How to Hire a Swimming Pool Maintenance Pro

Your swimming pool should be a relaxing backyard oasis, but the constant maintenance needed to keep it working correctly can eat up a lot of your time. Hire a pool maintenance pro instead, and your pool will always be ready to use. Here’s how to find a pro who’s experienced, properly insured, and has plenty of satisfied customers you can contact for references.

Benefits of Hiring a Swimming Pool Maintenance Pro

Considering the fact that your pool is worth tens of thousands of dollars at least, it makes sense to hire someone to ensure it stays in pristine shape. If you're curious about what a professional brings to the table, consider these benefits:

• They save you time and effort.

• They can handle more complex work such as repairs to the filtration system or dealing with algae growth.

• They can identify and fix issues like leaks before they become more serious—and expensive—problems.

• They can prolong the life of your pool by keeping it in tip-top shape year after year.

What Is Involved in Swimming Pool Maintenance?

Basic pool maintenance involves three things:

1. Keep it free of debris

2. Put the right chemicals in

3. Ensure the water is circulating well

Keeping the Pool Clean

A net skimmer is good for scooping debris off the surface, but it's also a good idea to get an automatic pool cleaner that roams about on your pool floor to suck up anything that's sunk to the bottom. You should still vacuum your pool on a weekly basis and use a pool brush as well.

Adding the Right Chemicals

Pool water needs the right chemical balance. Keep pool water tests handy so you can ensure that you have the right pH levels, alkalinity, and sanitization. If not, you'll need to add baking soda, chlorine, bromine, or other essential chemicals. Knowing how to raise your pool’s pH or lower the pH is critical for keeping your water’s levels in balance.

Maintaining Good Circulation

Water that is stagnant is unhealthy water, so your pool needs to circulate water well to be safe to swim in. Your pool pump needs to be in good working order to keep algae from growing and contaminants from building up, and you’ll need to know how to clear cloudy water quickly to make your pool safe to swim in again.

You may be able to handle some of these simple maintenance steps yourself. But even if you decide to work off a weekly pool maintenance checklist, you should at least have a professional come out regularly to check for some of the deeper issues mentioned above. It will give you peace of mind and a healthier, longer-lasting pool.

How to Find a Pool Maintenance Pro

If you’ve decided to let someone else handle the heavy lifting of keeping your pool maintained, how can you find the best pro to maintain your pool? 

• Check out local pool maintenance service reviews

• Ask neighbors who have pools who they use

• Take note of service vehicles you see in your neighborhood

Before Hiring a Pool Maintenance Contractor

A little leg work before hiring a pool maintenance contractor can help ensure you have the right pro for the job.

Check Qualifications and References

Reputable pool maintenance pros should have plenty of satisfied customers, so don’t hesitate to ask for references from clients. This will help clue you in to the quality of work and level of customer service.

In addition, verify the pro’s qualifications, ensuring that they have the necessary training, licensing, insurance, and experience to handle the job. 

Get Accurate Quotes

Determine what services you’ll want your pool maintenance pro to perform. You may choose to have them handle every aspect of pool maintenance so you can just float without a worry. Or, you may want someone to tackle the more involved tasks while you handle the smaller stuff yourself. 

Once you know what you’re looking for, reach out to at least three services for quotes. Make sure you know exactly what’s included for the price. The cost of professional swimming pool maintenance is about $1,200 per year. 

Tips for Hiring a Pool Maintenance Pro

Found a great pro for your pool? Here’s how to close the deal.

Ask for a Background Check

Because this pro will have access to your property and will be responsible for what is likely your most expensive backyard feature, a background check will add peace of mind that they’re trustworthy. Reputable pool maintenance pros should have no issue with a background check. Many companies with multiple employees will have already conducted background checks at the time of hire; don’t be afraid to ask for verification of that.

Get a Contract and Arrange Payment

A contract that spells out all the details of service and payment will protect both you and the pool contractor. This way, you’ll have a clear idea of what the business relationship will entail and something to refer to if things take a wrong turn somewhere.

If it’s not already spelled out in the contract, be sure to ask a pool maintenance pro questions like:

• How often will you service my pool?

• How will I need to prepare for your visits?

• How will you let me know if there’s an issue or if a repair is needed?

Look for Red Flags and Prepare to Troubleshoot

During the hiring process, you may encounter red flags that can tell you to go in a different direction. Refusal to provide you with requested information, providing contradictory answers, or being vague in response to specific questions can all be clues that something is amiss.

Once you’ve hired a pro, have a plan for how to proceed if you come across any problems or if the work isn’t up to snuff. With any luck, you’ll never have to use your plan, but it’s good to be prepared in case you do.

After Your Pool Maintenance Pro Has Finished

To keep a good working relationship with your pool maintenance pro, take the following steps:

• Ensure payment is on time and paid in full

• Leave a review or offer to act as a reference if you’re satisfied with the service

• Follow any steps in between visits that your pool pro recommends

D.P. Taylor contributed to this piece.