Before you decide whether it makes financial sense for you to install a pool, take some time to consider your options and costs.
What Does It Require To Operate a Pool
Operating a pool that’s open to the public or members requires certain equipment and services. Some of the most important requirements include:
- Insurance that protects you (and your business) from liability
- A pump system that circulates the water
- A filtration system that removes debris from the water
- Chemicals that kill unsafe bacteria and algae
- Employees qualified to work as lifeguards
- Maintenance that keeps every aspect of your pool functional and safe
Although not essential, you can make your pool more appealing by adding a heater that warms the water.
If you want a pool for a private residence that isn’t open to the public, you don’t need to worry about hiring a lifeguard. However, you should talk to your insurance provider to learn whether opening a pool will increase the cost of your policy.
Do You Drain a Pool Every Year?
If you operate an outdoor pool in an area that experiences cold winters, you should drain it before the water can freeze. Water expands when it turns into ice, which could damage your pool and its equipment.
If you have an outdoor pool in a warm area, you probably don’t need to drain it every year. That’s also true of indoor pools. Instead, consider draining the pool every three to five years so you can add fresh water.
How Often Does a Pool Need Maintenace?
Pools require different types of maintenance at various intervals. For example, you will need someone to test the water quality multiple times per day to ensure safety. You will also need to vacuum the pool at least twice a week.
For outdoor pools, equipment maintenance should happen at the beginning and end of the swimming season. This will help you catch small mechanical issues before they turn into problems that require expensive replacements.
An indoor pool needs maintenance at least once per year. However, many owners have professionals inspect and maintain equipment on a quarterly basis.
Outside of regular maintenance, you might need to replace parts when they stop functioning as expected. Ideally, you can address serious issues, such as a failing pump or filter, before the equipment stops working. That way, you can have a professional repair the systems outside of your operating hours.
Members can continue using the pool while you keep it in excellent condition. When equipment fails suddenly, you need to close the pool and have someone fix the problem as soon as possible.
What Is The Easiest Pool to Maintain?
As you explore your pool options, expect to find four popular types:
- Concrete with aggregate walls
- Concrete with tile walls
- Fiberglass
- Vinyl
Each material has its pros and cons. For example, fiberglass resists algae, so they are relatively easy to keep clean. However, fiberglass comes in limited sizes and configurations. It’s easy to find fiberglass pools for residential areas, but it’s much harder to find large fiberglass pools for a business.
Concrete is always a good option for in-ground pools. Although concrete requires more cleaning than vinyl, it doesn’t need much maintenance. Many concrete pools can last a decade or longer before they need repairs.
How Much Does It Cost To Operate a Pool Per Day?
The cost of operating a pool depends on several factors, including how many gallons of water the pool holds, the price of water in your area, and the type of material used to build the pool.
On average, you can expect to pay about $0.03 per 10 gallons of water. A 15,000-gallon pool, therefore, will cost about $45 to fill. Keep in mind that prices can vary significantly by location. You could pay twice as much in a dry area with a municipal government that wants to limit water usage.
Spread out over the swimming season, the cost of water is very low. It’s often less than $1 per day.
You can also expect to see your electricity bill increase slightly because the pump and filter will run throughout the day.
Overall, expect to pay $2 to $5 per day operating a residential pool. A much larger pool at a business, however, will cost much more because you need to pay staff members and secure a reliable insurance policy.
What Is The Lifespan of a Pool?
A pool’s lifespan will depend on the type of material it’s made of and how often it receives maintenance. Typically, you can expect a fiberglass pool to last 30 years or longer. Vinyl pools usually last 10 to 15 years, but they’re relatively inexpensive to replace.
Concrete gives you the longest lifespan. The only downside is that you will need to have the walls resurfaced about once per decade. That means draining the pool and paying a team of professionals to do the work.
Are Houses with Pools Harder To Sell?
Adding a pool to a home can make the real estate harder to sell. However, that largely depends on your local market.
Before installing a pool, research homes in the area to determine whether most of them have pools. If most properties have pools, buyers will probably expect to find a place to swim in your home.
If most properties in the area don’t have pools, that might indicate that people see them as a nuisance. It probably doesn’t make financial sense to install a pool in this situation. Doing so could make it harder to sell the property, which likely means the pool lowers the value of your real estate.
Really, though, it depends on your local culture and whether people view pools as welcome attractions or asset-consuming problems.
Even in areas where people expect pools, adding one probably won’t increase a home’s value much. At most, expect the home value to increase $0.07 for every dollar you spend on the pool.
How Much Does It Cost To Operate a Pool?
Operating a pool doesn’t cost much. On the high end, a residential pool will cost about $5 per day ($150 per month). In many cases, though, you might find yourself paying as little as $2 per day ($60 per month) during the swimming season.
The operating costs are tiny compared to installation and maintenance. An inground, backyard pool made of concrete will cost at least $30,000 to install. It’s a serious investment. A commercial pool for a business can cost hundreds of thousands to install.
Ongoing maintenance costs will vary. Expect to pay a few hundred dollars per year. If equipment fails, though, you could spend thousands on essential repairs. When you add the price of installation and maintenance, it becomes much more difficult to estimate the daily cost of owning a pool.
For the most part, it’s not a great idea to install a pool in an investment property. It adds to your costs without increasing the property’s value much. Make sure your research your area’s real estate market before committing to a pool installation or repair.