Owning a pool is enjoyable, but sometimes, the maintenance can be too much to do on your own. Between balancing chemicals, clearing out debris, and checking and fixing equipment, the amount of work you need to be doing can build up. That’s where professional services come in—to make the job easier for you and to help you maximize your enjoyment.
If you are new to pool maintenance or just used to doing things on your own, you may find yourself looking up “professional pool cleaning services near me” unsure of what exactly to look for. When you don’t know what you’re looking for, you may not always get the best quality of service. So, start taking down notes as we tell you what to expect from a professional, for weekly, monthly, and seasonal services.
Weekly Service Essentials
To maintain a clean and healthy pool, consistency is key. So, you may want to consider getting a routine weekly service for regular upkeep. You can expect three main things for your weekly services.
Surface Cleaning
Your service provider should always clean the surface of your pool. This includes skimming and clearing out bugs, leaves, or any debris that have found their way into the water. They should brush down the walls and steps to avoid algae build-up. This is important to keep your pool looking clean at all times.
Water Chemistry Testing and Balancing
One of the most important aspects of pool maintenance is water chemistry. That’s why your service provider should be consistently checking the chemical levels of your water. Some of the chemical levels they should be measuring are: pH, chlorine, alkalinity, and calcium hardness. If anything’s off, professionals should add the right chemicals to fix it to make sure that your water stays safe to swim in.
Equipment Inspection and Maintenance
A regular equipment check helps you avoid long-term issues with broken equipment Your service provider should take a look at your equipment including the pump, filter, and skimmer baskets. Professionals know what to look out for to check if there are any defects. In case any of your equipment hit a snag, your provider will know how to fix it.
Monthly and Quarterly Services
Aside from the weekly maintenance tasks, there are bigger jobs that do not require weekly attention but are still super important in keeping your pool in top shape. These are usually tasks that need to be done every 1-3 months. So, depending on how often you use your pool, you may want to look into getting these services done monthly or quarterly.
Filter Deep Cleaning
Your pool filter does a lot of the heavy lifting to keep your water clean, so a deep cleaning every month or so is important to keep in pristine condition. Regardless of the type of your filter, it’s important to make sure that the pressure gauge does not read 8-10 psi above its starting level, if it does, it may be time for you to schedule a deep clean. Take note of how often your filter should be deep cleaned depending on its type.
- Sand Filters: every 4-6 weeks
- Cartridge Filters: every 2-3 months
- DE filters: once a year
Making sure that your filter stays clean ensures that your water and pool system remain working efficiently. Furthermore, this should increase the lifespan of your pool equipment.
Tile and Deck Cleaning
The constant exposure of your pool tiles and deck to dirt and debris, mineral and algae build-up and staining can happen. Scheduling a cleaning should help you avoid these things. During a tile and deck cleaning, your service provider should scrub and clean the waterline tiles to remove any calcium buildup or other stains and clean the pool deck. This improves the appearance of your pool and reduces possible slipping hazards.
Pool Surface Inspection
A quarterly inspection of your pool’s surface should help you catch early signs of wear and tear to your pool and equipment. During your provider’s inspection, they should carefully check for cracks, rough spots, and any discoloration on the pool surface.They should look at your equipment and sometimes even your water to see if they’re in pristine condition. If done correctly, they should be able to spot any possible issues, therefore saving you a lot of money, time, and energy on possible costly repairs in the future.
Seasonal Services
To ensure that your pool stays in great shape year-round, seasonal services are a must. Here are a few things that are important to do as the weather changes to help you maintain a good swimming environment.
Spring Opening Services
When pool season starts, a professional opening service helps keep everything clean and safe. If you get opening services, your service provider should inspect all pool equipment and electrical safety before anything else. This means ensuring that everything is safe to run including pumps, heaters, and other equipment. From there, they should open your pool and install accessories like ladders and handrails. They should also test and balance the water and give your pool a good cleaning. Having a professional help you with opening your pool in the spring gives you the peace of mind that everything is exactly as it should be.
Fall/Winter Preparation
In the off-season, it becomes very important to close and winterize your pool. A good winterization service should do a thorough cleaning of the pool, lower water levels, add in winterizing treatment and algaecide, and securely install your pool winter cover. Additionally, they should inspect and prepare your pumps and plumbing for possible freezing weather. Having a professional properly close your pool protects it from the harsh weather that the winter may bring.
Special Circumstances
Outside of your usual routine, there may be once-in-a-while events that make your pool require extra attention. Oftentimes, these are unexpected and uncontrollable, but having a professional look into what you can do after these events is always a good idea. Some of these circumstances include:
- After a thunderstorm
- Algae outbreaks
- Cloudy or discolored water
- Stained pool surface
- Unusual odors coming from the pool
- Bowed deck
- Equipment failure or malfunction
In these cases, your pool service provider should perform any necessary tests and inspections, cleanings, and treatments to get all of your systems back to normal. They should be able to get your pool ready for use once again.
What You Shouldn’t Have to Ask For (A truly professional pool service doesn’t need reminders to:)
There are certain things that are just non-negotiable when you hire a professional pool service. These are things that should happen without reminders and checklists coming from you. A truly professional pool tech should know what your pool needs without you having to follow up. Here are some basics that should always be part of the cleaning service, no questions asked:
- Skimming and Cleaning the Surface
A good pool service will make sure that your pool surface is clean every visit. This implies taking care of all leaves, bugs, and debris that make it into your pool. Any leftover debris risks throwing off your filtration system and water chemistry. - Test and Balance the Water
Water chemistry is vital for swimmer safety and pool longevity. Whenever they visit for a cleaning, your pool technician should be testing and adjusting your pool’s chemical levels—including pH, chlorine, alkalinity, and calcium hardness. - Brush Pool Walls and Steps
Algae often hides in easily overlooked spots and quickly builds up in your pool. A reliable pool service provider will regularly brush down your pool walls, steps, and corners to keep your water fresh. - Vacuum the Bottom
Sometimes, there are things that just settle at the bottom of your pool, but they shouldn’t be settling down there for long if you hire a good pool cleaning service provider. They should vacuum any dirt or debris that made its way to the floor of your pool. - Communicate with You
If there are any issues—whether they require additional services or not—you should know. A good technician doesn’t just fix your pool, they should keep you in the loop and let you know what’s going on.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What should I look for in a pool cleaning service?
Aside from good customer reviews and a good reputation, you should also look for diverse service offers and clear pricing lists.
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What’s typically included in a standard pool cleaning visit?
A reliable pool cleaning service should typically do all the basics such as skim your surfaces, vacuum your pool floor, brush your pool walls, and test your water.
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How much should I expect to pay for professional pool cleaning in San Diego?
In San Diego, a professional pool cleaning service should cost around $100 to $200, depending on the size and condition of your pool.
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Can I switch between DIY maintenance and professional service?
Yes! In fact, most pool owners do the same—taking care of basic maintenance tasks by themselves, but having professionals do the more technical tasks like pool shocking and equipment handling.
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How long should a typical pool cleaning visit take?
Around 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the size and condition of your pool.
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Should I be home when the pool service comes?
You don’t have to be home when the pool service comes as long as they have access to your pool. Even if you’re not around, some pool service companies provide transparency reports of everything that was done to your pool.
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How do I know if my current pool service is doing a good job?
A good pool service should always keep your surfaces looking clean and your water chemistry balanced. Another good sign to look out for is communication—your service provider should always be open about their services.
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What should I do if I’m not satisfied with my pool service?
Communicate your dissatisfaction with your service providers. However, if your dissatisfaction continues, you may be better off switching to a different provider.
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Can pool service help reduce my chemical and energy costs?
Yes, by making sure everything’s well functioning, therefore limiting your expenses on excessive chemical and energy usage.
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How do I know if I need more than just basic service?
If you are facing consistent issues on water clarity or if you happen to have faulty equipment, you may need to upgrade to premium services. You may need services like a deep clean or equipment upgrade if you continue to face problems regardless of regular maintenance efforts.
Final Thoughts
Hiring a professional pool service should bring you peace of mind, without having to do much work. You deserve water that’s clean and service that’s consistent and dependable. The next time you hire a “pool cleaning service near me,” don’t forget to look out for all the necessary things your provider should be doing.
If you’re tired and in need of a good swim, but the water’s murky and you’re unsure of what to do, let Cabana Pools help you. Scheduling a service with us only takes 5 minutes and your peace and safety are prioritized forever. Your pool and you deserve services that keep you relaxed. Contact us today and swim easy tomorrow.
