What to expect
| Typical duration | Weekly or fortnightly in season · monthly checks over winter |
|---|---|
| Cost band | Figures live in the cost index |
| Permit required | No |
| Seasonal constraint | Year-round — winter care is the part that saves money |
The winter that costs money
The most expensive pool problem on this island is entirely avoidable: a pool left untouched from October to April. Water goes green, the surface stains, the plant seizes, and what would have been a few monthly visits becomes a drain-down, an acid wash, replacement of seized equipment and, occasionally, refinishing.
Winter care is modest: circulation, sensible chemistry, keeping the debris out, and checking the plant. It costs a fraction of the recovery and it means the pool is usable when the first booking arrives rather than three weeks after it.
In-season, what this island throws at a pool
- Dust. Fine volcanic dust is constant and wind-borne. It loads filters faster than a mainland equivalent and it settles as a film that guests notice.
- Evaporation. Heat plus persistent wind means significant top-up, and top-up water changes the chemistry every time. On a tanker-filled pool this is also a delivery scheduling problem.
- Occupancy. A rental pool with six guests in August has a bather load nothing like a family pool. Chemistry and filtration have to be managed for the actual duty.
- Hard water. Scale on heaters and heat exchangers, and on the waterline. It builds quietly and is expensive when it reaches the plant.
- Salt air. Corrosion on ladders, rails, light housings and any fixing that is not A316 stainless.
What a service visit covers
- Water testing and chemical balance, recorded rather than eyeballed.
- Skimming, brushing and vacuuming, including the waterline where scale and film form.
- Skimmer and pump baskets, and filter backwash or clean as required.
- Plant check: pump, filter pressure, heater, chlorinator, and any leaks.
- Water level and top-up, with chemistry re-checked afterwards.
- Equipment condition — ladders, rails, covers, lights and their fixings.
- A written record, which for a rental or hotel is what demonstrates the pool has been properly maintained.
Villas, rentals and hotels are different jobs
| Property | In-season | Out of season | The thing that matters most |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private villa, owner-occupied part of the year | Weekly or fortnightly | Monthly checks | Being ready when the owner arrives, not after |
| Short-term rental | Weekly minimum, often between changeovers | Monthly checks | Never being unavailable during a booking |
| Hotel | Daily or near-daily in season | Full closed-season programme | Documented compliance and a hard opening date |
| Unoccupied property | Reduced but not zero | Monthly checks | Preventing the expensive spring recovery |
For absent owners this frequently sits alongside general property checks — see property maintenance.
Questions people actually ask
Can I just leave the pool over winter?
You can, and it is consistently the most expensive option. Recovery in spring — drain, clean, treat stains, repair seized plant — costs considerably more than the winter visits would have.
How often does a rental pool need servicing in August?
Weekly at minimum, and for a busy property often more. Bather load, evaporation and dust are all at their peak simultaneously.
Why does my pool lose so much water in summer?
Evaporation, and the wind is doing most of it. Before assuming a leak, a cover and a simple bucket test will tell you which you have — and a cover is worth it on this island regardless.
Do you cover pools you did not build?
Yes, for villas, rentals and hotels across the island. The first visit includes a condition report so you know what you are starting with rather than inheriting someone else's deferred maintenance quietly.
Can you get the pool ready for a specific date?
Yes, and it should be booked well before that date rather than the week before — particularly if anything needs replacing, since parts arrive by ferry.