# Pool maintenance



## Missty (Jul 12, 2007)

At present the pool man is coming round once a week to clean our chlorine, filtered pool, heated but not in operation until April. I'm sure its very skilled job but does he check the chlorine level, put more in and fish the leafs out on most visits? Then less frequently do the vacuuming etc?

Is it sensible to have him come less often, say every two weeks at least until the summer season. 

As he has a key for the gate and I do believe he missed one week, but I didn't mention it and he still asked for the same amount of money.


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## nelinha (Jan 15, 2009)

Hi Missty,
1. Your poolman should check not only chlorine but also acidity levels every week and adjust accordingly by adding hth, soda ash or acid in quantities depending on the size of the pool. There is a chlorine and acid readind apparatus that you yourself can use to do this work, you can buy it at any pool shop and it is not expensive. In South Africa it costs about R50 more or less equivalent to 4 or 5 euros. Unless you are not at the property full time than you need somebody to do it for you. Leaves, branches, dead insects, anything that can contaminate the water should be picked up immediately you see them in the pool as thay can cause rust once they sink to the bottom and also influence your chlorine levels (do you have a marblelite or fibreglass pool?). I check my pool every single day it takes 5 minutes and it's a good way of having some time on your own. Your pump should also be running for at least 6 hours a day. Again this is easy if you have a timer on the pump. If your pool is covered during winter then you can cut costs as the pump will not have to run in winter, also the cover assists in keeping the pool clean, also the water stays warmer! Easy! The basket next to the pump should also be checked and cleaned at least once a week to keep the water flow into the filter constant. If you have a sand filter the sand should be substituted more or less every 5 years. I don't understand something, you say the pool man does the vaccum? Do you not have a vaccum machine which is connected permanentely to your weir (water inflow towards the filter) and does the job automaticaly everytime the pump goes on? Check at the pool shop, some brand names are barracuda, gemini, etc, it's a long hose and at the bottom it has a round flexible disk with a fin, it has a mouth that eats all the rubbish at the bottom of the pool, I couldn't do without mine. If you don't want to look after the pool yourself which is quite easy and not skilled at all, you must keep the poolman once a week at least.
2. As for the poolman missing one day, it depends on the contract that you signed with him wether you still have to pay him or not. If the contract states that he is to maintain the pool clean and in working order, then it doesn't matter if hemisses one day, you still have to pay him. However if the contract states that he has to come x number of days per month or at least once a week and he misses one day, then you don't have to pay him. Read your contract before you confront him. On the other side, some other times he might have done small things that were not provided for in the contract so you must also do a bit of give and take. But definitely you should mention to him that you are aware that he missed one day. If you don't he will think that he can get away with it and will start missing more days. 
I wish I was in Spain, I would come and visit you and teach you how to look after your pool, in Joburg pools are quite common and most property owners look after them themselves. We only call the pool shop if there is something terribly drastic with the machinery.
I hope this helped you, if you have any questions, ask me and I will try to help you as much as possible.
Have a nice summer (when it comes, I believe even Madrid has snow at the moment) and swim lots.
Nelinha


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

I cant see what on earth a pool man could possibly need to do at all in the winter (or in the summer come to that - vaccuumings the only time consuming bit). I put a chlorine tablet in every 2 or 3 weeks and the filter comes on automatically for an hour morning and night and my pools crystal clear. It will probably need vaccuuming in the spring before use and PH levels checked, but that months away.

Jo


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

Hopefully its someone you trust. The Pool Man that looks after the villa down the road turns up a few days before the people who own it are due to arrive and clears it up.

Our pool needs little looking after here, and when I did use someone he used to just pop up every few weeks to do a cursory check.

At the moment I just put chlorine tabs in now and again, and the odd vac.

If you have a pool cover it would need very little work at all


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## decgraham (Apr 24, 2008)

Missty said:


> At present the pool man is coming round once a week to clean our chlorine, filtered pool, heated but not in operation until April. I'm sure its very skilled job but does he check the chlorine level, put more in and fish the leafs out on most visits? Then less frequently do the vacuuming etc?
> 
> Is it sensible to have him come less often, say every two weeks at least until the summer season.
> 
> As he has a key for the gate and I do believe he missed one week, but I didn't mention it and he still asked for the same amount of money.


There is nothing I find more relaxing than vacuuming my pool here in Kuwait, its a piece of cake and I do it once a week unless it been very dusty. Like JoJo I chuck in a tablet every 2 / 3 weeks at the moment as the temperatures are still in the 20's C, when summer comes and we hit 52 /54 C one tablet a week! Testing the water for Chlorine and Ph takes 2 minutes. Try and watch what your pool man does and perhaps you could do it your self in future, it is not difficult I assure you. Good luck.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Missty said:


> I'm sure its very skilled job....


Er, I'm sure it isnt!

Jo x


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## chris(madrid) (Mar 23, 2008)

jojo said:


> ...or in the summer come to that - vaccuumings the only time consuming bit.


Depends if you work Spanish hours or not, Jo - If so, then anything that consumes time is a PITA. Before you ask - I don't have a pool!


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

chris(madrid) said:


> Depends if you work Spanish hours or not, Jo - If so, then anything that consumes time is a PITA. Before you ask - I don't have a pool!


In the winter the only thing I do with the pool is chuck a chlorine tablet in every few weeks which takes no time at all. In the summer I hoover in once maybe twice a week depending on how much dust is on the bottom which takes an hour each time tops and once a week check the PH which takes 5 minutes, i may occasionally skim the surface with a net and clean the surrounding slabs with that aguaforte stuff. The most time consuming thing I've found is playing in it with the kids.

So maybe if you're working long hours in the summer, a pool man once a week??? But it sure as hell isnt rocket science!!!

Jo


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## chris(madrid) (Mar 23, 2008)

jojo said:


> In the summer I hoover in once maybe twice a week depending on how much dust is on the bottom which takes an hour each time


Last years Mrs C(M) decided she wanted a pool - so we had one of those HUGE paddling pools - She was in cleaning every evening. No its not Rocket science - closer to brain surgery I think.

I guess we do have plenty of stiff breezes and the pool was always full of bits off trees insects and bird feathers.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

chris(madrid) said:


> Last years Mrs C(M) decided she wanted a pool - so we had one of those HUGE paddling pools - She was in cleaning every evening. No its not Rocket science - closer to brain surgery I think.
> 
> I guess we do have plenty of stiff breezes and the pool was always full of bits off trees insects and bird feathers.



Aaaahh, you see, you didnt have a built in filter!! Its fun watching things getting carried along and eventually going down the flap. My daughter likes to go out with the net and "save" any drowning insects!!! 

I think maybe for this summer you should get a pool built Chris, for Mrs Chris then she can have a break!

Jo


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## chris(madrid) (Mar 23, 2008)

No, it does have a pump and filter. We do have a lot of trees though, and are surrounded by nature. Give Mrs C(M) a break - hell no - she'd start wandering into the inner sanctum where lathes whirr and oil abounds


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## crookesey (May 22, 2008)

jojo said:


> Aaaahh, you see, you didnt have a built in filter!! Its fun watching things getting carried along and eventually going down the flap. My daughter likes to go out with the net and "save" any drowning insects!!!
> 
> I think maybe for this summer you should get a pool built Chris, for Mrs Chris then she can have a break!
> 
> Jo


Jo panicks as blonde wig disappears through flap, daughter fails to rescue it, disaster.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

crookesey said:


> Jo panicks as blonde wig disappears through flap, daughter fails to rescue it, disaster.



Does it look like a wig???? I'd save myself a fortune on hair dye if it was lol!!!!

Jo xx


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

I know Crookesey, when you come over to Mijas Costa, we must meet up and you can give it a "tug" and see if it comes off in your hand!! 

Jo xx


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## nelinha (Jan 15, 2009)

Hi, If you have an automatic vaccum machine, attach a leaf catcher near the weir, the vaccum will pick up all the dead leaves at the bottom but the leaves will not clog your filter anymore.Nelinha


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