Swimming pool cleaning

[evisional]

Hi all

I have just purchased an IP with swimming pool. Unfortunately, the swimming pool has a thick layer of dirt and leaves at the bottom.

I am totally new to pool maintenance.

Though there is an electricity filter pump, I do not know if I can use the filter pump to clean the pool. I tried to run the pump for 1 hour but it did not much help.

Should I ask for a professional pool cleaner's help or use the water filter pump?

Any suggestions?

Photo of the pump

 

[hugh72]

Hi all

I have just purchased an IP with swimming pool. Unfortunately, the swimming pool has a thick layer of dirt and leaves at the bottom.

I am totally new to pool maintenance.

Though there is an electricity filter pump, I do not know if I can use the filter pump to clean the pool. I tried to run the pump for 1 hour but it did not much help.

Should I ask for a professional pool cleaner's help or use the water filter pump?

Any suggestions?

Photo of the pump

Does the pump have a timer? Is it set to run at a particular time? Is it a saltwater pool? When were chemicals last added? The pump should be running for 4-6 hours per day maybe less in Melbourne.
Take a water sample to a pool shop and go from there, your creepy crawly/Barracuda should be able to clean the bottom if it runs for several hours each day. You might need a pole and net to assist in removing leaves etc
Dont leave it as it will get worse by the sounds of it

 

[ellejay]

Lol I have one of these in an IP but luckily it's about to become a PPOR. I was having monthly services by the local pool company which very quickly became a PITA due to the never ending service bills. If I was renting it again in the future I would have any new lease agreement state pool guys come out three times or so to teach the tenants how to do the chemicals etc and they take over the very general maintenance. Otherwise it costs too much in our case at least. You may need to buy a pool vacuum for the tenants to use and/or get a pool cover. I think the pool cover quote for us was over $1000k in Vic which isn't a bad investment I guess. Wouldn't buy an ip with a pool unless I was planning to move in at some point/or a compelling reason to buy that particular property.

 

[skater]

We bought our PPOR with a pool in much worse condition, and we'd never owned a pool before. The first thing to do is to take a water sample to the local pool shop. They will give you a list of things that you need to do, and it should be sparkling clean again in no time.

 

[Ed Barton]

The first thing to do is to take a water sample to the local pool shop. They will give you a list of things that you need to do, and it should be sparkling clean again in no time.

Also take a pic of the pool on your phone to the pool shop. It looks like the OPs pic was taken early or late in the day and also looks like the water is cloudy/green. Although pics of pools can be difficult because of the reflection.

The pool shop will ask you how it's looking - clear cloudy green-ish? etc. Going by the pic it looks like you need an algicide and the water will be severely out of balance - expect $100+ worth of chemicals.

 

[evisional]

Pool plastic cover and the vacuum are available when I took over the IP.

I will ask my PM to organise a pool guy to teach tenants how to do general maintenance. Do you know how much will this cost?

I will also put the terms of general pool maintenance in the agreement.

Do I miss any things before renting out an IP with a pool?

 

[wylie]

.

Do I miss any things before renting out an IP with a pool?

You missed filling it in

 

[Vacant]

Is it a salt water pool or chlorine?

If it was mine I would dump a few bags of salt or half a dozen scoops of chlorine in and run the pump for a day or so, making sure the skimmer box doesn't clog up. Then scoop out any large foliage and give it a quick vacuum and a few days of normal running on a timer.

You can then take a sample to the pool shop but they will sell you plenty of chemicals that aren't entirely necessary according to our pool guy.

You might be better off getting your PM's pool maintenance person in to sort it out while you're there to help get your head around it.

 

[skater]

Is it a salt water pool or chlorine?

If it was mine I would dump a few bags of salt or half a dozen scoops of chlorine in and run the pump for a day or so, making sure the skimmer box doesn't clog up. Then scoop out any large foliage and give it a quick vacuum and a few days of normal running on a timer.

Once a pool is in that state, a few scoops of chlorine won't cut it. We've been busy the last few weeks & hubby didn't keep the chlorine up, he dumped a whole container (15-20ltrs) into it a couple of days ago, & it was still a bit green yesterday, so a heap more went into it.

He usually has it sparkling all through winter, but was lazy this time.

You can then take a sample to the pool shop but they will sell you plenty of chemicals that aren't entirely necessary according to our pool guy.

I think I'll trust my pool shop. It isn't that expensive & I know that the pool is safe.

 

[jrc]

Get advice from a pool shop, you need to get the decaying matter out of the pool as while it is still there you are wasting money on chemicals

 

[Vacant]

Depends on type of chlorine etc. liquid chlorine goes off so often a whole tub of it won't do a thing. Our pool looked far worse when we moved in and a few caps of granulated chlorine did the trick for us. Maybe we got lucky.

I would recommend a pool maintenance guy over a pool shop. Someone unaffiliated, we went to our pool shop the first few times before getting a pool guy in and the cost of chemicals was more than the entire pool service which included all the necessary chemicals etc. He saw our chemical collection and knew straight away which shop we had been to for advice.

 

[evisional]

Thanks all for advices!!!

Today, I let my PM to organise pool guy to clean the pool. It may cost about $200. After PM will arrange pool guy teach tenants maintain the pool.