Pool Expenses

[Spectreron]

What does it cost to maintain a salt water pool. I've heard there are pool cleaning services, are they the way to go and what are the costs?

[ijusluvit]

What does it cost to maintain a salt water pool. I've heard there are pool cleaning services, are they the way to go and what are the costs?

T&D Pools maintains my pool and spa for about $20 per week. They do a very good job, including thorough cleaning of the cartridge filter monthly.

[chuckster]

Believe T&D is 22.50/wk (90.00 for a four week month and 112.50 for a 5 week month), at least that is what I was told. Found less expensive and reliable services. pm me if interested in my experiences.........

[jchase]

T & D charge me $98.00 a month for my pool (24X14) and my Hot tub. They do a great job.

[Bogie Shooter]

What does it cost to maintain a salt water pool. I've heard there are pool cleaning services, are they the way to go and what are the costs?

If you have had a pool before.............do it yourself
If you get a new pool do it yourself to see how easy it is, if you don't find it to be easy then hire somebody.
I maintain my own pool.............very easy.

[graciegirl]

If you have had a pool before.............do it yourself
If you get a new pool do it yourself to see how easy it is, if you don't find it to be easy then hire somebody.
I maintain my own pool.............very easy.

I am reviving this old thread to ask..

What is the total cost of a residential pool to maintain?

Cost of water?

Cost of chemicals?

Cost of heating the pool?

Do any of you have a sort of ball park figure as to the cost of maintaining a backyard pool in TV yearly?

[l2ridehd]

Pool cost for T&D, water, electric increase, gas for heat, and maintenance cost. And I have very exact numbers because I have another home without a pool to compare water and electric cost. I budget $5000 a year. So far it has come in around $4000 to $4200 for the past 4 years.

[Roaddog53]

Pool cost for T&D, water, electric increase, gas for heat, and maintenance cost. And I have very exact numbers because I have another home without a pool to compare water and electric cost. I budget $5000 a year. So far it has come in around $4000 to $4200 for the past 4 years.

My goodness!!! I have had 3 pools north and now this one here! They had spas included on one of them and (2) 80k btu heaters. This one is 12 x 25 ozone pool with a beach spa, falls, but NO heater. We use a solar blanket and pool was heated to 80 degrees by early April. We swam on Thanksgiving day and shortly after. We feel to put a solar system on at ~$4-5k to extend the season for 1 more month was not in our best interest. We can use TV pool in the winter if we want. We still enjoy the falls all season and the pool ambiance.

We have not come CLOSE to those numbers in any of the pools. I too track the numbers very closely.
Here is maybe the difference. Also not sure on the size of your pool.
1) It appears you have a propane heater to use all year, (about $160-$220 per month gas depending on season), $2400 per year
2) Someone maintains your pool, ($100 per month) $1200 per year
3) Pump cost (depending if 1 or 2 stage) Newer MUST be 2 stage
(about $30-40 per month depending on season), $400 per year
4) Have NO clue why so much water since to completely fill our pool is $71. Topping it off WHEN necessary is about $2. Done maybe 8 times per year if not rains
Total approx $4200 per year ?

Now, we do our own maintenance and cleaning. We have a barracuda vacuum running all the time.
1) Electric new 2 stage pump energy efficient
($15-25/month) - $240 per year
2) Chemicals - Ozone Pool
($15-20/month), $225 per year
3) Water - minimal $20 per year
Total approx $500 per year

My utility bills with the pool running every day avg ~ $100 per month since last year

Just to show the range on heated with contractor maintained, and not with DYI. As stated earlier it is VERY easy to check and maintain and can be fun. We use Pinch a Penny (Gail) as our check/reference if have questions.
I also want to give others a sanity check that it is not that bad to maintain and costs so as not to scare all away. If you have questions, feel free to PM me.

[l2ridehd]

Well one place where there is a big difference is water. Cost here is much higher then most. I do have a natural gas heater, not propane. And every year I have had at least one maintenance issue. New pool pump, new light, cracked tiles, solar heater leak, re-paint pool deck, etc etc. So I can account for every dollar of the $4200 a year. Yes, $22.50 a week fro T&D so that is $1200. Gas to keep pool usable year round is about another $1600. I keep it at 87 degrees all winter. Electric runs $40 a month to run the pool pump 9 hours a day. So that is another $500. Water to maintain level when it evaporates about 3 inches a week in the summer is another $500 a year. And the maintenance that always seems to occur every year and you get to the $4200 average fast. Last year it was the pool pump and yes now it requires a multi-stage pump and a higher HP motor for $1600.

[Bogie Shooter]

What does T & D do for the $22.50 per week?

[kittygilchrist]

thanks to all from a newbie pool owner. If only someone would gist this and tell me what to do....
Kitty

[ijusluvit]

What does T & D do for the $22.50 per week?

They completely vacuum the pool, clean the tile rim, railings and any stains on the floor or walls. They measure quantity and balance of every chemical needed to keep the pool from having any problems until the following week. The tech will also make any requested adjustments to the pool timer and other equipment. Once a month they remove the filter cartridge and thoroughly clean it. This step is often ignored by other companies and soon causes problems if is is. Having a reliable company like T&D maintain your pool is a very good reason not to go to the expense of converting to salt chlorination. Let them replace the more expensive chemicals and keep it balanced.

[gustavo]

If you have had a pool before.............do it yourself
If you get a new pool do it yourself to see how easy it is, if you don't find it to be easy then hire somebody.
I maintain my own pool.............very easy.

Ditto,

Easy to maintain and unless I'm gone more than 3 months, I don't need anyone to come over to add chemicals.

[gustavo]

I am reviving this old thread to ask..

What is the total cost of a residential pool to maintain?

Cost of water?

Cost of chemicals?

Cost of heating the pool?

Do any of you have a sort of ball park figure as to the cost of maintaining a backyard pool in TV yearly?

Water is insignificant. My toilet leaks more water than my pool uses.

Chemicals is the cost of one dinner at Lopez for two per month max.

Heating is free with solar.

[gustavo]

What does T & D do for the $22.50 per week?

Not much, unless you are there watching them.

[jojo]

There is a major advantage to having T&D do the pool construction and maintenance. My T&D pool person discovered some flaws in the pool that I would never have picked up. They relined our entire pool at no cost to us. She also picked up on a couple other minor items later. We have solar panels. Our only additional costs have been the $22.50 per week and approximately $20 to 25 a month additional electricity for the pump.

[Bogie Shooter]

Not much, unless you are there watching them.

I have to agree with everthing you have posted. I just don't see maintaining a pool as such a big deal. A pool here is nothing like most of us had "up north" with no bird cage and constantly fighting the cholorine battle.
With a bird cage I bet I could put everthing I've dipped out our pool here in FL in a quart jar over the past two years.
Water is tested ever two weeks at T & D and seldom requires anything other than 1 1/2 cups muratic acid each week. It is a salt pool.
Have solar heat and works just fine for us March thru December.....I don't use the pool in Jan & Feb with the temps in the 50 & 60's so why heat the water.
Some of these numbers posted are probably the exception for folks that want that pool 80 degrees year round, so those looking for annual costs keep that in mind.

[Bobcuse]

If you have had a pool before.............do it yourself
If you get a new pool do it yourself to see how easy it is, if you don't find it to be easy then hire somebody.
I maintain my own pool.............very easy.

I agree with Bogie Shooter. I maintain my own pool which amounts to 15-20 minutes a week doing a quick vacuum job and adding a cup of acid if needed. It is a small (5000 gallons) salt water pool which means the chlorine is automatically generated from the salt which I add maybe 2-3 times PER YEAR. It is NOTHING like my pool in NY which was a nightmare fighting the algae, chlorine, liner issues, etc. I also wash the filter element monthly (5 minutes) and take my water to the T&D store once a month to ensure everything looks good. They have NEVER tried to sell me any chemicals or things I didn't need. It really is very easy and they are there to help if you ever have a problem or need something. I can't even find the cost of electricity or water increase since I put the pool in because it is so low.

[DDoug]

Everyone talks about a salt water pool when actuality it is a chlorine sanitized pool. The generator just uses the salt to make chlorine. The generator cost is any where from 600 to1200 dollars (guessing) so why not just use chlorine. When the generator goes down now what you pay to get it fixed or you buy a new one. Keep the pool covered and the sun wont burn up your chlorine as fast or use the stabilizer in the water. You can learn all you need to know on line,like others have said it really is a piece of cake to keep your pool running good. I take care of a large commercial pool and use liquid chlorine and I like that much better. I also have my own in the back yard and spend maybe 5 minutes a week on mine so go for it.

[justjim]

Well one place where there is a big difference is water. Cost here is much higher then most. I do have a natural gas heater, not propane. And every year I have had at least one maintenance issue. New pool pump, new light, cracked tiles, solar heater leak, re-paint pool deck, etc etc. So I can account for every dollar of the $4200 a year. Yes, $22.50 a week fro T&D so that is $1200. Gas to keep pool usable year round is about another $1600. I keep it at 87 degrees all winter. Electric runs $40 a month to run the pool pump 9 hours a day. So that is another $500. Water to maintain level when it evaporates about 3 inches a week in the summer is another $500 a year. And the maintenance that always seems to occur every year and you get to the $4200 average fast. Last year it was the pool pump and yes now it requires a multi-stage pump and a higher HP motor for $1600.

:sad: A pool is high maintenance----But to each his own. They are nice in the summer but "marginal" in the winter even here in TV. After having a pool for years in our backyard ours is just two blocks away----WONDERFUL! :beer3:

[spk7951]

:sad: A pool is high maintenance----But to each his own. They are nice in the summer but "marginal" in the winter even here in TV. After having a pool for years in our backyard ours is just two blocks away----WONDERFUL! :beer3:


Not true in Florida. We had an in ground pool when we lived in CT and the cost along with the Maint was high. Here in Florida we spend maybe one hour per month taking care of the pool and the cost to operate is a lot lower. Season is much longer here and it is well worth the minimal cost in money & time.

[jimbo2012]

Everyone talks about a salt water pool when actuality it is a chlorine sanitized pool. The generator just uses the salt to make chlorine. The generator cost is any where from 600 to1200 dollars (guessing) so why not just use chlorine.

The term "salt water" is IMO a scam the pool industry perpetrated on the public.

You're correct it is not salt in the sense we think, it is just a different chlorine that is slightly less toxic than standard chlorine.

But toxic all the same.

The only other option is the Nova "All Natural pool filtration system", this system using absolutely no chemicals as the name implies.

I'm installing the first one in The Villages now, can't wait till it's done.

Yesterday the my neighbor had his pool service over with jugs of all kinds of nasty stuff. An hour later he said it was safe, I remember when smoking was safe.:shrug: