Scott Hubbard of Homewerx, Inc, a family-owned Home Inspection firm, recently posted some great information about swimming pools to their company blog. With Scott's permission I'm re-blogging his complete article here. To read the article from his site - click here.
Also Read: Swimming Pools: Do They Increase or Decrease a Home's Value?
Even in Arizona, you may not use a swimming pool very much in the winter time. But if you're considering adding a pool to your home, winter is the slow season for Arizona swimming pool companies and therefore, you may be able to negotiate a better price on a new pool. Whether you add a pool to your existing home or buy a house that already has a pool, below is some information to consider about swimming pool maintenance.
Maintaining a swimming pool takes time and money. Pools consist of many systems; the structure itself, as well as electrical, plumbing & mechanical systems. So there's alot to maintain including pumps, filters, lights, valves, sometimes a heater and other features. Each pool is different, therefore the exact cost of maintaining your pool will depend on many factors such as the pool's age, surface area, type of finish, water capacity, type of pump & cleaning system, etc.
STRUCTURE & FINISH: The pool's structure will usually last many years provided that it's built right and the finish is properly maintained. The pool's finish may be plaster, pebble-tec or fiberglass. All three types will require regular brushing, cleaning and chemicals. Algae is a bigger concern with a plaster finish. This is because algae can actually etch the plaster finish, or pit the surface and make it rough. Also, the type of pool matters...a diving pool usually holds a lot more water than a play pool, and therefore it will probably cost more to maintain.
COST OF CHEMICALS, ETC. : Properly maintaining the chemical balance of the water is important. If you aren't sure what to add, you can take a sample of your pool water to the local swimming pool supply store for help. They will test it and tell you what chemicals you need and how much to add. Pool water generally requires more chemical maintenance when the weather gets hotter and the pool is used more frequently.
For a pool that does NOT have a chlorinating or soft water system, you'll have to buy chlorine, acid and other chemicals. The chlorine is by far the most expensive of these chemicals, which will probably cost $200 or more per year (depending on the size of the pool, the amount of water it holds, etc.).
If the pool does have a chlorinating or soft water system, you won't need to buy the chlorine but you'll need to buy salt and other chemicals. Also, this type of system is more complex and requires more maintenance.
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