Cost to Operate and Maintain a Pool

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M

Movingagain

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Aug 26, 2012
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I understand that their are a number of variables, but I am looking for a best ballpark figure to operate and maintain a pool in Riverside California, specifically Murrieta.

I don't know how big of a pool as of yet, as we are looking to move back to California, so I don't have a house picked out as of yet.
Brian
 
There are way too many variables. How many gallons? Vinyl, plaster, Pebble-Tec? What kind of sanitation? Salt pool? What kind of pumps? Heated? Just a pool or pool/spa combo? Will you be doing BBB or using a pool store for supplies? Those are just a few that will make a huge difference in cost. I could tell you what it cost me , but your cost could easily be double or more. It could also be half, so it wouldn't mean very much.
 
My preference is Salt water. How big, I don't know.
Plaster
Pool and spa combo
I will handle the chemicals use a pool sto for supplies.
Again I am just looking for A ball park.. How big is your pool,pool and spa? Are we talking around $500-$800 a month, or $250-$300? Just looking for some sort of guidelines, wondering if I should stay way from it all together? I hate community pools, and in Murrieta, it is warm during the summer, so I want to take advantage of it.
 
We live in very different locations, but on the BBB it costs me about $500 a year on chemicals, and approximately $50 monthly dePending on run times for our 17,000 gal pool. We do not have a spa and We do not use our heater often, but if we did it would increase our gas bill considerably over what it is normally...
 
Your biggest cost by far will be energy. I run my pump 24/7.

That costs around 80 bucks a month. Add in water and bleach and I'm under 110 a month.

Oh, and worth every single penny. It cost me much more to water my lawn than operating the pool.
 
I live in Tustin, CA and my entire home electric bill (no A/C) runs about $150 per month running my pump & salt system about 4.5 hours per day which I know is low, but it works for me - clear water and no algae. I probably spend about $20/month on acid, but I'm trying to reduce that. The only chemical I buy at the pool store is acid.
 
24/7 will bankrupt you in California. No pool should need more than a turnover a day and even at that, if you choose an energy efficient two speed or variable speed pump, you can keep the energy costs in check.

A typical pool run at one turn per day and assuming a 3/4 FRHP two speed pump, the pump will use about 38 kwh/10000 gallons @ 1.6 hours/day.

So if you have a 20k pool and pay $0.30/kwh, that will be about $23/month. 24/7 would put the cost at $173/month.
 

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I'd say you also have to figure in long term maintenance....replacing the pump & filter - I did that 1st year we opened the pool - 8 years ago now
Replacing odds & ends - hand skimmers, toys/floats, patio furniture, umbrella's...etc etc
I have a vinyl liner, so 9 years after we bought the house that is being replaced
I know we spend less then $200 a yr on chemicals & water maintenance - switched to rainwater for top off last year
I only run the pump as needed, 4-8 hours a day.
Our pool was down this year & Junes electric bill was $11 less then last year (open pool in May), July was $34 less, Aug $41 less

Our pool is open June-Sept so maybe about $100 a month, then long term maintenance might be another $200 a year not counting big purchases
 
My salt pool/spa adds $40-50 per month to my electric bill. Maybe $10 to my water bill (high evaporation in a desert), and $15 for chemicals (mostly just acid). In addition you need to allow for about $500 or so annually in misc repair items. Some years nothing and some lots of repair cost.

So I would guess my total cost is right around $125 per month. But some months were $1,000+, while others $50.
 
When I ran my filter 24/7 in Michigan we were using roughly an extra $100/mo. electricity - possibly more when having to fill or refill because we're on well and the pump uses power. With heat, if you have a shady pool, want to extend your season, or like having am temps of 80 and upward after a cool 60s night AND you don't use a cover (but do use cover free ) you can run anywhere from about $150 - $300 a month in natural gas (or more if you like it really warm).

Your greatest monthly pool expense IMHO will be tequila, craft beer, and steak from your ample opportunities to entertain. That will make even the heating bill pale by comparison ;)
 
I'm in Long Beach and I only spend about $10 a month on chemicals, acid only. When we added the pool our electric bill went up $150-$200 a month more. Not sure how much of my SWG cost to run, but it is included in the $150-$200 a month. My season is extended due to my solar panels, so I run my 2-speed on high for a good portion of the time. I run my pump for 10+ hours a day during the swim season and 3 hours in the off season. Off season total costs is less than $75 a month but we use the spa 3-4 nights a week during the off season.
 
Some people already touched on the fact that you need to look at "the big picture". When you want to know the total costs, you need to look at every cost the pool adds.

Insurance increase
Chemicals
Pumping energy
Heating energy
Water costs
Expense items (gaskets, lube, DE, etc)
Capital Items (pump motors, filters, controllers, SWG)

So a lot is going to depend on your set-up, how you use it, and your energy costs.

You did get answers on how much energy a typical pump/filter will use in your area, as well as average chemical costs (I spend about $25 a month on chemicals myself).

See if your insurance rates are going to go up, and take a look at what kind of equipment you would like to have and it's cost and expected life span.

-dave
 
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