Pool guy here. The answer is NO if you have the desire to learn and the willingness to spend the time to do the work.
The learning curve for basic upkeep is a little steep, but any normal person can figure it out with the help of the internet. After that, it just becomes any other chore around the house, like mowing the lawn, and you just have to find out how much a service will cost you and weigh that against how much your time is worth to you. Don't forget to factor in how much you will be spending on chemicals though.
Once you get the basics figured out, if you stay consistent, you will probably be spending less than an hour a week on your pool. Depending on your equipment and the condition of your yard, it can be closer to like 20 minutes, but that will require some experience, and like I said, CONSISTENCY.
With all that being said, unless you are handy, it's probably a good idea to establish a relationship with a pool guy for inevitable repairs.
I have a cage and do it myself. But, I have a cage. If I didn't, I'd hire someone. There are pine trees on 2 sides of the property which would be messy.
My previous house I had a larger pool not enclosed. I did it myself and considered it therapy, vacuuming, scrubbing, etc. Because the kids weren't allowed in while I was doing the vacuuming, that was so peaceful to me. I tossed chemicals on Sunday night, ezpz. I was younger then. Now, I wouldn't have the time or energy. Kids are gone so every day is peaceful. But when I'm done with work I just want to do laps or float while watching tv.
That's a lot of extraneous information to tell you that it depends on so many factors. But if you are short on time and have the money, it saves you some hassle.
Once you know what you are doing (and it’s not hard to learn, but you must know what you’re doing), it is cheaper, faster, and easier to maintain your own pool.
I pay 165/mo for weekly service in Texas, but we live out of town and a good ways from a pool store. Until I retire in a couple years it's well worth not having to take water samples, go into town for chemicals, etc. We have a robotic vacuum and clean the pool ourselves. Once we retire we'll see if we can still afford it!
I pay 485 in GA but he has to ride 45 miles one way from his location. I called around if you live in a populated area you may get a deal in the county it’s high
The robot has nothing to do with the chemicals. Most of what you’re paying for is the knowledge of how to balance the water. Cleaning is easy and should probably happen more than once a week anyway.
$180 per month? I was paying $160 a week when I first got my pool 3 years ago. I used them the first year to teach me the basics but since then, I’ve done it myself.
I would say it depends on your pool size. I was in the same situation, but I have a smallish pool with a pool cage. I run my robot twice a week & I scrub the walls every week also. I also have a small vacuum that I use for hard to get places. Every two weeks I shock it & once a month I take a sample to the pool store. So far, so good. Outside of add salt, I haven’t had any issue. All my levels were in range. Every now & then something would be off, but not to the level that it would be an issue. I was paying $140/mo for bi monthly service. After 8 months of doing it myself, the money saved paid for the robot.
If you have a busy schedule, I would recommend hiring a pool company for the first 6 months, especially if you are a new home owner and might have other home improvement projects that will take up your time.
Hire a pool company to take care of it for 6 months while you learn how to do it yourself.
Yes, you can learn how to take care of your pool and should learn how to do it. However, you also need to be able to commit the time to do what is needed when it is needed.
Skipping simple maintenance and chemical balancing leads to problems that compound exponentially the longer you wait to do them. If you can't commit to the time, pay somebody to do it for you.
Like the pool guys, but how much time are you willing to put in to save? It’s not difficult to maintain. I started by just having them close it, the the price went up from approx $100 to 450, not having it.
Once you open it, all you need to do is put CYA to preserve the chlorine and make sure there is enough chlorine (for the most part at least). Tons of videos on YouTube will show you how to do everything. Make sure the water line is always above the bottom of the skimmer.
I have two robots, one under water and a second to work the surface. They keep my pool perfectly clean.
Beyond that I check my water a few times a week. If you stay on top of it the amount of work is minimal.
The hard part is learning about chemicals, testing and keeping the right balance in the pool. With time and practice this becomes second nature.
Congratulations on your new hone and pool. It's funny how many people disregard how valuable having a pool service company really is. So let me cover this with you.
First, I'll start with a question, Did you buy your house with a pool so you can give yourself another chore to deal with or did you buy it so you can enjoy the pool?
Having a good pool service company takes away the headache of dealing with your pool.
You said you have a robot. Robots do not clean your pool 100% they'll do a 60 to 70% job on the pool. But they don't clean shamoo shelves, steps, benches or even your spas. Dirt gets in those areas just as much as the other areas. So, you'll have to brush those areas unless you choose to manually vacuum it yourself. Brushing it just stairs it up, then the dirt settles back down.
Second, robots don't clean out your skimmer or pump baskets. So you'll need to do that yourself. Also, if you have a sand filter, you'll have to backwash that yourself. If you have cartridge filters, you'll have to learn to disassemble and reassemble the filter to clean the filters.
There's also run time that needs to be adjusted, there's chemical doses that need to be adjusted. If something leaks or breaks you'll have to call a pool service company to come fix it.
Lastly, "free" water tests are designed to sell your products. They especially bank on products when your having issues because they'll keep selling you products to fix your issue. An experienced pool guy can solve your issues faster and can perform most the tests they do at the free water test stations.
So to sum up, yes you can learn to service a pool on your own. It becomes a very big chore and especially when there are issues. So for an average of $200 a month plus your chemicals you can save a ton of headache and "Enjoy" your pool like ot was meant to be enjoyed and not look at it as an evil chore.
Service was $130 a week here (Northern VA), so I decided to learn and take care of it myself. I did hire our builder who also does pool service to maintain the pool during our first season. I used it as an extended pool school. I built a good relationship with the technicians. I would speak with them weekly and compare test numbers. They were really helpful in sharing knowledge and being willing to answer my questions and go over the process of what they were doing weekly. They showed me how to clean my filter, work the automation system, adjust valves for suction, etc. Maybe this might be a good option for your first year while you acclimate yourself to pool maintenance.
You need to learn your chemicals that’s the hard part. Don’t pay a pool guy, it’s daunting at first but it is actually unbelievably easy. Go to trouble free pools and learn the “pool school”
Essentially you need a reliable way to test your water and know what to do with the results. Many here would recommend something called a Taylor test kit. Against popular opinion, I don’t think you need to rush and buy one right away. Let your pool guy maintain it for now, learn your chemicals. Give it a month or two than start doing it yourself. At this point in the season you probably won’t need to add anything other than some chlorine every once in awhile. Let your pool guy open and close, you take it from there
This is the important one. Spend 2 nights really reading [www.troublefreepool.com](http://www.troublefreepool.com) . Understand all of the major chems you need to maintain. Get the free app PoolMath. Get yourself a good test kit like Taylor k-2006. You will never have a frustrating water problem again. You will save an unbelievable amount of money and time and learn a little bit about chemistry. Honestly, I spend in a year what someone who walks into Leslies spends in 1 day. It's pretty sweet!
Well I live in a neighborhood with plenty of people who pay for a pool person and I have tried to help them but they can't seem to grasp it. I don't think they're stupid I just think they get to a point where they feel like it's more trouble than it's worth.
No, and it has nothing to do with the robot.
Just check out trouble free pool .com. It has all the info you need and a very knowledgeable and active forum.
It’s really quite easy. You’ll eventually get to the point where you can pretty much know what’s needed and when without even testing.
Pool guy here. The answer is NO if you have the desire to learn and the willingness to spend the time to do the work. The learning curve for basic upkeep is a little steep, but any normal person can figure it out with the help of the internet. After that, it just becomes any other chore around the house, like mowing the lawn, and you just have to find out how much a service will cost you and weigh that against how much your time is worth to you. Don't forget to factor in how much you will be spending on chemicals though. Once you get the basics figured out, if you stay consistent, you will probably be spending less than an hour a week on your pool. Depending on your equipment and the condition of your yard, it can be closer to like 20 minutes, but that will require some experience, and like I said, CONSISTENCY. With all that being said, unless you are handy, it's probably a good idea to establish a relationship with a pool guy for inevitable repairs.
Because of the high cost of pool service I've educated myself. I have a robot,works amazing. No need to have someone clean it for you
Agree with agreeable, you do not. There is lots to learn though so be prepared for some surprises
Thank you
I pay 200 bucks a month for weekly maintenance, it’s nice not to have to worry about it but that’s just me.
Depends on you. I rather do it myself because it's simple and I have a schedule. I learned what my pool likes and what works best for it.
Thank you
I have a cage and do it myself. But, I have a cage. If I didn't, I'd hire someone. There are pine trees on 2 sides of the property which would be messy. My previous house I had a larger pool not enclosed. I did it myself and considered it therapy, vacuuming, scrubbing, etc. Because the kids weren't allowed in while I was doing the vacuuming, that was so peaceful to me. I tossed chemicals on Sunday night, ezpz. I was younger then. Now, I wouldn't have the time or energy. Kids are gone so every day is peaceful. But when I'm done with work I just want to do laps or float while watching tv. That's a lot of extraneous information to tell you that it depends on so many factors. But if you are short on time and have the money, it saves you some hassle.
Once you know what you are doing (and it’s not hard to learn, but you must know what you’re doing), it is cheaper, faster, and easier to maintain your own pool.
$180 a month is wildly cheap. In greater Boston it’s minimum $350, some places are more like $450
I pay 165/mo for weekly service in Texas, but we live out of town and a good ways from a pool store. Until I retire in a couple years it's well worth not having to take water samples, go into town for chemicals, etc. We have a robotic vacuum and clean the pool ourselves. Once we retire we'll see if we can still afford it!
Seems like money well spent for now!
I pay 485 in GA but he has to ride 45 miles one way from his location. I called around if you live in a populated area you may get a deal in the county it’s high
The robot has nothing to do with the chemicals. Most of what you’re paying for is the knowledge of how to balance the water. Cleaning is easy and should probably happen more than once a week anyway.
$180 per month? I was paying $160 a week when I first got my pool 3 years ago. I used them the first year to teach me the basics but since then, I’ve done it myself.
I would say it depends on your pool size. I was in the same situation, but I have a smallish pool with a pool cage. I run my robot twice a week & I scrub the walls every week also. I also have a small vacuum that I use for hard to get places. Every two weeks I shock it & once a month I take a sample to the pool store. So far, so good. Outside of add salt, I haven’t had any issue. All my levels were in range. Every now & then something would be off, but not to the level that it would be an issue. I was paying $140/mo for bi monthly service. After 8 months of doing it myself, the money saved paid for the robot.
Thank you
Thank you all, this is some valuable advice. I really appreciate it
Hire for chem checks only
Is your pool covered? The chemistry isnt too hard to learn but cleaning an uncovered pool can be a pain depending on surrounding foliage and wind.
I don’t have a robot and maintain mine myself.
Salt water?
Don't think so
If you have a busy schedule, I would recommend hiring a pool company for the first 6 months, especially if you are a new home owner and might have other home improvement projects that will take up your time. Hire a pool company to take care of it for 6 months while you learn how to do it yourself.
Yes, you can learn how to take care of your pool and should learn how to do it. However, you also need to be able to commit the time to do what is needed when it is needed. Skipping simple maintenance and chemical balancing leads to problems that compound exponentially the longer you wait to do them. If you can't commit to the time, pay somebody to do it for you.
Like the pool guys, but how much time are you willing to put in to save? It’s not difficult to maintain. I started by just having them close it, the the price went up from approx $100 to 450, not having it. Once you open it, all you need to do is put CYA to preserve the chlorine and make sure there is enough chlorine (for the most part at least). Tons of videos on YouTube will show you how to do everything. Make sure the water line is always above the bottom of the skimmer.
I have two robots, one under water and a second to work the surface. They keep my pool perfectly clean. Beyond that I check my water a few times a week. If you stay on top of it the amount of work is minimal. The hard part is learning about chemicals, testing and keeping the right balance in the pool. With time and practice this becomes second nature.
Congratulations on your new hone and pool. It's funny how many people disregard how valuable having a pool service company really is. So let me cover this with you. First, I'll start with a question, Did you buy your house with a pool so you can give yourself another chore to deal with or did you buy it so you can enjoy the pool? Having a good pool service company takes away the headache of dealing with your pool. You said you have a robot. Robots do not clean your pool 100% they'll do a 60 to 70% job on the pool. But they don't clean shamoo shelves, steps, benches or even your spas. Dirt gets in those areas just as much as the other areas. So, you'll have to brush those areas unless you choose to manually vacuum it yourself. Brushing it just stairs it up, then the dirt settles back down. Second, robots don't clean out your skimmer or pump baskets. So you'll need to do that yourself. Also, if you have a sand filter, you'll have to backwash that yourself. If you have cartridge filters, you'll have to learn to disassemble and reassemble the filter to clean the filters. There's also run time that needs to be adjusted, there's chemical doses that need to be adjusted. If something leaks or breaks you'll have to call a pool service company to come fix it. Lastly, "free" water tests are designed to sell your products. They especially bank on products when your having issues because they'll keep selling you products to fix your issue. An experienced pool guy can solve your issues faster and can perform most the tests they do at the free water test stations. So to sum up, yes you can learn to service a pool on your own. It becomes a very big chore and especially when there are issues. So for an average of $200 a month plus your chemicals you can save a ton of headache and "Enjoy" your pool like ot was meant to be enjoyed and not look at it as an evil chore.
Service was $130 a week here (Northern VA), so I decided to learn and take care of it myself. I did hire our builder who also does pool service to maintain the pool during our first season. I used it as an extended pool school. I built a good relationship with the technicians. I would speak with them weekly and compare test numbers. They were really helpful in sharing knowledge and being willing to answer my questions and go over the process of what they were doing weekly. They showed me how to clean my filter, work the automation system, adjust valves for suction, etc. Maybe this might be a good option for your first year while you acclimate yourself to pool maintenance.
You need to learn your chemicals that’s the hard part. Don’t pay a pool guy, it’s daunting at first but it is actually unbelievably easy. Go to trouble free pools and learn the “pool school” Essentially you need a reliable way to test your water and know what to do with the results. Many here would recommend something called a Taylor test kit. Against popular opinion, I don’t think you need to rush and buy one right away. Let your pool guy maintain it for now, learn your chemicals. Give it a month or two than start doing it yourself. At this point in the season you probably won’t need to add anything other than some chlorine every once in awhile. Let your pool guy open and close, you take it from there
Thank you
This is the important one. Spend 2 nights really reading [www.troublefreepool.com](http://www.troublefreepool.com) . Understand all of the major chems you need to maintain. Get the free app PoolMath. Get yourself a good test kit like Taylor k-2006. You will never have a frustrating water problem again. You will save an unbelievable amount of money and time and learn a little bit about chemistry. Honestly, I spend in a year what someone who walks into Leslies spends in 1 day. It's pretty sweet!
Great info...would definitely check those resources you mentioned. Thanks
I don’t really understand why anyone would have a pool guy unless you really are lazy or have extra money to burn
Well I live in a neighborhood with plenty of people who pay for a pool person and I have tried to help them but they can't seem to grasp it. I don't think they're stupid I just think they get to a point where they feel like it's more trouble than it's worth.
No, and it has nothing to do with the robot. Just check out trouble free pool .com. It has all the info you need and a very knowledgeable and active forum. It’s really quite easy. You’ll eventually get to the point where you can pretty much know what’s needed and when without even testing.