Average Maintenance Costs?

[s6skuzy]

We are looking at purchasing a pool. Can anyone tell us what the average maintenance costs would be per month? We live in MI and would only use the pool on average 5 months out of the year (using heat when necessary). We are considering a 16X32 vinyl liner pool, in a south-facing yard. We are most interested in the rise in electrical and gas costs, chemical costs, and pool opening/closing costs. Thanks in advance...

[rollinrock]

I have IG 16x32 plaster pool facing south also. Live in Pa and get about 4 months use with a heater. Propane is expensive so we dont heat the pool as much as we would like but a guess for popane and electric for running filter 8 to 10 hrs a day is $500.00, pool closing is 275.00, we open it ourselves. If I had enough confidence to blow the lines I would close it myself. I use pucks and bleach so add roughly about 225.00 and a round ball park figure for me is 1000.00 a yr., not counitng iems that you may have to replace during the year for maint, i.e.test kits, vaccum equip., etc.

[Bleach=Chlorine?]

We are looking at purchasing a pool. Can anyone tell us what the average maintenance costs would be per month? We live in MI and would only use the pool on average 5 months out of the year (using heat when necessary). We are considering a 16X32 vinyl liner pool, in a south-facing yard. We are most interested in the rise in electrical and gas costs, chemical costs, and pool opening/closing costs. Thanks in advance...

Chemical - BBB Method should be less than $100-150 a season.
Electrical - Depends on the pump and whether the heater is a electric heat-pump or gas. A high-efficiency 1HP pump would probably be sufficient and that shouldn't cost more than $20/month to run.
Gas - $$$$$$, may want to consider an electric heat pump but that will not heat the water nearly as fast.
Open/Close - Opening the pool is pretty simple, just labor-intensive but would cost between $150-$300 while the closing (in a freezing climate) is more involved and you probably want someone to do it at least the first time. The cost would be in the same window as an opening.

I would think most prohibitive are:
Upfront cost of construction and pool
Replacement liners every 5-10 years
Periodic mechanical/equipment failure of pump, plumbing, filter
Cost of running heater - gas, electric, etc

[pauster]

We have a 16x32 vinyl pool on Long Island, NY.

We run our pump (1 hp) 7 hours a day. It is a 11 amp pump, x 115 V = 1.2656kw x 7 h per day = 8.855 kwh per day. At $.195 per kwh (including fuel surcharges) that's $1.72 per day. For 5 months, it is $260 per year.

Most smaller ( up to 1HP pumps) are in the same range.

If you use a two speed pump you can pay for the difference in cost in about 2-3 years.

To heat the pool you can use gas heaters, heat pumps and solar panels ... I have neither but in May and early June I wish I had :o)

Chemicals - if you regularly maintain the right level - and the friendly folks in this forum will help you - you should be able to spend less than $150 a year.

We open and close ourselves - it is quite easy. We only buy the non-toxic antifreeze at the pool store. I use a shop vac to empty the lines and pour in anti-freeze.

However, your grocery and beverage cost might go up with the effect of more and more frequent visitors !

If I may recommend something - go for high quality components for everything - they will last longer and be more pleasant to use. There is a ton of good advice on pool contstruction in this forum ...

[s6skuzy]

Pauster - Thank you for the breakdown - that helps tremendously. Can you suggest any high quality components that you refer to? The "sky" is not quite the limit, but now's the time to consider this and we are open to considering everything.

Bleach=Chlorine? - would you know the upfront cost differences between the heat pump and the furnace? What about long term?

Rollinrock - thank you for your feedback!

[mkelley]

If you are open to considering everything I'd *strongly* consider using solar to heat your pool.

We had gas and spent $1K one month to heat the pool (okay, not a real good example because it *was* January, but here in Florida the days were in the low 80's and at night it was in the 50's and I foolishly thought I could just heat the pool enough to swim for very little money). In any case, putting in solar has now enabled us to heat the pool for "free" (other than the initial cost there are no other costs as your pool pump provides the power and will be running anyway) and extend the pool season dramatically (solar can usually double your swimming season no matter where you live -- obviously more northerly climes will get less but the season is less to begin with, so you can still double it).

Not having solar put in when we first built the pool was the only mistake I made (doesn't matter too much as you can always add it, but I regret the time I didn't have it :>) If you are going to the trouble and expense for a pool (worth it IMHO no matter what <g>) you should get the most enjoyment you can out of it!

[s6skuzy]

So far, all three quotes have included solar covers - only one has included a solar reel. I had assumed it was the blue bumpy cover that you put over the pool to heat it and keep water from evaporating.

When you refer to having the solar cover "put in" - is this something different than what I described above?

Thanks...

[matt4x4]

Mkelly is talking about solar panels, not solar covers, solar covers are just a blue bubble wrap that floats on the pool, retains the heat over the night time, a reel is between 200 and 500 bucks - that just lets you roll the cover up neatly.
Solar panels are black sheets that your water pumps through and dramatically increases the temperature of your water without burning up any more electricity or gas, it uses the sun's energy to heat your pool - a great investment and return on investment. If you have the room to place them or a roof to put them on they are the best! I would not even consider a gas or electric heater, matter of fact, I was advised against them by everyone that has owned one since the operating costs are ridiculous. Solar panels cost less on innitial purchase cost than a heater would too, so you save right away.

[s6skuzy]

Thank you for that clarification! By any chance, would you be able to refer me to a website that would show what these panels look like? I live in the inside of a subdivision with some rules - and I guess, depending on the appearance or size, this concept might not be approved. Thanks again.

[matt4x4]

there are many available, most look like this:
these are mine - on the ground, then there are some you can customize in size length to suit your install...like the links to these other threads

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/matt4x4/100_2895.jpg

http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?t=3409

http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?t=3103&highlight=part

[mkelley]

We're also in a community with rules -- indeed, I doubt whether you could have *more* rules than we do <bg> (over 55 communities are just paranoid, I guess). In any case, not only is solar allowed, it *has* to be allowed (due to federal energy guidelines) so I would assume the case would be true with you as well (at least if you can put the panels on your roof).

Indeed, while we need to get permission to plant a bush anywhere on our yard, and can't have a flagpole or paint our house an "unapproved" color, folks here just go ahead and install solar without asking. I suspect if you start looking around at your community you will see that is the case, that there are homes with pools that have solar panels on the roof.

[Pool_Mike]

WoW!! how in the heck are you guys only spending about 150.00 a year on the pump it-self?


I been reading off garden web and the average joe is spending at least $80.00 more a month on it's electricity bill every month.

I don't know, maybe b/c in NY or MI the summer is not as hot?

Unless I mistaken this, I feel that I will be spending at least $80-$100 additional a month just on the electric due the the pump usage :(

[mkelley]

That's certainly the case with me, Mike. I feel my electric bill is about $80 per month for the pump.

However, recently I've lowered the number of hours it runs and I'm hoping to cut that in half. Let's say that's so -- then $160 per season would be correct for a four month pool season (quite often the case without solar).

Before we bought the pool I understood the pump would be the biggest user of electricity next to air conditioning, and it's turned out to be the case. Then again, I have a 2 1/2hp pump (which apparently is overkill for our size pool).

Perhaps if you correctly size the pump AND run it the proper number of hours to clean the pool without over running it, then you can keep your costs down.