How Often Should a Pool Guy Service a Pool?

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If you’re planning on having your pool professionally maintained, there are a few things you’ll need to decide on first. This includes considerations like what the professional maintenance will entail and how often the pool guy should service your pool. 

A pool guy should service your pool daily, weekly, or monthly, depending on what type of maintenance you’re looking for. If your pool guy does everything from clearing the pool of debris to checking the pH levels, he should come by daily.

In this article, I’ll look at how often you should expect your pool guy to come by in further detail. I’ll explain the services he will likely offer and how frequently he should perform them to ensure your pool is well-maintained.

A pool guy should service your pool daily, weekly, or monthly, depending on what type of maintenance you’re looking for.

Services Offered by Pool Maintenance Specialists

Pool guys, or pool maintenance specialists, will generally offer a host of different services. Some of these include:

  • Skimming the pool – getting rid of surface debris, such as leaves and flowers
  • Checking and balancing the pH and chlorine levels
  • Vacuuming the bottom of the pool 
  • Shocking the pool, if needed
  • Cleaning the pool filters
  • Taking action to prevent algae growth, usually by adding algaecide
  • Cleaning the walls and floor to get rid of caked-on dirt

Skimming your pool will need to be done daily or once every two days. This frequency is especially important if you have an outside pool located next to tall trees. 

Luckily, pool skimming is also one of the easiest parts of pool maintenance. If you’re not keen on having a pool guy come over daily, you can handle this part of keeping your pool clean yourself – all you’ll need to do is invest in a pool skimmer. 

I recommend using the POOLWHALE Swimming Pool Skimmer Net from Amazon.com. This skimmer’s net is very deep and comes with an adjustable aluminum pole, so you don’t have to purchase one separately. And you won’t have to strain when cleaning your pool. Furthermore, unless your pool is especially dirty, you won’t have to empty the net until you’re done. 

If you take pool skimming out of the equation, your pool guy will not have to come by more than weekly or once every two weeks. During these visits, he will balance your pool’s pH and chlorine levels, add algaecide to the pool, shock the pool if needed, and vacuum the pool floor.

Cleaning the filters, walls, and floor of your pool should be done monthly, which means your pool guy will spend a little more time on pool maintenance once a month than he would during other weeks.

How Frequently Does Your Pool Need To Be Maintained?

As mentioned above, the frequency of pool maintenance depends on a number of factors, including your pool location and the type of maintenance activities you’re considering. 

However, there are steps that you will need to take daily, weekly, and monthly to keep your pool in the best condition possible.

If you’re considering hiring a pool guy for long-term pool maintenance, it’s best to ask them to suggest a schedule. They’ll be able to recommend the best maintenance schedule depending on your pool’s unique needs – for example, saltwater pools require less maintenance than traditionally chlorinated pools, which may impact the frequency of your pool guy’s visits.

Is Hiring a Pool Guy Worth It?

Pool maintenance can get expensive. The average cost of hiring a professional to maintain your pool is about $40-$79 per hour for an above-ground pool – and this cost is for the labor alone, without considering additional costs, such as equipment and chemicals. 

Given the expense involved, it’s easy to wonder whether hiring a pool guy is worth it, especially if you have a large pool that needs frequent maintenance. 

There are a few considerations to keep in mind when deciding whether you want to hire a pool guy beyond simply the budget.

Things to Consider

  • Your schedule: Basic pool maintenance can take anywhere between 30 minutes to 1 hour for a standard-sized pool. And given that your pool will need to be maintained frequently, you need to ask yourself whether you have the time in your schedule to handle things yourself. 
  • Equipment: Not all equipment is provided by the pool owner. Pool maintenance professionals bring along a number of tools for the job, including vacuums and brushes. If you’re going to DIY your pool maintenance, you’ll need this equipment as well – and if you don’t already own it, buying it can be a significant upfront cost.
  • Experience: There’s a lot involved with keeping your pool working properly. You must balance pH levels, chlorine, alkalinity, and calcium hardness. If you’ve never worked on a pool before, these terms can be intimidating, let alone the process involved in checking and maintaining them.
  • The condition of your pool: Even if you’re confident in your regular maintenance skills, pools that are extremely dirty or full of algae will need an experienced professional. A Pool guy should always handle extreme cleaning jobs, as there’s a higher chance you’ll overlook a crucial part of the cleaning process. 
  • The type of pool: Saltwater and traditionally chlorinated pools require different types of maintenance. If you know how to maintain one type but have the other variety in your home, you may find it easier to get professional help instead of doing it yourself.

Ultimately, you’re the only one who can determine whether hiring a pool guy is right for you. However, if you want your pool to be in the best condition possible and get the most out of your investment, we always recommend hiring a pool guy.

costs of a pool guy will need to include labor and materials

Final Thoughts

A pool guy should come by anywhere from daily to weekly, depending on the type of pool maintenance you require. If you want to reduce costs while also getting professional maintenance, there are some things you can do. We recommend you handle skimming your pool daily for debris on your own. Then, you can leave the rest to your pool guy.

It is possible to handle all your pool maintenance on your own. However, there are several factors to consider, such as your schedule and the equipment needed. If your pool needs a deep clean, it’s always best to call in a professional.

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