Swimming pools are popular backyard additions that can provide hours of fun and relaxation during warmer weather. However, failing to maintain your pool correctly could lead to problems such as a damaged liner or harmful bacteria lurking below the surface.

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Pool maintenance keeps your favorite relaxation spot safe to use, but it's a significant financial commitment. Understanding how much pool maintenance costs can help you decide if a swimming pool is truly within your budget.

What's the Average Annual Cost of Pool Maintenance?

According to HomeGuide, pool maintenance costs between $960 and $1,800 (CAD 1,260 and CAD 2,400) per year on average. However, this price range doesn't account for the cost of repairs and utilities. Therefore, you should expect to pay between $3,000 and $5,000 (CAD 3,900 and CAD 6,600) yearly for your pool's upkeep.

One of the main factors affecting how much it costs to maintain your pool is the type of pool you own. Generally, fiberglass pools are the most affordable to maintain. Maintaining a vinyl liner pool is costlier, and concrete pools are the most expensive.

Whether the pool is in-ground or above-ground doesn't usually affect the maintenance cost. That said, you might have to pay toward the upper end of the scale if you have an above-ground pool without a deck, which reduces the maintenance team's access.

On the other hand, indoor swimming pools of all types are generally more affordable to maintain because they aren't exposed to the same issues as outdoor pools. A shelter prevents debris from entering the pool, and outdoor pools are less prone to UV damage. Therefore, the primary focus of indoor pool maintenance is maintaining the correct chemical and pH balance.

How Much Does It Cost to Have a Professional Open Your Pool?

Having a professional open your pool usually costs between $385 and $485 (CAD 505 and CAD 635) for an average pool measuring 20 feet by 40 feet. How much your contractor charges depends on a few factors, including whether your pool has a cover, whether you want it drained and cleaned and the usual labor rates where you live.

Professionals usually charge around $85 (CAD 110) per hour for vacuuming a pool and roughly $125 (CAD 165) per hour for cleaning a pool cover.

How Much Does It Cost to Have a Professional Close or Winterize Your Pool?

Closing or winterizing a pool involves emptying and plugging the plumbing fixtures, cleaning out algae and debris and reducing the water level. You'll also need to change the pool's pH level and put the cover back on. It's generally a little more expensive to close a pool than to open it, costing between $365 and $650 (CAD 480 and CAD 855) for an average-sized pool.

Winterizing a pool with a solid cover is more expensive, costing around $520 (CAD 685) on average.

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How Much Do Chlorine and Other Pool-Maintaining Chemicals Cost?

The average cost of chlorine for swimming pools is between $55 and $130 (CAD 72 and CAD 170) per year, according to HomeGuide. However, pools also require other maintenance chemicals, such as algaecides and clarifiers, which will bump up the cost. Which chemicals you require and how much you need to use varies widely between pool types, making some pools significantly more expensive to maintain than others.

The required pool maintenance chemicals for a fiberglass pool are generally the most affordable, costing around $175 (CAD 230) per year, and the chemicals for a vinyl pool cost about $400 (CAD 525). Chemicals for concrete pool maintenance are much more expensive, costing $750 (CAD 985) per year on average, according to River Pools and Spas.

How Much Do Pool-Cleaning Services Cost?

Most pool maintenance companies charge between $60 and $90 (CAD 80 to CAD 120) per hour for cleaning services. If you're having your pool cleaned for the first time, expect it to last several hours.

It's often cheaper per service to hire a pool maintenance company to carry out regularly scheduled cleaning. Booking pool cleaning as a one-off can cost as much as $400 (CAD 525) or more, especially if you require a specific type of cleaning.

All CAD conversions are based on the exchange rate on the date of publication.