| Task | How often | Time | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fill in the fields above. | |||
How the calculation works
This is not a calculation but a checklist, assembled from the choices you made above.
Some tasks belong to every pool. Others exist only because of a particular choice: a salt cell needs inspecting for scale, a sand filter needs backwashing while a cartridge needs hosing, an indoor pool needs no stabiliser at all, and a seasonal pool needs closing properly or it will greet you with a green surprise in spring.
Worked example
An outdoor saltwater pool with a plaster surface and a cartridge filter: skim and check the level daily, test chlorine and pH twice a week, brush and vacuum weekly, check the salt cell monthly, and clean the cartridges every three months. Roughly two to three hours a week in season.
Assumptions
- A residential pool in normal use. Heavy bather loads, overhanging trees and storms all add work.
- Time estimates are for doing the job yourself, at a comfortable pace.
Limitations
- Frequencies are a sensible baseline, not a rule. A pool under trees needs skimming daily; one in an open yard may not.
- Closing and opening procedures vary considerably by climate. In a hard-freeze region, follow local guidance rather than a generic list.
Questions people ask
How much time does a pool take to look after?
Two to three hours a week in season for most pools, spread across short daily checks and one longer weekly session. Automation — a robot cleaner and a variable-speed pump on a timer — cuts it meaningfully.
Is a saltwater pool less work?
Slightly less day to day, since the cell makes chlorine continuously. But it adds jobs of its own: checking salt, inspecting the cell for scale, and replacing it every few years.
What happens if I skip a week?
Usually nothing dramatic once. Skip several in warm weather and chlorine runs out, algae takes hold, and clearing it costs far more time and chemicals than the maintenance would have.
Do I need to run the pump every day?
In season, yes — at least one full turnover daily. Water that is not circulating is not being filtered or sanitised, and a still pool goes green remarkably quickly in the heat.