There’s something magical about having a pool you can just dip into any time you want. That’s why it’s estimated there are nearly 11 million pools in the U.S., most of them residential.
But pools are expensive. Aside from the price of installing one, it can cost anywhere from $3,000 to $6,000 annually to own and maintain a pool, which is why it’s often advisable not to add a pool to your home if you’re thinking of selling it someday. If your house already has a pool, or you want those summertime pool parties more than you want your money, you can at least cut down on those pool maintenance costs with a few simple steps.
Use a pool cover
One of the easiest ways to lower your pool maintenance costs is to use a pool cover. Covering your pool when you’re not using it has several distinct benefits:
It slows evaporation, which saves you money because you won’t have to refill your pool as often.
It keeps the pool cleaner by keeping debris out of the pool, which can help your pool filtering system last longer because it won’t be under as much stress.
It reduces the amount of chemicals you’ll need to put into the water—these chemicals break down easily in sunlight, so the more the pool is covered, the longer they will last.
It will keep the water warmer, reducing the need to run a heater.
Filter at night
Many people run their pool filters 24 hours a day. That’s understandable, because no one likes to dive under the water and discover dead bugs, rotting leaves, and other gross stuff floating around. But most pools only need to be filtered about eight hours a day to get a full “turnover” of the water, depending on the volume of your pool and the gallons per minute (GPM) your filter can handle.
Running the filter for those eight hours at night has another benefit: Chances are electricity is cheaper then, so you’ll pay less overall to keep your pool clean.
Clean the filter
While the rule of thumb for cleaning out your pool’s filter is to do it every few months, the more often you clean it the more efficiently your filter will run, and the less wear and tear you’ll put on it. You can see physical evidence of this by checking your filter’s pressure (measured in pounds per square inch, or PSI). If it’s above the normal range (typically anywhere between 10-25 PSI depending on the size of your filter and pool), it’s working harder than it should be. Cleaning out your filter twice a month is probably ideal, especially if your pool is located in a spot that causes it to fill up with debris regularly. It’ll save you money in the long run because your pool systems will last longer.
Keep the chemicals and water level in balance
A pool is a system, and that system has to be kept in balance:
Chemicals. A large standing body of water will quickly turn into a swampy mosquito farm if you don’t treat it with a cocktail of chemicals, including sanitizer (usually stabilized chlorine). Checking the pH level, chlorine, alkalinity, and other factors on a regular basis will reduce your maintenance costs because it will reduce the frequency of bacterial and algae blooms, and keeping the acidity level of your water low will protect your equipment from damage.
Water. One of the simplest things you can do to keep your pool maintenance costs low is not overfill your pool. If you fill it to the brim, every time someone steps (or dives) into it a large volume of water will be wasted as it sloshes over the rim. Over time you’ll be paying to refill the pool more than you should be.
Add a dark-colored pool liner
If you’re paying to keep your pool warm, you should consider putting in a dark-colored liner. This can be a DIY job—you’ll need to drain the pool, remove the old liner if you have one, and install the new one—though you’ll be better off hiring professionals.
A darker pool liner will keep the water naturally warmer because it will absorb more of the sun’s energy. You could also install a solar-powered heating system, of course, but that will cost a lot more than a liner.
