Maintaining a commercial pool requires an ongoing financial commitment, but it doesn’t have to be an overwhelming financial burden. There are steps that every facility can take to help manage operating pool costs. Being conscious and consistent with budget-friendly efforts will keep your pool’s expenses affordable all year long. Try these tips to maintain your pool and keep your pool spending under control.

Conserve Water

Swimming Pools lose water in several ways. Some water loss is simply part of normal operations like backwashing and splash-out from swimmers. Water loss through evaporation, leaks, lack of winter care, and excessive backwashing can be wasteful and unnecessary. Every bit of lost pool water runs up the water bill and wastes chemicals. Take the proper steps to ensure the most water conservation. This way, your facility will save money on water costs throughout the year.

Use pool covers. Automatic pool covers and solar covers, also known as solar blankets, help minimize evaporation when the pool isn’t being used. Protecting the water surface from coming into contact with fresh air can make a big difference especially for heated pools on cool nights. Winter pool covers help keep leaves and other debris out of the pool in the off season so that you will have a better chance of salvaging the water the following season. 

Block the wind. Evergreen hedges, walls, and windscreens help reduce evaporation water loss that increases under windy conditions. 

Don’t keep your pool too warm. Heated pools lose more water to evaporation than non-heated pools. The warmer the pool, the greater the evaporation, especially when the air is cool and has low humidity. Of course, running your heater non-stop can waste energy as well. 

Find and fix leaks. If water loss seems excessive, have a pool professional inspect your pool for leaks. After a visual inspection, a pressure test may be in order to locate the problem. If any leaks are found, get them repaired immediately to prevent extra water and chemicals from escaping your pool.

Turn off fountains and waterfalls. When the pool isn’t in use, turn off any water features. These features may use additional pumps and lighting that draw power. Cascading water is a gorgeous site, but it can contribute to splash-out and evaporation. These features can be programmed on timers or connected to controls that allow you to start them up when you and your guests are there to enjoy them.

Don’t keep the water level higher than necessary. Keep water at an appropriate level, typically half way up the tile line. A pool that is overfilled will experience more splash out and be more likely to leak through the skimmer facings which may not be sealed all the way up to the coping stones. Pools with automatic fill systems keep operators from accidentally overfilling them. There are also devices with automatic shut-offs that can be attached to a garden hose when filling up before the pool season or after pool hours to prevent overfilling. 

Don’t backwash longer or more often than needed. The average two-minute backwash uses about 200 gallons of water. To prevent water waste from backwashing, never backwash too long or too often.

Purchase Pool Chemicals Early and in Bulk

Sometimes pool chemical suppliers run specials early in the season. It’s a good idea to take advantage of these sales, because your facility will need these products throughout the season. Whether you’re able to purchase pool chemicals that are on sale or not, buy them in bulk! It’s especially smart to buy your pool sanitizer and shock in bulk, because you will use them frequently. Buying in bulk saves money in the long run. Keep records of chemical usage to help plan for future purchases. 

Store Chemicals Properly

Proper storage is essential for safety reasons, but it also assures that you don’t lose material to rain or even just exposure to damp conditions. Chemicals should be stored as per the manufacturers’ instructions, in compliance with OSHA and the local health authority. Keeping chemicals off the ground, sealed, on a palette, and sheltered from rain and the sun is important to maintaining their efficacy. 

Use a Solar Cover

Solar covers help cut energy costs by maintaining heat in the pool. They do this by attracting heat from the sun. If you use a solar cover at night, even though the sun isn’t out, it still helps keep heat from escaping the pool. Even if you already have a pool heater, use your heater and a solar cover together to help cut energy costs. How? Turn your pool heater to the desired temperature, shut it off, then cover the pool with the solar cover. Doing this helps heat from the heater last longer. Therefore, you won’t have to run the heater as often.

Maintain Pool Chemistry

Failure to consistently maintain the water chemistry could result in the pool water turning cloudy or green. Once the pool is in this state, it costs more money to get it clean again. More maintenance, chemicals, and associated costs will be required. However, if you maintain good chemistry, this can be avoided.

Use Chlorine Stabilizers 

Chlorine stabilizers help prevent the sun from eating away at the chlorine in your facility’s pool. Without them, the sun may cause chlorine to not last as long. Adding stabilizers helps maintain chlorine in your pool longer so it’s able to combat bacteria and other harmful contaminants. Check with the local health authority as not all jurisdictions allow chlorine stabilizers in commercial pools. 

Plan

Have a pool professional inspect your pool at the close of every season. They should be able to offer quotes for preventative maintenance and provide estimates for larger projects. Do the repairs before equipment fails on your schedule vs. an emergency schedule. Emergency repairs are always more expensive and are more likely to result in lost pool time. Having a plan to maintain your pool allows you to budget and reduce surprise expenses

Maintaining a commercial pool is a big responsibility. Take the proper precautions and steps towards keeping pool maintenance costs down so that your facility is successful at maintaining the pool on a budget. Whether you need help with inspections, leak detection, or mechanical systems, American Pool has got you covered! Learn more about the professional services we offer here.