Holydoc
Gold Supporter
- Jul 17, 2016
- 491
- Pool Size
- 17500
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
How much did you spend on pool maintenance this summer?
- Thread starter bjbarlowe
- Start date
Eventually we will go for the inground with enclosure. Hey, a man can dream.
One of our members put a greenhouse over their pool!! Looks great!
- Oct 25, 2015
- 5,144
- Pool Size
- 25000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
So I got a little concerned about my methodology since my bleach costs are so low (but not unprecedented based on other results on this site). My costs previously mentioned were on an annual basis of liquid bleach purchases and the question was really directed at summer season. My bleach costs are lower during winter months since even here in S FL we do get cooler temps for a couple of months. Just to be sure I decided to triangulate with different methodology. To do this I spot-checked based on actual bleach demand over the past 5 days corrected for FC difference. This method gives slightly higher bleach consumption at 3.1 gal per month (see below) and seems to triangulate with the annual costs which should be lower when lower cost months are averaged in.
Importantly, pool chemicals are still insignificant compared to the "other liquids" consumed and the fun/cost value proposition remains unscathed!
I hope this clarifies.
Chris
| Day 1 | DAY F | Days | FC Delta | OZ Added | FC/D | Gal/Mo |
| 15-Oct | 20-Oct | 5.00 | 1.00 | 64.00 | 12.80 | 3.10 |
- May 23, 2015
- 24,403
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
One can expect a clean, algae-free uncovered pool to use anywhere form 2-4ppm FC per day. Any time you add something on top of the water, e.g., enclosure, cover, etc., you're going to change that loss rate because the biggest driver of FC loss is UV photolysis. For example, I covered my pool in the spring with a simple translucent blue bubble cover. The reduction in UV light getting to my pool was enough to make my FC spike up to double the normal levels I keep it at. Therefore I have to dial back my SWG quite a bit to compensate (my pH also stabilized with barely any acid demand at all). An enclosure probably lets in more UV than a bubble cover, but the reduced exposure is probably enough to make the FC demand noticeably lower.
I honestly have not kept up. Whe I opened in the Spring, I bought 6 jugs of liquid chlorine at Wal-Mart for $2.50 each ($15.00). I purchased 4 bags of pool salt, which I guess was about $6 each, so that's another $24. I did buy the 16oz CYA reagent on Amazon for $15. I paid $13 for stabilizer (also on Amazon), purchased a big bag of baking soda at Wal-Mart (about $8), and twice purchased PH Down (about $7.50 each). I know muriatic acid is preferred here, but I don't need to add acid enough where I am concerned about Sulfur levels, and I'd prefer handling the dry stuff.
I guess that totals to a little under $80.
I guess that totals to a little under $80.
- Oct 25, 2015
- 5,144
- Pool Size
- 25000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
Matt,
Thanks for the addition information... adds confidence my numbers are correct and in the ball-park of realistic. I've got a good friend that has a pool in Texas where he is open air and has some tree shade but also a lot of debris in the pool. He's had major algae problems all year. After visiting us he was amazed at how sparkling clear the pool was for very little cost. So he went home and fired the pool service, slammed the pool per tfp method and switched to the tfp method. His chlorine use is a little over 3ppm/day right in the middle of your range. His pool has looked as good as mine ever since; this makes the 4th friend of mine to become a tfper this year!
Chris