pool heating charges for renters

[wetwilly]

Hey follow owners that rent with heated pools,

We are getting our pool heater installed this month!!!! :clap_1: :clap_1: :clap_1:

We are working on how to charge renters for the heating of the pool. For those of you with heated pools that rent out your houses, how do you charge for heating the pool in Fall/Winter and early Spring? I have seen websites and rental/mgt company sites that say "plus pool heating charge" but I need some info on how the cost is calculated and charged to the renter?

Any help or info would be great.

Thanks,

Wetwilly

 

[GVM]

It's expensive to heat a pool in the winter, plus the hassle and expense of who's going to turn it on, off, etc. Get at least $200 per week. At that, you're not making much, but if it can snare a rental that you otherwise would not book, it's worth it. Also, many renters expect a hot tub...which a heated pool is not. I can't remember the optimal temperature before bacteria becomes a problem...but it's hardly 'warm'.

 

[Beach Runner]

We charge $250, but should probably up it due to the increased price of gas. A guest can easily use that much in a week - we've had it happen. Even during spring break, it takes 24 hours to get the pool to a temperature that's reasonable, and then it's not that comfortable. The hot tub will heat up in 30 minutes in January. We've had pool heating bills so high that the guests must have left the hot tub on 24/7 (not really 24/7 - we have a timer so it automatically turns off at midnight, but you can turn it back on). When it's that cold, it takes them a few days to realize that the pool will never get warm enough to be fun.

Anyhow, that's why we started charging. Unfortunately, a few guests who abused the use of the heat (like keeping the hot tub turned on 24/7) cost those who use it wisely. We keep the pool heater locked up and the gas locked up.

 

[DBOldford]

Our pool at Conch Out is 20 X 22-ft. and is 9 feet deep at the deepest point. Heating the pool during the off-season runs at least $250 and that does not reflect new energy rates. If renters want the pool heated, we charge a daily rate of $35. One thing you need to be aware of, however, is that the pool maintenance service charges $30 for each trip out to turn the pool heater on or off, unless the order coincides with their regular service day. So you can end up paying more than necessary if these dates are not consistent. We feel it's really important to have guests pay for the pool heating, because otherwise the heater can be running with no one using the pool. The previous post is correct, that swimming even in a heated pool in the colder months is not comfortable enough for people to get much use.

 

[Cil]

Wow, this is very educational for me. I love love love to swim, and was hoping to have a chance at it during winter if we ever had a pool installed, or lived where there was one.
What about solar heating? Any good?
Sorry for the hijack, Wetwilly.

 

[Miss Kitty]

Does anyone have a solar blanket on their pools? We have talked to our pool co. about one, but they are not returning my calls!!!!

 

[DBOldford]

We have that liquid heat retention thing that is invisible and floats on the top, supposedly retaining heat. No way to tell if it does anything or not, but our pool lady swears by it. Joan at Pool Pal (850)231-1223 is a wealth of information on such matters and is the consummate professional. I suggest that you give her a call with questions. She is also very, very good at pool maintenance and operations and a great communicator with her clients. You can e-mail her at: poolpal@bsc.net

 

[Rudyjohn]

Wow, this is very educational for me. I love love love to swim, and was hoping to have a chance at it during winter if we ever had a pool installed, or lived where there was one.
What about solar heating? Any good?
Sorry for the hijack, Wetwilly.

When we had a pool where we lived on the central Gulf coast of Fla, it was never warm enough to swim in it during Dec. - Mar. And it was quite a bit warmer there than in the panhandle area. Warm enough to have the a/c on almost all 12 months, but too cool outside to actually swim for those few months.

 

[wetwilly]

Thanks for the suggestions, info, and help. :clap_1: :clap_1: :clap_1: We have figured that 1-2 additional rentals in the fall/early winter and/or early spring will cover the cost of the heater and installation. I have had several inquiries on the house (and one rental) for that time period. With my fall/winter and early spring inquiries, the top question after they reviewed the pictures was whether the pool was heated. For the potential renters looking at my house, heated or not is a significant criteria for rental whether it will actually be comfortable and warm enough or not at that time of year. We went with the bigger heater and with a 20x12 pool that is 6' at its deepest point it will have a good rebound for short term rentals according to Cox Pools.

We will charge the renters (probably $35/day and $250/week) just to recoup the the cost of heating it but not to make any $$ on the heating charges.

Take a look on the virtual tour at www.emeraldcoasttours.com/20brownstreet/. If interested in renting, just send me a PM or an email.

 

[bsmart]

Does anyone have a solar blanket on their pools? We have talked to our pool co. about one, but they are not returning my calls!!!!

This past year was our first year using a solar thermal heat cover for our pool here in GA. When my dad and I removed the cover this past April, the temperature of the pool was already at 84 degrees and ready for swimming as soon as the automatic cleaner took care of all of the algae. In the years before we had the thermal cover, it took atleast a week of nice sunny weather to warm the pool up to at least the mid to upper 70s before we could swim in it after it was cleaned.