Pool Maintenance 101: When to DIY and When to Call a Pro

Owning a pool can be a lot of fun. Maintaining it, though, is a whole other matter.

You might think that it’s a good idea to take a DIY approach when maintaining your pool. Yet in some cases, this can be a mistake as professional help might be the better option. With that being said, how are you supposed to know which option is best?

Luckily, there are a few things you can look out for that’ll let you know whether you need to call a pro or if you should just go DIY.

Keep reading and I’ll share some tips that’ll get you up to speed on pool maintenance 101. Once you’re done reading, you’ll understand how to think about pool maintenance and how you should approach problems related to your pool.

Let’s begin!

How Big Is Your Pool?

One of the first things you need to think about is the size of your pool. The size of the pool is going to have a big impact on whether you can do things using a DIY approach, or whether you should get some help from a pro.

As you might’ve guessed, a small pool is relatively easy to maintain, because there’s not much to maintain anyway.

But with a large pool, you might need to call in some help, especially when it comes to weekly maintenance. Such a pool can take a long time to rake.

If you don’t have the patience nor the time to do this kind of thing, then professional help can be a good idea. Even if you have an advanced bit of equipment like a pool vacuum, you’ll still need to put time aside to use it.

How Complex Is Your Pool?

Odds are your pool is quite complicated. It probably has systems in place to make sure that the water is kept clean. But maintaining these systems can be quite tricky. Plus if you’re someone who is very busy, it can also be quite a chore to stay on top of all this.

For instance, you’ll need to make sure that the filters are in good condition. You’ll also need to empty the pump basket on a regular basis.

You’ll also need to keep a close eye on the pressure gauge of the filter. If the pressure is too high it can mean that the pool is not being filtered properly. This can mean that the pool is going to become dirtier in a shorter period of time.

Is There a Mechanical Problem?

If there are issues with the mechanical aspects of your pool, it is a good idea to speak to a professional, rather than take a DIY approach.

Mechanical issues might include problems related to the filter or something similar. These systems can also be very expensive, so if you don’t know what you’re doing you might make some expensive mistakes.

It’s also worth mentioning that if your pool is insured, you might not be covered if you tinker with the pool yourself.

That’s because some companies only provide insurance if you haven’t damaged the pool as a result of your own doing. If you try to fix things, you might make things worse, rather than better. This can, therefore, make the insurance company suspicious.

Managing the Chemicals of the Pool

Just like the mechanical aspect of the pool, you also want to be careful when managing the chemical aspect of your pool. Chemical management of a pool is important if you want to prevent potential health risks from developing.

If you do not know what you’re doing, you may end up making your pool unusable until it has been drained, cleaned and refilled.

Chemical management generally involves taking two kinds of actions. Firstly, you need to monitor the pool. This means that you need to check the PH of the pool.

The second part involves treating the pool with chemicals. These chemicals might be needed to fix some of the problems you found when testing your pool. But they might also help you deal with excess algae. You can even make use of specialist chemicals to treat problems with bacterial growth.

As mentioned, all of this is not easy to do. If you have even the slightest doubt about your ability to do this, it’s better to stay on the safe side and reach out for help.

Consider the Return on Investment

There is some truth the idea that working with a professional pool maintenance company can sometimes be expensive. But you need to consider this in terms of the return on investment you will experience.

For a start, a pool maintenance pro will be able to help create a scenario where your pool is ready to use, whenever you feel like using it. If you’re doing things on your own, though, this might not be the case.

You might miss a couple of weeks worth of maintenance because you’ve been busy at work. This, therefore, means that you’ll now need to perform maintenance on your pool before you can use it. A pool pro can help you avoid a situation like this.

Up to Speed on Pool Maintenance 101?

If you’re the proud owner of a new pool, you probably need to get up to speed on pool maintenance 101. More specifically, you’ll need to work out whether you should hire a pool maintenance pro or if you can take the DIY approach.

In this post, we’ve reviewed some things you can think about, to help you with this decision. You need to consider the size of your pool. You also need to consider the complexities associated with maintaining a pool in the first place. Maintaining the mechanical and chemical aspects of a pool can be tricky.

Working with a pro can be a great idea, though, if you want to avoid the hassle that comes with owning a pool. They’ll be able to help you create a situation where your pool is ready to use, whenever you feel like using it.

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