If your goal in having a swimming pool is to have your very own piece of paradise in the comfort of your home, you should do everything that you can to ensure that you get to enjoy this paradise for many years to come. Pool maintenance is a critical step that you need to take to keep your pool in optimal condition and safe for you and your family to use. You would not want to swim around dead bugs, algae, leaves, and other microbes, would you?
Whether you are a long-time swimming pool owner or you are about to install one, there is one question that all swimming pool owners should think of: should you hire a professional pool cleaning services to clean your swimming pool or should you do it yourself?
While you can take a DIY approach for your pool cleaning needs, there is a lot more that goes into pool care than just removing dirt, leaves, dead bugs and other debris with a skimmer. You should also learn about taking care of a swimming pool’s chemical balance, filtration, pool openings and closing, and pool equipment, etc.
For new pool owners, figuring out where to start with your pool maintenance can be confusing while for experienced pool owners, doing all these pool maintenance tasks can be time-consuming and tedious.
Hiring a professional to clean and maintain your swimming pool will lessen your worries if your pool is still safe to use and allow you to enjoy it comfortably.
In the long run, it doesn’t matter which method you choose, but here is a pro-con list to help you figure out which method is best for you.
Save on Long-Term Cost
DIY
Cleaning your pool on your own costs less compared with hiring a professional cleaning service. By doing things yourself, you can choose the cost of supplies and obviously the labour is free.
If you clean your pool yourself, you will want to make things truly easier to save on time and money. Investing in a pool blanket to prevent the water from getting covered in leaves or debris is just one way you may decide to invest and save money on cleaning in the long run.
PRO
Sometimes, cleaning your pool on your own may seem practical and affordable, but that’s not always the case. Hiring a professional service may help you save money on pool maintenance in the long run.
Professional pool cleaners have years of experience on how to maintain a pool. They know exactly what to do to keep your pool running smoothly for a long time.
Professionals can also keep your pool tile, grout, and other details looking at their best. Aside from keeping your pool safe and working efficiently, you also have the added bonus of keeping its appearance pristine and beautiful thanks to your professional pool cleaner.
With a professional, you may be paying more, but a professional pool cleaner will be able to take extra time and scrub areas that you may skip over if you’re cleaning it yourself.
Either way, cleaning your pool costs money and it’s up to you to determine which is the best option for you.
Save Time
DIY
Cleaning your pool for the first time is a challenging activity that may make you feel overwhelmed. Over time, you will gain experience and skills in balancing chemicals, replacing water filters and cleaning your pool’s surfaces.
As a non-professional pool cleaner and depending on your equipment, cleaning a pool yourself can take up to one hour and a half and you’ll need to do this weekly. On average, pool owners will spend around 45 minutes a week for pool care, not including pool equipment repair or balancing pool chemicals.
As you become more familiar with cleaning your pool, it becomes an easy task, but there is definitely an initial learning curve.
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When you hire a professional pool cleaning service, you are saving yourself time from having to do the cleaning yourself. Your professional pool cleaners can even give you tips on how to maintain a pool when it is not being professionally cleaned.
Keep Water Balanced and Filtered
DIY
If you want to DIY maintenance of your pool, you also need to learn about keeping your pool’s chemical balance. Caring for your swimming pool is more than just skimming the surface for leaves, branches, and other debris.
There is also a science to maintaining your pool’s health which includes maintaining the correct pH-balance through the use of chemicals. Chemicals are complicated and may be hazardous if used incorrectly. Whether you handle your pool maintenance or not, it is important that you know what chemicals are being used and how much is applied each time.
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Pool water needs to be tested and balanced before it is deemed safe to use. Incorrect pool chemistry can cause bacteria, algae growth, skin irritations, and other illnesses that are detrimental to the health and life of pool users.
Experienced professionals will know the exact amount and type of chemicals that your pool needs. A professional cleaning service can help regulate your pool water, keep a perfect pH-balance, and ensure that there is proper water filtration. Doing these will help prevent any pool-water-related illnesses and keeps your pool water sparkling clean.
Keep Pool Equipment Maintained And Running
DIY
By handling your pool maintenance yourself, you can ensure that each pool related item is working as it should. If you discover a problem, you can either try to fix it yourself, or call a professional. Being aware of the ins and outs of your pool over time gives you experience and knowledge in the upkeep of your pool, so you can easily spot small issues before they become big issues.
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When you hire a professional pool cleaning service, they will ensure that your pool equipment is running smoothly and efficiently. A pool cleaning service may even notice a minor problem before you do and recommend you fix it before it worsens.
Customised Service
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One of the benefits of cleaning your pool yourself is that you can do maintenance the way that you want to. You have the freedom to go online and look for information, or you can even ask other pool owners for advice.
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For new pool owners, every piece of pool maintenance advice from fellow pool owners is useful, but keep in mind that every swimming pool is different. Pools come in different shapes, sizes, depths, and require various equipment as well.
Your neighbour’s pool will have a different chemistry from your own, so you cannot assume that what works for their pool will work for yours as well.
This is where a professional pool cleaning can come in. They can provide customised care that caters to your pool’s specific needs.
Regular Maintenance Schedule
DIY
Handling your pool’s maintenance yourself means that you can schedule it based on your availability. You will not have to rely on the schedule of professional pool cleaners. Just remember that pools need to be maintained regularly, so determine a strict pool maintenance schedule.
Regular pool maintenance is important, but it can be a tedious chore. You may want to look into investing in a self-cleaning pool. Although it comes with a high price tag, a self-cleaning pool literally cleans itself, so you don’t need to worry about purchasing and maintaining additional pool maintenance equipment. They are also safer and more hygienic.
Self-cleaning pools come with a series of nozzles, which are installed within the pool floor. They lie completely flush when not in use, so they will not spoil the pool’s appearance or cause any obstruction. They come equipped with nozzles, which release jets of freshly filtered water throughout the pool, therefore, pushing all dirt and debris into a designated canister.
A self-cleaning pool system can be activated based on your preferred schedule, so you will be able to keep a regular pool maintenance schedule without any hassle. It also operates silently, so you can activate it overnight and wake up to a clean pool.
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There are several reasons that you cannot clean your pool as frequently as you are supposed to, or perhaps you don’t own a self-cleaning pool. If this is the case, you should seriously consider hiring a pool cleaning service that can easily take care of cleaning your pool cover, pool walls and tiles regularly, among other pool care activities, even if they come on an infrequent basis.
You can ask them to come on a weekly, monthly or even on an emergency basis. Having extra help even can help you better maintain your pool between professional cleanings.
When your swimming pool and your pool equipment are regularly maintained, you get the benefit of keeping your pool water clean and healthy all the time.
Conclusion
Owning a pool is time consuming. Whether you decide to do it yourself or go with a professional, keeping your pool clean and safe helps it last longer, meaning you can enjoy it for years to come. It’s just up to you to decide what method of cleaning works best for you.