Landlord Pool Maintenance: A Quick Guide

High-quality tenants love pools and will pay top dollar each month to enjoy one. Having a luxurious swimming pool onsite at your rental property is a win-win. People of all ages love swimming for both recreation and exercise. While pools attract a higher caliber of tenants, they also require a higher level of investment and upkeep. Along with the benefits of charging more rent comes more time and money spent maintaining the pool and its surrounding area.

Falling behind on pool maintenance is very easy unless you have a strict schedule in place and plenty of spare time. A shabby pool area can create a negative effect on potential renters looking to lease your space. Often, to combat the problem, landlords hire a private pool service to take care of routine maintenance instead of doing it in-house.

Let’s take a look at some of the key tasks you as the landlord of a property featuring a swimming pool will be responsible for.  

Properly ensure safety

From slips and falls to accidental drowning, swimming pools increase liability concerns for landlords exponentially. It is important to educate yourself about California’s Swimming Pool Safety Act. You will want to make sure your swimming pool area is not only in good condition but also secure. There are a variety of tasks that go into the safety of a property’s pool including but not limited to:

• Increased traction around the pool area, i.e., mats or texture
• Security cameras
• Signage, fencing, gates and alarms
• CPR and other emergency response certifications for you and your staff
• Proper chemical storage with locks
• Pool and/or hot tub covers

To maximize your pool area’s security, it should be fenced in with self-latching gates. Smart technology puts security features in the palm of your hand 24/7. Be sure to install several cameras and motion lights in and around the pool area. Capturing negligent swimmers has never been easier or more cost-effective.

Within each of your lease agreements should be a detailed pool safety addendum outlining your role as landlord and each tenant’s responsibilities. Seeking guidance from an attorney is advised. Your goal as a landlord is to be proactive. When your property’s pool area is properly maintained it not only increases your property’s value, it also sends a message that you are serious about the safety of all who swims there.

Clean your swimming pool daily

Debris, insects, trash, and foreign objects are constantly falling into the pool and threatening to clog its filtration system. Skim the surface of the pool several times each day to remove leaves and organic matter that can fall from the sky or be blown into the water by the wind. It is also best to scrub the pool deck at least weekly with a stiff brush or power washer. Do not forget to periodically schedule a deep vacuuming of the bottom pool surface for any debris that has sunk.  

Remove bacteria and manage odors

Sometimes a badly maintained pool can become a breeding ground for insects and odors. A poor swimming experience can follow your tenants after they leave the pool area. Maintaining a regular cleaning schedule not only keeps your pool looking clean, but it also avoids unpleasant smells, bugs, and bacteria. This will decrease opportunities for human illnesses and diseases to spread. Your tenants will take pride in your pool’s crystal-clear waters instead of avoiding its stench.

Weekly and monthly pool cleaning and maintenance

Some of your larger pool systems will need weekly and monthly maintenance. Consider giving your pool pumps, heaters, and filters attention at least weekly and your decks and fences attention at least every two weeks. Do not forget to calibrate and check your locks and security systems monthly. Clean, secure, well-kept pool facilities attract the right tenants and are worth the investment.  

Maintain chemical balance

As a landlord, your pool water must be checked frequently for the health and safety of your swimmers. Your testing regimen should include:

• Chlorine
• pH
• Alkalinity
• Calcium
• Phosphates
• Total dissolved solids
• Salt, if you have a salt water pool

Properly balanced swimming pool water will not only keep your swimmers safe but will also increase the life of your equipment. For more information about pool chemicals and how to safely handle them when operating a private swimming pool, head to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s helpful page.

Monitor water levels

While it is easy to fill a pool and forget about it, water levels change. Swimmers come and go, in and out of your pool, the sun increases evaporation, and rainwater adds to the level. Allowing your property’s pool to get too low or to overflow can damage your pump and filtration equipment. Be sure to maintain a proper pool water level, both high and low, so your chemicals and equipment function properly.

Clean and calibrate pool filtration systems

You have invested a lot of money in your swimming pool’s filter system so be sure to keep it in top working order. Your pump and filter are essential to keeping your pool clean. When taken care of, pool filter cartridges can last up to three years. Cloudy pool water is a key indicator of a dirty filter but deep cleaning your filtration system at least once per year is advised. The condensed steps for a basic cartridge pool filter are as follows:

• Depressurize the tank
• Remove and inspect the filter's cartridge
• Clean the cartridge with a hose (not a pressure washer, as it can rip the filter material)
• Replace and repressurize

Please keep in mind there are various types of filtration systems, like sand filters and diatomaceous earth (D.E.) filters that are commonly installed in private swimming pools. These filters may require more advanced cleaning techniques.

Feeling overwhelmed?

If some or all these pool maintenance tasks leave you feeling a bit dazed and confused, it might be time to call in the pool pros at PoolSense! San Diego landlords have been relying on us to maintain their private swimming pools year-round because of our top-notch customer service and consistent results. Our awesome customer reviews don’t lie – check us out for yourself!