Professional Pool Maintenance vs DIY
Whether you are a new pool owner or someone who has had one for years, you may be reassessing your pool service. Trying to decide how to clean your pool can take a lot of time between research, shopping, and then putting in the work – and that is just on the DIY side of things. So, is a clean pool worth the hassle of figuring it out yourself, or should you hire a professional to do it for you?
In this article, we will look at the benefits and drawbacks of DIY pool cleaning versus hiring a professional pool cleaning company. This will help you decide how to keep your pool clean and safe so you can Float Happy™ all year long.
DIY
Are you a “do-it-yourself” type of person? If so, you may get excited to clean the pool on your own. There are some benefits such as cleaning it as needed and the satisfaction of getting the job done. It may even feel meditative or therapeutic! But, before you grab your pool brush and vacuum, there are a few things you should know about cleaning your own pool. Here are the pros and cons of DIY pool maintenance.
Pros
Family bonding
Cleaning the pool by yourself can turn into quite a chore after a while. But, what’s the point in having kids if you can’t put them to work! If you call your little ones out to help (or bribe your teenager to help) it can be a fun family activity. You can teach them how to clean the pool so that you can delegate the task to them when you believe they are ready.
Short-term money savings (maybe)
Can you save money by cleaning your pool yourself? The answer is “maybe”.
There are so many things that go into maintaining a healthy pool. While you may be able to save some money on paper, the reality is you are working on thin margins. The moment something goes wrong – repairs, draining, green pool treatment, etc. your cost savings are quickly lost. If you are confident in your abilities, then you may be able to save a very small amount over hiring a professional for regular pool service. However, you should have realistic expectations regarding those savings. You may save some money in months 1-6 but over time you are going to lose money when your pool turns green from algae, phosphates or nitrates that you can’t easily control or via equipment failures.
So, if you are looking for a short-term money-saving strategy, this may be ok but in our professional opinion, this should not be something you consider long-term.
Cons
Initial and unexpected expenses
As mentioned above, cleaning the pool yourself can save you money, but it also puts you at risk of incurring unexpected costs.
To begin cleaning and maintaining a pool will, of course, require some equipment. Items such as a vacuum, skimmers, chemicals like sanitizer (chlorine and shock), alkalinity control, algaecide, and pool enzymes all need to be considered when determining your budget. Improper application of these chemical treatments may cause damage to your pool and equipment, resulting in expensive repairs down the road.
Time
Cleaning the pool is not just a one-time chore. You will need to spend time each week cleaning and maintaining it, for your water to stay safe enough for swimming! This goes up during the spring and summer months as well.
Research
You will need to do a lot of research on which chemicals to use in the water, when. Not knowing which chemical at what quantity could very easily end up damaging your pool or equipment.
It may also pose a health risk to those who swim.
Hiring a Professional Pool Cleaning Company
Maybe the above convinced you or maybe you already decided you want a professional pool cleaning company to do the work for you. Whatever your reasoning, here are some good examples of why it’s probably best to leave the “dirty work” to the experts so you can relax and Float Happy™.
Here are the pros and cons of hiring a professional pool maintenance specialist.
Pros
Steady Cost
Some pool owners may think that hiring a professional cleaner is more expensive, but in most cases, it is quite the opposite. By avoiding the unexpected expenses of cleaning the pool yourself and avoiding damaging your pool you can save a significant amount of money in the long run.
Effectiveness
Most states, including Florida, require pool cleaning services to be insured and have a Certified Pool Operator certification to clean your pool. You can be confident that your pool is taken well taken care of! In other words, real professionals know what they are doing so you will not experience any periods where you can’t use your pool due to imbalances or worse.
Save time
No need to spend your valuable time scrubbing down the pool when you can relax and let the professionals do it for you! You don’t have to do endless research about what chemicals you need to make your pool water safe. This means more time for your business and family!
For many pool owners, they calculate the hourly rate they make at work and quickly see that hiring a pool service company is much cheaper than what they spend cleaning the pool themselves at their regular hourly rate 🙂
Cons
Little bit pricey
True professional pool maintenance can be quite pricey but as we have covered, the exchange for time, convenience, and safety is definitely worth it! Many customers see it as an investment rather than a cost.
Jealousy
You may be a little jealous of the effectiveness and overall knowledge that our pool cleaners possess. You may think, “Why couldn’t I get my pool looking this good? They make it seem so easy!”
Don’t worry, they aren’t judgmental and just want you to have a clean and safe pool.
Final Thoughts
Pool cleaning is a difficult task to get just right.
We do have options to help train you if you want to go the DIY route, which many pool owners have taken advantage of. However, if you want to pass off the responsibility and ensure that your pool is always well-maintained and ready to use, contact us.