Cost of running a pool..
 

We're thinking about moving to another Rental.. I like one that has a pool and spa ;) The maintenance of the pool is included in the rent, but I'd like to know how expensive they are to heat and run. What costs are involved?

Re: Cost of running a pool..
 

Some estimates from the Department of Energy: link.

Re: Cost of running a pool..
 

Thanks Bill, that was useful.. T'is expensive :(

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think there's extra insurance costs involved.

Re: Cost of running a pool..
 

Hey lovely lady ;)

Maybe a paddling pool will suffice then.. :o

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Hiyas chiclet, :)

As for the insurance thing- I'm sure someone (ie Ray) can advise. :D

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Yeah, i'll wait to see if he can advise - I'm sure his cleaning bill is quite high too, considering he swims in his pool naked :D

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:blink:

Re: Cost of running a pool..
 

Growing up in Canada, I had a few friends with heated backyard pools. It probably wasn't a huge expense in 1970, but I'm sure it's ruinous to try to heat a pool in a cold climate today.

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Luckily we don't get a whole lot of cold weather here in California - and if we're not using it in the 'winter' then I guess you don't have to heat it then.

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WTF - who heats their pool in Miami??!!! :blink:

To the OP - it depends where you are located. If you want to heat the pool during the autumn in NYC it's going to cost quite a bit. But down here in S. Florida no one, at least no one I know, heats their pool; the most anyone does down here is pay a cleaner ($50-$200 per month) and run the filter pump for a few hours a day, but IIRC the air con in your house costs way more than the pool pump.

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That's true, we had a pool in our house in San Antonio, it had a heater, but we never used it, if the maintenance is included in the rental price, it shouldn't cost you any extra, We used ours (without heat) from April through to the end of September, sometimes longer. I loved it :thumbsup:
Keep in mind, if there are a lot of trees, foliage etc around the pool, it can be a bit of a pain in the butt cleaning it out. We had a vacuum and a filter system, but you will still need to 'skim' the pool if you have trees that lose their leaves etc.

Re: Cost of running a pool..
 

Thanks ET.. Yes there are tree's around the pool - and it would be me who would have to clean it :thumbdown:

Thanks for replies, very helpful :)

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Our hot tub last summer was an extra $300 a month if thats a guide line!

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:ohmy: Wow, thats a chunk of cash! Argghhh.. its not fun being poor in California :frown:

Re: Cost of running a pool..
 

Hi Sambapink

We have a pool and never turn the heater on - no need in the summer. The water bill however does go up in the summer as you have to keep topping it up.

Soap Addict

Re: Cost of running a pool..
 

I'd have thought it's a good time to buy in Ca right now.

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Yeah it really is.. but we won't consider it until we have greencards - and even then we're still not sure if this will be long term for us.

Re: Cost of running a pool..
 

My gas and electric bill was higher in the summer than the winter. Heating 17,000 gallons to 88 degrees a few times a month and running an electric water pump most of the day costs a chunk of change.

Add replacement parts, chemicals, opening and closing, winterizing, and it gets time consuming and expensive.

If it's not closed properly and the lines freeze/crack, you're looking at thousands of dollars to dig around it and replace the lines.

When not in use, spiders like to nest in it and their webs clog the heater and it won't stay lit. That's a service call unless you like tinkering with a natural gas heater right next to your home.

When it was closed, I had to put a smaller fence around it to keep the dog from swimming around on top of the cover.

If you're not around to take care of it while on vacation you either have to pay someone, or it might turn into a frog pond.

It might be cheaper to stay at a hotel when you want to swim or get a membership somewhere.

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88 degrees? You cooking lobsters in it or something?

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According to my husband it's bloody expensive and he does all the mainenance...as well as opening the pool up in the spring and closing it down in the fall. We have one of those auto pool cleaners so that helps. Our monthly gas for heating the pool is about $500/600 per month June/July/August (that was a few years ago...I haven't looked at the bills since. :lol:)...I like it at 90+ degrees...plus we have a large deep pool.

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:eek: 90 degrees?!! As I say the maintenance is included - but even just having to heat it is going to be alot of money!

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It would get up to something like 108 or 112F if I cranked it. I came home to see a foot and a half of fog in the backyard. I wasn't looking forward to seeing the bill that month. It also wreaks havoc with their estimated billing.

Re: Cost of running a pool..
 

we have an unheated pool here in TX. we pay $90 per month for a guy to come and clean the filters etc. (more if i want him doing it in a thong ;):D )
we're on a well so the water doesn't cost us anything and we haven't noticed much difference in the electricity bill.

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:)We are in SE Tenn and the pool is 20 x 40 x 10' at the deep end, with a retractable cover. I normally open it in April, turn the heater on to get the temp up to 73. Last time it cost about $400. I open and close it each day it is in use, but unless we have a cold spell, I do not have to heat it again before we close it in the fall. I have to keep the cover on, and let the sun keep heating it until the temp is about 85, for Mrs R. to be able to go in.

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I doubt you would ever need to run the heat much, living in CA.

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Hubby's folks live in CA, their last house had a pool w/heater, they never used the heater, no need too. When we had ours in TX, I preferred it cooler, it was always nice to 'cool down' in the pool :thumbsup:

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A few years ago when we had one the water was great from Apr-Oct (ok a bit nip the first and last of the season but OK) and if anything was piss hot in the summer...could'a used a chiller in July/Aug!

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Depends where you are in CA and how long you want to use it - I'd be surprised if you could get away with no heating. We have a solar heated pool and have been told we should be able to use it end March through to November. I think we need a few more hot days yet though as today the temp is showing as 67 degrees which is just a bit too refreshing for me :)

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Heater are supposed to cut out at 104F

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Most of the public or HOA pools that I have used have been set to 80° but typically vary from 78°-82°. At 80° I find it OK but below that it seems too cold and above that up to 82° I find very comfortable.

I don't think I would care for a pool set at 88° or above.

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If you do go for it make sure it has a convenient cover arrangement.
If the cover is easy to take on and off you can leave the cover in place and it'll help retain heat and cut down evaporation.
I was suprised from that chart that it was more to heat the pool in LA than San Francisco. Is the gas more expensive down there?
Our pool has the heater disconnected and when we moved in last August it was 78 degrees with no cover. So a cover will take it up a degree or two more.
Personally I prefer it less than 80 so it's refreshing rather than a bath!

If you're going to be paying your own water bill make sure the pool is leak free or get some statment in your rental regarding leakage. I work repairing them and even small ones can add up to alot.

Good luck.

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This is actually one of the biggest myths going, which people don't realise till they get to said hot place and want to use the pool year round.

Since I got my pool heat pump last year (Thanks for the recommendation Ray!) I've realised what a mare it is to not have it heated. Especially so when you've got children who want to swim all the time.

Heat pumps very economical to run too especially if you have a cover. Just set your desired temp and forget about it.

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WTF everyone who fancies going swimming Nov through Feb, thats who...as per my post above ;)

Florida softies, in other words...:D

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You pansy! :p It never gets that cold.

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Tell him to stop it....
I used to service the electrical side of pools and the amount of pubic hair I had to pull out of the filters was not funny...:frown:

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Unless you are living in the hot inland areas of California, overnight temperatures usually drop significantly cooling the water. Evening lows during the summer are usually in the 50s or low 60s depending on where you live in the state.

I suspect that California is probably one of the more expensive states to keep a pool heated during the summer.

Re: Cost of running a pool..
 

SOLAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had big gas bills.... Installed solar pool eating on my roof... Next gas bill...$16.50. After a few times of coming to fill the tanks and finding them still full they told me they wanted their tanks back. :rofl:

My pool is 35,000 gallons and my solar heats it to basically any temperature I want(reasonable it won’t boil) as long as there is sun.

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That's a big pool

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More like an ocean in your back yard.....:)