To maintain your pool yourself - or hire out - thats the question

[geh]

I am a first time pool owner of about three years. I have been in this learning curve for about six month and can tell you it is so much better for you to handle your own chemistry and do it properly than have someone else do it. I was taking stabs in the dark before that, using the advice of the pool store people, and I guarantee their maintenance service would be no better than my previously poor maintenance. Once you get into it, with the advice of the good people here, not only will your water be balanced to more exacting standards, It is relatively easy once you get things balanced. You learn a lot and would never trust others. The Taylor testing kit might seem a little complicated at first, but once you've done it a few times it's intuitive and immensely informative. One thing the pool store people did for me was sell me a lot of different chemicals to add. The approach here is a much more simple and holistic approach, kind of like being on a healthy, whole food diet, rather than eating lots of junk food. Managing your own pool is actually enjoyable, and makes your own pool use more enjoyable. I wish I had discovered this site when we bought our home back in 2017.

 

[geh]

As long as in floor cleaners aren’t what’s gonna pop up....... we can help with the rest. They are 10X the cost and don’t clean half as well as the robot. You are sitting pretty and ahead of the game already.

This! Our pressure side cleaner was nothing but trouble. I replaced every part more than once and honestly it did a terrible job. The pump and plumbing sit idle now, and our $600 robot does an infinity better job.

 

[markayash]

The only thing that would be your fault is hiring a weekly service to verify your SWG is flawlessly doing it’s thing without them.

I felt left out when i added mine. Everyday FC 7. Heavy rain still 7, gone out of town for 10 days..Still clear and at 7.
Just add a little acid every week or 2 and don’t really measure just pour a little in and keep PH between 7.2 and 7.7 ish

 

[Newdude]

I felt left out when i added mine

I started with mine so I never ‘missed’ anything. Just walk out there every week, verify it was still ok and then pet the SWG. Good girl. See ya next week.

 

[JamesW]

I asked the builder about it and this is what they said.

 

[DanF]

...so the contractor is like you REALLY need to be mindful of the chemicals, pH, etc.

But he is only going to check chemistry once a week ??? And add enough chemicals to hopefully last you for 7 days?

Bingo. You can't visit a pool once a week and ensure that the water chemistry is proper. Especially in a Las Vegas summer which is about to start in a couple of weeks

 

[JenniferMarie90]

Bingo. You can't visit a pool once a week and ensure that the water chemistry is proper. Especially in a Las Vegas summer which is about to start in a couple of weeks

When you put it that way lol...I shouldve said that back to him, but we are still in the building process so I will save my comments until after!

 

[bmoreswim]

He’s either a) condescending, b) woefully uninformed, or c) a thief. Or a b-a-c.

 

[zea3]

And I hate to put this out there, but (d) thinks a woman couldn’t possibly understand something as complicated as Pool chemistry.

 

[markayash]

And I hate to put this out there, but (d) thinks a woman couldn’t possibly understand something as complicated as Pool chemistry.

People today don't think for themselves. This Thread is about managing a pool but go sit in a Tire store for an hour and listen...Lots of " sir/Mam your NoSuchPart valve is busted and dangerous to drive, we can fix it today for $650" and 99% of them go " wow OK go ahead". Being an mechanic in my younger years I have to bite my tongue
Our society has become lazy..Seriously people here DO NOT fit that mold But a lot do

 

[wireform]

Guess what, look at how many posts I've got in a short time and I did start with 1. The rest are what I learned and helped other people here thinking I'll never get this pool chemistry stuff. At TFP we spoon feed you with the info you come to seek. In short order you become a pro because your pool will make it happen to you. Have a client/friend that had a problem with his auto cover so he called the original pb. The guy shows up to make the necessary adjustments to the cover and says who does your pool chemistry because we don't have you as a customer. He says Well you know I've a good friend..... he says can I check it for you for free, maybe I can add something. He checks and turns to my friend and says , we can't guarantee this kind of water quality, I've never seen such a perfectly balanced water with crystal clear water. keep using him......

 

[mguzzy]

And I hate to put this out there, but (d) thinks a woman couldn’t possibly understand something as complicated as Pool chemistry.

And Madam Curie never owned a pool... /s [@leebo where's the sarcasm font!]

He checks and turns to my friend and says , we can't guarantee this kind of water quality, I've never seen such a perfectly balanced water with crystal clear water. keep using him......

I have nothing to say in response to this.. it just needed to be quoted!

 

[JenniferMarie90]

And I hate to put this out there, but (d) thinks a woman couldn’t possibly understand something as complicated as Pool chemistry.

You know I wondered that myself but didn’t want to say it.

 

[Homebrewale]

People today don't think for themselves. This Thread is about managing a pool but go sit in a Tire store for an hour and listen...Lots of " sir/Mam your NoSuchPart valve is busted and dangerous to drive, we can fix it today for $650" and 99% of them go " wow OK go ahead". Being an mechanic in my younger years I have to bite my tongue
Our society has become lazy..Seriously people here DO NOT fit that mold But a lot do

Are you saying I was scammed on the headlight fluid change?

 

[Homebrewale]

Ask your PB what test kit he will use. Also ask him for a copy of his FC/CYA chart, and what levels he recomnends for pH, TA, and CH. Then post his answers here.

$140/month AND you have a SWG? So he's gonna pour some acid in, scoop some leaves and go. And if you get a few windy days after his service day you'll need to do the same thing.

He is probably just going to read the recommendations from the manual on the SWG. The recommendations for my SWG is on the backside of the panel door and differs from the recommendations here.

 

[markayash]

Are you saying I was scammed on the headlight fluid change?

If they are brighter your good. Well worth that $225

 

[mguzzy]

Are you saying I was scammed on the headlight fluid change?

I know when I changed my headlight fluid, my windshield wipers worked better.

Stick to your guns.. knowledge is the best weapon. And this is the best place to get that kind of ammo.

 

[markayash]

I know when I changed my headlight fluid, my windshield wipers worked better.

Stick to your guns.. knowledge is the best weapon. And this is the best place to get that kind of ammo.

Being a Mechanic sitting in a tire store is like most of us sitting in a chain pool store watching people come in asking " why is my pool cloudy"..I want to stand up and yell AHHbullsheetCHEW