn to a professional who can provide repairs or a deep cleaning that is beyond what you’re capable of. A pool maintenance service can provide fixes with greater efficiency than a homeowner, and they’ll be able to determine exactly what the pool needs in order for it to be in the best condition possible.

You want the best possible care for your pool.

Professional pool cleaning services use years of training and experience to keep your pool in tip-top shape. These experts likely use the best equipment, tools, and chemicals to keep the water clean and safe so you can use it as much as possible. They also keep a consistent cleaning schedule, so you know when to expect them and how long they’re going to spend at each visit. Although it may be tempting to take care of it yourself, outsourcing help will save time and ensure your pool receives the best possible care throughout the year.

Verdict: DIY or Hire a Professional?

Maintaining a pool is not a task that can be completed once. It takes weekly care in peak swimming season and often monthly care in the off-season to ensure it’s well kept throughout the year. Cleaning a pool is not only time-consuming, but it also requires specific equipment, knowledge, and experience that a swimming pool maintenance service will have. Although some tasks associated with cleaning a pool can be done without the help of an expert, it will likely take a DIYer longer and could make upkeep more of a nuisance.

Professional pool cleaners do more than just remove everyday debris from pools. They also check pool filters, ensure vacuums or other cleaning equipment is running properly, check and maintain the balance of the chemicals in the water, and make necessary repairs to tile, ladders, steps, and other aspects of swimming pools. Because pools are often a selling point of homes and require such detailed upkeep, it only makes sense to leave the maintenance to the professionals.

Verdict: Hire a professional

Why Skip This DIY Project

Since you and anyone else who swims in your pool are literally immersing your bodies into it, it’s important to make sure the water is not only clean but also safe. A swimming pool maintenance service uses experts with years of knowledge and experience to meet the needs of your specific pool, providing you peace of mind and ensuring the pool stays in great shape, no matter the season. They can remove debris, correct chemical imbalances, and provide more extensive repairs if needed. Plus, you can use the time you would be spending on cleaning it yourself by swimming instead.

Benefits of Hiring a Professional

Several DIY projects are optimal for beginner to intermediate DIYers. Maintaining a pool, however, is a task best left to professionals. Hiring this job out ensures:

1. You spend your free time enjoying your pool instead of cleaning it. This way, you can truly enjoy the perks of owning a swimming pool.
2. You maintain the value of your pool. A professional swimming pool maintenance service can easily spot pool issues, such as leaks, early on and prevent even costlier damages. This way, you can also maintain your pool’s value over time.
3. You’ll keep your loved ones safe: An expert pool cleaner will know how to tackle pool cleaning effectively and efficiently, so you’re not putting yourself or others at risk.
4. You avoid unnecessary stress. Familiarizing yourself with pool maintenance can easily turn daunting and complicated. Let the experts handle it instead; it’s their job, after all.

In the end, hiring someone to maintain your swimming pool will likely allow you to enjoy the benefits of pool ownership. Plus, it increases the value of your home and prevents more costly maintenance in the long run.

For professional swimming pool maintenance service, hire a HomeAdvisor pool service maintenance service in your area.