Frequently Asked Questions

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Many people moving to Florida from northern climates mistakenly equate having a pool with also having a ton of extra work. If you, your friends, or family members owned pools up North, then chances are you have a good reason to believe this… up North it’s a fact!  What you may not know is that in Florida, pool ownership can involve almost no work at all!

One of the best features of swimming pools in Florida vs. the North is that almost all of them come with a screen enclosure.  There is no worry of snow collapsing a screen enclosure here in sunny Florida!  While screen enclosures are primarily installed to meet the requirements of the pool safety code, there are actually many benfits.  One of the best features of having a screen pool enclosure is that it provides protection frominsects, grass clippings, leaves and even unwanted visitors such as snakes, birds, frogs, lizards, and of course alligators!  In most cases, pool maintenance in Florida is an absolute breeze with a screen enclosure.

Adding a swimming pool to your backyard in Florida is one of the most incredibly rewarding things you’ll ever do.  There are numerous benefits to owning your own pool, including cooling off, sunbathing, low impact exercise, entertaining friends and family, staycation opportunities, and the sheer beauty of a sparkling body of water in your own backyard... every, single, day!

There’s no better way to relax and cool off in the summer than jumping into your own backyard pool! 18 Holes of golf? Jump in the pool!  4 Hour Pickleball marathon? Jump in the pool! Kids (or grandkids) driving you crazy? Jump in the pool!  Even during the hottest months of the year, you can still enjoy the outdoors, and stay cool doing it.  What about winter? Of course, here in Florida it doesn’t get that cold during the winter, which is a great thing, since you never have to close down your pool.  In fact a lot of people with pools in Florida swim year round.  However, if the water seems a little too chilly for you during the winter months, you can always heat your swimming pool.  Although having a heated pool is not a requirement here in Florida, it can certainly extend your swimming season to allow you to swim in comfort.  With a heated pool, night swimming can also be an enjoyable activity.

The Sunshine State seems to never run out of sunny days.  One of the favorite activities enjoyed by millions in the state is sun bathing.  Though most of us love to go sun bathing, doctors now recommend limiting your UV exposure to reduce the chance of melanoma.  Another significant benefit of the screen enclosures on our pools here in Florida is that they significantly reduce the amount of UV rays that can reach a swimmer or sun bather.  In fact there are many different types of screening available that are specifically designed to reduce the amount of sun exposure.  If you are at risk of melanoma, choosing one of these advanced screen types can allow you to enjoy your pool for even longer amounts of time without the increased risk of too much sun.

There’s no arguing that exercise plays an important part in increasing our quality of life and longjevity.  Swimming is one of the best exercises known to science and is recommended by doctors and fitness experts around the world.  Not only is it a great cardiovascular exercise that helps increase the strength of your heart but it also takes a lot of the impact and stress off of your joints and body in general.  If you are recovering from an injury or even surgical procedure such as a joint replacement, many doctors recommend exercising in a pool because it enables you to stay fit while minimizing the impact on your body and speeding recovery. 

Recently, “staycations” have become one of the most popular ways to relax, destress, and enjoy friends and family.  During the hottest months of the year, millions of people spend billions of dollars spending days on the beach at some faraway destination to relieve themselves from the hot summer heat. Staycations allow families to relax and get together while avoiding the huge travel expenses and risks of vacations away from the home.  This saves families thousands of dollars, and if they add up the cost of several vacations, they could most certainly afford a pool! Having a pool in your backyard allows you to enjoy your family and friends, any time you want, all in the comfort of your own home.

Maintaining a pool in Florida is much less expensive than most people think!  Choices for maintenance include doing it yourself, or hiring a local pool cleaning company.  Depending on the pool and the equipment used, cleaning a pool can take between 20 minutes and 45 minutes. Most pool maintenance services using professional tools can clean a pool in 20 minutes or less.

If you are a do it yourselfer, or a retiree with time on your hands, cleaning your own pool is a breeze.  A standard pool typically only requires about 30 minutes of your time, once a week, to be properly maintained. The best part is, you can do most of the hard work while you are swimming!  Most new pool builds will include everything you need to clean your pool, such as a dip net, pole, brush, hose, vacuum, and test kit.  If your pool did not come with these items, they can be purchased at most big box stores or online for around $75.

The process of weekly cleaning includes 4 main steps: brush the tile line, walls and floor,  skim the water of any large debris, empty the skimmer basket, and balance the water. The first 3 steps don’t cost you anything but your time.  The last item is the only expense involved.  Dip a test strip in the water, and compare the water chemistry indicators to the colors on the bottle.  If the water chemistry is off, you will needed to adjust it.  Most pools use just 3 chemicals to properly balance the pool water: chlorine, acid, and chlorine stabilizer.  It’s not witchcraft or rocket science, the test kit will tell you what you need, if anything.  Adding the chemicals takes just a few minutes.  As far as purchasing the chemicals, they are readily available in many places: pool supply stores, hardware stores, big box stores, and even some grocery stores carry pool supplies.  In terms of the chemical costs, most pools can be regularly maintained for under $30 per month.  Regular weekly maintenance is the key to keeping the water clean and the maintenance costs down.  Failure to maintain a regular cleaning schedule results in water chemistry that can get out of balance, causing the need to buy additional chemicals.

If the idea of regular scheduled maintenance doesn’t suit you, hiring a pool maintenance company is easy and inexpensive.  While not as cheap as the do it yourself route, it’s not as costly as most people think.  In general, the most reliable pool service providers in Florida will clean your pool 52 times a year for only $1,200!  That’s less than $25 per visit!  And, it includes the $30 of chemicals that was previously mentioned.  While some larger pools with spas and water features may cost extra, you can expect to spend around $100-$150 per month in most locations throughout Florida.  In areas with lots of pools, there will be 5-10 different pool service companies in any given area.  That doesn't include all of the smaller one or two person companies that are around.  Of course, you should do your best to check prices, reputation, and recommendations from your neighbors or pool builder before you make a decision.  However, if it turns out you are not satisfied with the pool service, never fear... there are likely a dozen other companies you can call!  

A swimming pool is a significant investment, and like most investments, it will need periodic attention.  Although the structure of a swimming pool can last more than a century, the plaster surface that comes in contact with the water will eventually degrade and need refinishing.  And, as time goes by, normal wear and tear will also likely take a toll on the equipment, and the deck finish.  These items will typically last 10-15 years before they will need to be freshened up, and each has an associated cost.

Swimming pool resurfacing (aka re-finishing or re-plastering) is something that every pool will need eventually.  You will know that you’re ready for a resurfacing when you start to notice the finish of your pool starting to substantially deteriorate.  Numerous cracks, chips, and large surface discoloration becomes common as a pool ages.  A modern quartz finished swimming pool would likely benefit from a resurfacing every 10-15 years. Homeowners who have their pool maintained regularly will typically required much less frequent resurfacing.

While each pool and resurfacing job is different, the average cost for a new new quartz finish in Florida is approximately $6,000.  The type of finish, color, and pool size will dictate the ultimate cost.  Resurfacing a swimming pool is not a long drawn out process.  In fact, most resurfacing jobs are completed in two days.  A typical resurfacing includes: draining all of the water, thoroughly cleaning the surface, repairing any cracks and gouges, applying a cement bonding agent, applying the new finish, rinsing and exposing the quartz surface, and refilling and balancing the pool water.

Most pool equipment has a 3 year manufacturers warranty, but lasts much longer.  It is not uncommon for pool pumps and filters to last 10 years or more.  However, like all thing mechanical, eventually they will fail.  When it comes time for replacement, there are typically several companies that can take care of the failed equipment.  In most cases, your pool service company can even replace the pump or filter they same day that they fail!   The cost of replacement varies, but expect to spend $500-$2000 for a new pump or replacement motor and $400-$750 for a new filter housing depending on the type of equipment.  Usually when they do fail, it’s a great time to consider some of the newer energy efficient, low maintenance equipment that has likely come to market.  

The heart of a salt water pool is the salt cell.  A salt water pool uses an electronic chlorine generator to free chlorine from salt water while water is circulating in your pool.  Your pool is still sanitized with chlorine, but you do not have to provide the chlorine, only salt.  

How much salt is in a salt water pool?  A very minor amount.  Most people cannot taste the salt in the pool water.  Usually a level of 3400 parts per million is all that is recommended in order to use a salt generator.  This equates to about 1 bag of salt per month for most pools.  A bag of salt costs about $5.  

What are the benefits of a salt water pool? One of the main benefits of salt water pools is that the salt in the water makes the pool feel soft and silky on your skin!  You will not have that dry chlorinated feeling when you get out of the pool.  In addition, you do not need to buy chlorine tablets or handle chlorine.  Finally, the constant trickle of chlorine coming from the generator helps to keep the pool cleaner and sanitized for much longer.

Salt pool are typically more efficient and easier to maintain.   Though the upfront costs are higher due to the cost of the equipment and installation, a salt pool will be easier to maintain over the years. Traditional chlorine pools have a lower initial cost, but they require more maintenance in the long run when compared to salt pools.  Adding a salt system to your pool usually runs $1,500-$2,500 depending on the size and equipment type.

There are three main choices when it comes to pool heaters in Florida: Gas, Electric, or Solar. 

Gas Heater

This type of heater is the least expensive to purchase initially, and it heats the pool water the quickest due to a very high BTU output.  However, they are also the most expensive to operate and can cost you between $150 - $300 per month if you use them frequently during the winter.  

Electric Heat Pump

This type of heater uses electricity the same way that the heat pump in your house works to heat your home.  They can operate down to temperatures as low as 45-50 degrees which work well in Florida.  They are more expensive initially than a gas heater, but their monthly operating costs are lower.  Typically during the winter months, you can heat your pool with a heat pump for about $50 - $100 per month. The main disadvantage of a heat pump is that they have a much lower BTU output, typically 1/2 that of a gas heater.  Because of the reduced heat capability, your pool water will heat more slowly than a gas heater.

Solar Heater

In the Sunshine State this is definitely a popular option! Solar panels collect heat from the sun, and as water runs through the panels, the water absorbs the heat from the sun. Solar pool water heaters are initially the most expensive type of heater to install.  After the initial expense, they are $0 to operate, except for periodic maintenance.  Typically solar panels provide the least amount of BTU's as you can only fit so many panels on a roof.  And, because of differing roof styles and orientation, they do not work for every home.  In addition, you are somewhat dependent on the weather to provide heating for your pool.  It is not uncommon to see electric heat pumps paired with solar to achieve the most energy efficient and stable heating solution.