Time spent on maintenance

[jjfmca]

How much time do people spend on pool maintenance?

I have read that I should allow 4 - 8 hours per week. If that's true, maybe I had better forget it. I had a friend with a vinyl liner pool and I know he did not spend nearly that much time. However, I am thinking about getting a concrete pool and I am afraid it might take more time. I live in PA.

If I could get some answers from this group, it would be a great help!

[dynamictiger]

Time you spend is proportional to what your expectations are and your personality.

With a pool system the items not normally automated would need about an hour on a sunday morning, cleaning baskets, back washing the filter. Depending on how automated the balance of the system is will depend on how long you spend on it. As a new owner typically you will fuss about and spend a lot of time at first, it takes a while to settle down and get used to the system and then find the shortcuts.

HTH

[Pool Owner]

If you hire a pool “service” professional, he/she will likely spend no more than 30 minutes a week at your pool covering the basics with maybe another 30 minutes a month on extra stuff. You will likely still need to spend a few minutes each week following any instructions left and/or insuring all of the baskets are cleaned if there is lots of stuff in the air. In Southern California I have found what you and I call “maintenance” the pool professional business calls “service.”

I have an automatic pool cleaner and a solid “plastic” automatic pool safety cover, so my time investment is probably less than others. However, my parents have only an automatic pool cleaner and their time is similar except when the leaves are falling and/or it is windy.

During the summer months I spent maybe upwards of one hour a week on “service,” which also included cleaning the pool deck. Now that it is cooler, I’m down to probably 30 minutes a week. I spend about one hour on doing a complete job of cleaning my diatomaceous earth (DE) filter, which has been about every 4 to 8 weeks depending upon my pool usage. Only backwashing the DE filer will work in a pinch, but I found doing a complete job each time improves my circulation, extends the times between cleanings, and takes no longer over the course of a year.

Most importantly, keep on top of your chemicals until you understand your pool (daily in the summer, less often during the cooler months).

I agree with dynamictiger, you will get most of it figured out within a few months and have it wired after seeing each season.