Routine maintenance

When you need it

• You want the pool kept ready without doing the work yourself.
• The water keeps turning cloudy or green.
• You manage a shared, community or hotel pool with testing and record obligations.
• You are away for long periods.

How a specialist does it

A maintenance visit typically covers:

• skimming, brushing and vacuuming
• emptying skimmer and pump baskets
• testing and adjusting water chemistry
• backwashing or cleaning the filter
• checking the pump, filter pressure, chiller or heater, dosing equipment and lights
• recording readings and reporting faults

Dubai Municipality's private pool safety guidelines give a useful benchmark for villa pools. They ask the owner or occupier to make sure a competent person maintains the pool and its filtration and disinfection system, that the pool is cleaned regularly, that damaged parts are repaired or replaced immediately, and that equipment is serviced according to the manufacturer's instructions.

The same guidelines set water quality ranges, for example free chlorine of 1 to 2 mg per litre and pH of 7.4 to 7.6. They call for daily testing of pH, chlorine and temperature before use, testing of calcium hardness, alkalinity, saturation index and cyanuric acid every 15 days, and microbiological testing every two months, with readings recorded in a logbook. Pool chemicals are to be stored and handled according to the manufacturer's instructions and safety data sheet, in a dedicated store with a lock.

For technician training, the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance runs the Certified Pool & Spa Operator (CPO) programme, which covers both residential and commercial pools. PHTA lists topics including maintaining disinfection and water balance, chemical testing and record keeping, managing chemical feed, using automation, and preventing hazards such as suction entrapment, electrocution and chemical injuries. PHTA states that the certification is valid for five years.

What to ask before you hire

• What exactly is included in each visit, and how often will you come?
• Which tests do you run, and will I receive the readings each time?
• Are chemicals included, and how are they stored and handled?
• Do your technicians hold any training or certification, such as CPO?
• How do you report faults, and do you repair them or refer them on?
• What changes in summer if the pool needs more attention?

UAE notes

Shared pools in Dubai, including communal pools, pools inside residential buildings and hotel pools, fall under Dubai Municipality's public pool safety guidelines. These require an automatic dosing and monitoring system, daily testing of pH, chlorine and temperature, further testing every 15 days, microbiological testing every two months, records in a logbook, and closure of the pool if disinfection falls outside the acceptable range. Building and community managers should check that the maintenance contract covers these duties and the records.

Other emirates have their own authorities and rules. Check with the local municipality which requirements apply to your pool.

Heat, sun and heavy summer use change how quickly water chemistry moves. Ask how the visit schedule and testing adapt between winter and summer.