Ways To Save Money On Pool Maintenance This Summer

A pool in your backyard is a godsend in the summer months. Pool areas become a gathering place where loved ones and neighbors alike congregate and cool off on the hottest days of the year. While they can bring joy and relief in the heat of the summer, this pool of water can feel more like a money pit for homeowners. Pool upkeep is expensive and often complicated. These high costs may have you wondering if there are some ways to save on pool maintenance.

The best way to save big on summer pool maintenance is to learn how to clean your pool and maintain the filtration system yourself. You can easily check the chemical levels and adjust them using testing strips, pool shock, and other easy-to-purchase chemicals. Use an insulating pool cover, and always cover your pool when it's not in use. Swap out plants that shed for ones that don’t.

Having a pool is a dream for many homeowners. But for those who own pools and must pay for all the expenses associated with their upkeep, owning a pool can sometimes feel more like a nightmare than a dream. If you are sick of forking over hundreds of dollars each month you use your pool, then read the list below of all the best DIY ways to save on pool maintenance this summer.

13 DIY Ways To Save Money On Pool Maintenance This Summer

1. Learn How To Clean Your Pool Effectively

Pool maintenance starts with cleanliness. A dirty pool is the root of many problems. Luckily, you can avoid many costly issues by taking the time to properly clean your pool. For one, always be diligent about skimming for debris. The longer organic matter stays in the pool, the more time it has to break down and form algae, and affect your water’s pH.

Brushing the pool walls to loosen algae is also crucial, as this ensures the algae is filtered out of the water. This helps keep the water clear and balanced. 

In the summer, when you use the pool regularly, skimming and brushing should be a part of your daily routine. This will help minimize the need for outside help.

2. Use The Sun To Heat The Pool

One of the biggest monthly costs for pool owners is electricity. Heating a pool and running the filtration system can cost a small fortune for some homeowners. To help shrink this expense, consider using the summer sun. 

Investing in solar power will quickly pay off for some pool owners. If you aren’t interested in going fully solar for your pool needs, you can use an insulating pool cover instead. These covers are affordable and easy to use, and increase the water temperature without impacting your electric bill.

3. Cover Your Pool When It’s Not In Use

In addition to using a pool cover to heat your pool, you should also make it a habit to cover your pool whenever you don’t plan to use it. Covering your pool helps maintain it for several reasons.

For one, it helps reduce water evaporation. This saves on water usage and also helps maintain the correct water balance, reducing your need to use chemicals. Furthermore, it keeps dirt and debris out of your pool. This makes cleaning your pool easier and further helps maintain a correct pH balance.

4. Switch To LED Lights

Pool lights are a great way to improve the look of your pool area. Unfortunately, some outdoor lights can have a negative impact on your monthly electric bill. To help lower your electric bill and overall pool expenses in the summer, consider swapping out your energy-sucking bulbs for LED lights.

Switching to LED lights can save you up to 75% compared to normal bulbs. This can result in noticeable savings for your summer pool expenses.

5. Invest In Durable And Easy-to-Clean Furniture

Not all pool maintenance involves the pool itself. Maintaining your entire pool area, including your outdoor furniture, costs money each year. Outdoor furniture is especially expensive. 

When purchasing pool furniture, opt for durable materials that are easy to clean. Remember, outdoor furniture can deteriorate in the sun, especially cheap plastic. Buying furniture and pillows that are easy to wash and maintain makes keeping the pool area clean a breeze, and helps keep your outdoor furniture protected.

6. Run Your Pool Filter At Night

One easy tip to help save money on everyday pool maintenance is to change the time when you run your pool filter. Many jurisdictions charge lower rates for electricity at night. Therefore, if you run your pool filtration system overnight, you can help reduce your energy costs in the summer.

7. Use Testing Strips To Monitor Chemical Levels

Some pool owners feel overwhelmed with the idea of maintaining pool chemical levels. It might seem scientific and confusing, but pool water testing strips make this task much easier than you might think.

Each testing strip has guidelines for healthy pH, chlorine, and other key levels. Simply dip these strips into the water and compare the results with the provided color-coated guide. If you see anything outside the normal range, add the correct pool chemical. This reduces your need to rely on expensive outside help to maintain your pool in the summer.

8. Use A Net And Pool Vacuum To Keep The Pool Clean

One reason pool owners pay for pricey pool cleaning services is that they don’t have access to pool cleaning equipment. Pool nets are essential for every pool owner, but a pool vacuum is an investment that over time, can result in major savings.

Regularly running a pool vacuum helps remove algae and other dirt particles that a filtration system can miss. This is a tool most professional pool cleaners use, but it’s something you can buy and operate yourself quite easily.

9. Address Pool Cracks And Leaks Immediately

Major pool repairs can be quite costly. They involve draining the pool, digging, and isolating leaks and other issues. Repairing a pool leak can easily cost more than $1,000. To help prevent these costly repairs, you must address any cracks or small leaks immediately. 

Being proactive can save you a lot of money. Furthermore, ignoring leaks also means you end up filling your pool more frequently, which in turn results in higher water bills and forces you to use more pool chemicals to balance the PH of the water.

10. Replace Plants That Shed Debris With Alternatives

One great way to make cleaning your pool easier is to reduce the debris that falls in it. Often, what ends up in pools is dead plant matter from the immediate vicinity. To help reduce the plant matter that falls into your pool, you must choose the best plants to surround your pool. 

Opt for varieties that don’t shed. Furthermore, if you have trees above your pool, ensure you keep them pruned so no branches hang over the pool.

11. Learn How To Clean Your Pool Filter

Cleaning your pool's filter is another task that professional pool cleaners perform. While each pool has a different filtration system, it’s usually something you can easily learn. Find out which type of filters your pool uses. 

Some use paper filters that should be replaced regularly. Others use reusable filters that can be cleaned with a simple spray and a garden hose. Learning how to clean your pool filter greatly reduces your need for professional pool cleaning services.

12. Keep Water At Safe Levels 

When using your pool and running the filtration system, you must maintain recommended water levels. When water levels are too low or too high, the pumps and filters won’t function properly, and this can cause unnecessary stress on the system.

13. Inspect Pool Equipment Regularly For Problems

Lastly, make it a habit to inspect all the moving parts of your pool system. Keep an eye out for leaks and cracks. If you notice strange noises or notice pumps or pipes that are shaking under pressure, shut off the system and address the issue before a larger (more expensive) problem occurs. 

Concluding Notes On How To Save On Home Pool Maintenance 

Having a pool in the backyard is a blessing for those who endure long, hot summers. While the benefits of owning a pool can seem endless as an outsider, the costs of operating a pool can cause homeowners more headaches than anyone would like. 

To help save money on pool maintenance, you should learn how to clean your pool and filters, and understand how to test pool chemicals and adjust them accordingly. Swap out standard bulbs with LED lights, and invest in furniture that is durable and easy to clean. Prune nearby trees, and use plants around your pool that don't shed debris.

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• How Much Does Pool Maintenance Cost Per Month?