The price of pool services depends on what type of service you want and your geographic location. For instance, cities with a high cost of living and also a high need for pool services may have greater pool service prices. However, national averages offer a broad, general view of prices for professional pool service.

Hourly Rates

Some professional pool businesses charge by the hour and many others charge for the job. Hourly rates for pool cleaning normally charge $75 to $100 per hour, as of February 2014. Because of this, you can anticipate higher prices for professional services if your pool is exceptionally dirty and demands extensive labor. If your water is so murky that you can’t find the base of the pool, you’re looking at somewhere between $500 and $600 to drain and clean the pool, based on data in the time of publication. That does not include the expense of restarting the pool or adding chemical sanitizers.

Acid Washing

If your pool has tough-to-clean stains which can’t be eliminated with normal pool cleaners and wash brushes, you might need to receive it acid cleaned. Acid-washing eliminates green, black and brown spots from algae. Insufficient chemical remedies, incorrect pH balances and faulty pool closings in the end of the season result in resistant algae and residual stains. Acid-washing is a dangerous process and can harm your pool if it’s done incorrectly, so hire professionals to perform acid washes. The price for a one-time acid wash runs $200 to $300, as of February 2014. That does not include the expense to drain, refill or sanitize the pool.

Opening and Closing a Pool

Even though you can open and close a pool yourself, professionals make sure that the pool is properly coated, sealed and treated to decrease bacterial and algae growth throughout the off-season. The cost to open and shut a pool normally runs $150 to $300 per visit, based on data in the time of publication. The size of the pool, the amount of chemicals used to adequately sanitize the water and also the number of employees necessary to close or open the pool has an effect on the price.

Price Comparisons

Expect an approximate 5 percent gain in the price of pool maintenance and servicing once you hire specialist pool technicians to do the job rather than doing this yourself, stated Susan Elser, a certified financial planner, a 2010″Wall Street Journal” article. As you pay for chemicals, cleaning supplies, test kits and swimming coverings anyway, you may find it’s more convenient to hire professionals. Besides, you’ve added assurance knowing that professionals follow comprehensive checklists and pay close attention to particulars, potentially extending the life of your pool.

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