Swimming pool maintenance – how professional maintenance companies reduce the operating costs and health and safety risks for owners

Swimming pool maintenance – how professional maintenance companies reduce the operating costs and health and safety risks for owners

While smaller, independent, lower-cost pool maintenance providers may seem attractive, they could present significant risks. Apart from inadequate training or certification, poor water quality and potential health hazards, using inferior chemicals can also damage pool surfaces and equipment. 

Zohaib Azhar, Head of Operations at specialist maintenance company Hitches & Glitches, outlines the issues that many property owners, managers and landlords could face by choosing an inexperienced or worse still, underqualified company, to clean and maintain their swimming pools.

With the summer now in full swing, first and foremost, let’s address the potential health and safety issues. Professional maintenance ensures proper chemical balance which can prevent harmful bacteria, algae and other viruses. Poor maintenance on the other hand can lead to certain types of skin irritation, eye complaints or worse still, waterborne illnesses such as E.coli.

Hazard detection is another integral part of health and safety. Experienced technicians can spot potential issues such as cracked tiles, excessive debris and faulty drainage. Non-compliance with local regulations can lead to legal issues and even closure, so it is essential that pool maintenance is carried out by highly trained specialised technicians and not just pool cleaners, who may not fully understand water chemistry and MEP systems.  

Swimming pools are complex and expensive, so it is vital to protect expensive equipment such as pumps, filters, heaters and coolers. Identifying the early signs of wear and tear and potential failure of components through regular inspection, especially during the hot summer months, is essential to ensure that your equipment is running efficiently. 

Over time this will reduce repair bills by extending the life expectancy of your equipment in addition to saving water and energy costs. 

When choosing a provider or reviewing your existing pool maintenance contract, here are a few points for you to consider. 

1. Ensure that technicians are knowledgeable, well groomed, courteous and on time, poor attendance and reliability, especially during the busy summer season, is a common issue. Always ask for written references.  
2. Make sure your technicians are using premium branded and environmentally friendly chemicals and materials to maintain a perfect water balance and hygiene. 
3. Ask your pool technician for a regular update on the health and efficiency of your pool equipment and ask for advice about potential upgrades to more modern, energy-efficient solutions. 
4. Ask your technician about the company’s broader facilities management services. This is useful particularly when issues arise that are not confined to your swimming pool, such as electrical or drainage issues.  
5. Seek advice about energy-efficient pumps, filters, smart controls, that reduce the environmental impact and operational costs of your pool. 
6. Beyond simply cleaning, ensure that they have technical support from experienced engineers with modern diagnostic tools. 
7. Dubai’s summer heat can strain pool systems, so your technician should continuously monitor water quality and check that all systems are functioning safely and efficiently.  

It is also worth noting that any lack of adequate insurance can expose property owners to liability in case of incidents. Cutting corners on pool maintenance can also result in costly emergency repairs and jeopardise your property value.  

So, is it worth taking the risk? Well as the old adage always reminds us, ‘you get what you pay for.’