Pool maintenance

[Vishenka69]

I'm not sure if anyone besides DC Jenn has a pool but if any of you do and take care of it yourself, any words of advice? DH wants to buy an automatic pool cleaner (i.e. Aquabot) and I'm wondering if it's worth the money. We went to a few local stores and did some online research but ended up being even more confused. Since we're not likely to swim every day (it's not TX), I'm not sure getting a pool service will be worth it, so we're trying to figure out how to do it ourselves and so far getting nowhere.

We did have it professionally open and got all the necessary chemicals.

[DCJenn]

Frank comes once a week and charges $160/mo. There's no way we could do that on our own.

Jenn

[MrsK]

Growing up in FL, we maintained our own pool. We had a robot (called it "Jaws") and the pool had a filter. Every weekend would skim leaves out of the pool, brush the tiles (which often involved getting in the pool with a scrub brush), test the ph levels, add chlorine or other chemicals depending on what the pool needed. I think there were chlorine tablets for the filter too. It wasn't a big deal. It was a chore that my brothers and I could do when we were kids -- over 8 and all of us strong swimmmers. With adult supervision for adding chemicals to the pool, of course.

We have an inground pool and use Kreepy Krauly that plugs into an intake valve. It moves around the floor of the pool and sucks up all the floor dirt. The skimmer gets all the surface debris. DH deals with all the chemistry of the pool, backwashes, empties the skimmer basket (ick!), etc. I add shock every once in a while if the test strip says it needs it. We live in WI and have a short swim season. If you're not commited to do the maintenance, then outsource it. If you're not on top of the pool mainetance, it can become a huge deal.

[Vishenka69]

We can't use a robot that plugs into the intake valve, our pool isn't "wired" like that. We can only have one that just plugs into the outlet. I haven't been able to find a recommended outsource source for less than $60/week and that's steep. If a robot lasts more than a season than it pays for itself.

I'm also wondering how much we need to do on weeks that we're not using the pool. It's been so cold and rainy that aside from automatically running the filter, we haven't been able to do much else.

[Momo]

Julie, I would hire someone that is willing to come when you are home so they can teach you the ins and out of the equiptment and the chemicals...buy a trouble shooting guide as well. In time you may chose to DIY or just continue w/a service. See what the costs of 2Xs a month would be.

Wowza Jenn what's w/SA?? We have Rick and he comes once a week @ $75 a month plus the periodic bucket of tabs & occassional acid! Even the chemical costs are better than I what i have researched. They have a greater purchasing power and the owner works out deals. When we first came here he was our pool service guy, then we switched and were sent pot-head burnouts...after a few episodes of the pool going bad (green or black algae growth) we switched back to Rick's company. Oh let's not forget the time where my ILs told DH to get rid of him because they saw what he did and could do it!!!???...they only saw him brushing and skimming. They never saw the care he gave to the various baskets by the pump, nor the care he gave to the filters...they had no clue about the chemicals...the pool went soooo green that winter it looked like a swamp!!! Needless to say we hired him hack even though teir cost is slightly higher than most. Rick is a really nice retiree from Iowa(late50's/early60s) takes pride in his work, plus super he's trustworthy.

[DCJenn]

We have the pool sucker/cleaner (a Polaris) (her name is Daisy) that is one of the valve attached things. Frank or his guy do the chemicals and all of the maintenance and the backwash stuff. We don't buy the chemicals- Frank does.

My husband insists that he can do it. So, when I asked him to wash my car once a month, and he's managed to do that ONCE, you can see why I keep Frank around!

That said, Daisy hasn't been working and I need to follow up with Frank- we JUST paid a boatload for a brand new Daisy.

Jenn

[GrayMatterWife]

Oh, gosh. I don't have anything educated to add re: price, but I do have an opinion about how much work it is to keep up a pool. My DH and I lived in the garage apartment on a really tony (actually, super-wealthy) estate in Highland Park, Dallas, for a while, while DH was in med school. We got it rent-free; DH just had to keep up the pool. It was at least five hours of work every week (MUCH more during the fall, with the leaves), to keep it pristine and crystal clear. Man, I really admired him for all that backbreaking work...it was a lot!

[KCwife]

We have a polaris for our inground pool as well. Makes life much easier.

[Vishenka69]

The company recommend to DH at work that opened our pool charges an arm and a leg for just about everything. We need to find someone new ASAP. Off to search Angie's List. If I can find some decent maintenance guy, we can delay the robot purchase until next summer. I haven't bothered with it too much because it's been so cold and raining all this time and the pool is just useless at the moment.

[Pollyanna]

If you have a pool you need a pool guy.

[DCJenn]

You need to keep an eye on the chemicals- even if it's counter-intuitive because of the weather. Rainwater can really mess up a pool.

Jenn

[Vishenka69]

I really think our house is somehow related to DC Jenn's. In the past 3 weeks DH has found a dead bird, a dead frog and a dead snake in the filter basket. Is it rain related or the norm? I don't see myself using that pool anytime soon regardless of the weather.

[KCwife]

I really think our house is somehow related to DC Jenn's. In the past 3 weeks DH has found a dead bird, a dead frog and a dead snake in the filter basket. Is it rain related or the norm? I don't see myself using that pool anytime soon regardless of the weather.

I refuse to empty the stainer basket because of this reason. Snakes, frogs, etc BLECH! I find that the more it rains the more gross things end up in the strainer.

[Vishenka69]

For some reason dead animals/birds always make me think of DC Jenn. Sorry Jenn.

BIL went swimming in the pool today and didn't seem to have any reaction to the water, so now we think that the chemical mix might not be too bad. Both DH and I were very curious as to his reaction to the water. :P