A pool left alone for three months on the Costa Blanca will not be waiting for you the way you left it. The chlorine is gone within days, the water turns green after a few hot weeks, and if the level drops far enough the pump can burn out. The fix is simple: someone who comes on a fixed day, tests the water, and shows you the result on video every time.
What happens to a pool in Spain when nobody is home
The sun here is the main difference from home. Without stabiliser, direct sunlight destroys around 90 % of the free chlorine in two to three hours. Once the chlorine floater is empty, the clock starts.
| Time with no visits | What happens |
|---|---|
| First days | The tablets run out and free chlorine falls towards zero. |
| One to two weeks | The water goes dull, then cloudy. Walls feel slippery. In summer, algae has already started. |
| A month | Green water. Skimmer baskets full of leaves, a clogged filter and weak flow. |
| Three months | Evaporation lowers the level. If it falls below the skimmer, the pump sucks air. |
That last row is the expensive one. A pump running on air overheats and ends up destroying the impeller and then the motor. You find out the day you land.
Do you close a pool for winter in Spain?
Not the way you would in northern Europe. On the Alicante coast the water does not freeze, so pools are not drained and pipes are not blown out. Winter care here means a deep clean in October, pH set to 7.2, a shock dose of chlorine, a winter algaecide, and the pump timer turned down to 3 or 4 hours a day. Then a check every two weeks until spring.
In summer the pump needs 8 to 10 hours a day. Turning it off to save electricity while you are away is the quickest way to a green pool.
What it costs when it goes wrong
Bringing a green pool back costs from 150 EUR plus chemicals and takes two or three visits. Year-round maintenance with Mamsis is 79 EUR a month, so the maths is easy. The full price list is on the home page.
What to ask from whoever looks after your pool
Whoever you choose, get these points agreed in writing before you fly home:
- A fixed day. Weekly from May to September. Every two weeks is enough from October to April.
- Testing, with numbers. pH and chlorine on every visit, written down. The targets are pH 7.2 to 7.6 and free chlorine 1 to 3 ppm. Without numbers it is cleaning, not maintenance.
- Proof of every visit. Something you can check from your sofa in another country.
- A fixed price, with invoices. And a clear answer on whether chemicals are included.
- Written quotes before repairs. Nobody should replace a pump you have not approved.
- A receipt for your key. Who holds it, since when, and that it comes back when you stop.
- Your language. A fault explained in half-understood Spanish usually ends in a misunderstanding.
Why you should insist on a video after every visit
Because you cannot look over the wall from 2,000 kilometres away. A message saying "all fine" proves nothing. A photo could be from any day. A 20-second video sent by WhatsApp when the visit ends shows what matters:
- The colour of the water, and whether you can see the bottom.
- The water level against the skimmer.
- The test strip or kit with that day's pH and chlorine reading.
- Anything odd, like a drip in the pump house.
A neighbour keeping an eye on the house is priceless, but looking is not testing. A pool can look perfect with the pH at 8 and no chlorine, and be green five days later.
How it works with Mamsis if you live abroad
You message me on WhatsApp and tell me where the pool is. I come to see it at no cost and test the water: in front of you if you are in Spain that day, on video if you are not. You get a fixed price in writing and we set the visiting day.
- 79 EUR a month, all year, chemicals included.
- Weekly visits from May to September, every two weeks from October to April.
- A video of every visit on your WhatsApp.
- You give me a key or a gate code. The key comes with a signed receipt and goes back the day we stop.
- No contract term. Leave with 15 days' notice.
- I speak English, Spanish and Polish.
I cover Alicante, Playa de San Juan, Cabo de las Huertas, Sant Joan d'Alacant, Mutxamel and El Campello. A one-off visit before you or your guests arrive is 35 EUR. If something breaks, you hear about it in writing, with the cost, before I touch it.
Common questions from owners who live abroad
How often should a pool in Spain be checked when the house is empty?
Every week from May to September and every two weeks from October to April. In winter things slow down, but they do not stop.
Should I drain my pool for the winter in Alicante?
No. The water does not freeze on the Alicante coast, so the pool stays full. It gets a deep clean, balanced water, a winter algaecide and a few hours of filtration a day.