Clean, clear and most important of all, bacteria-free pool water is important for many reasons. Why does pool chemical balance matter is a question the swimming pool contractors from Seahorse Pools and Spas in Fort Worth, Texas hear from their customers frequently.
They wonder if it really matters that the chemicals are tested regularly — daily in some cases — or if it truly matters if the pool isn’t cleaned frequently. “Can’t we just let it slide for a week? We haven’t used the pool all that often?” The answer is no, not really. Algae and bacteria can grow quickly in the water and various factors lead to pool chemical imbalances. One out of whack chemical can change the balances of the rest of them.
Why does pool chemical balance matter?
Here are the reasons that pool chemical balances matter
- Swimmer comfort. If the chemicals aren’t balanced you can suffer red, itchy eyes and dry skin. If the water is too acidic or not acidic enough you won’t feel comfortable.
- It’s a safety issue. Water that isn’t truly clean can lead to illness. It’s important that germs and bacteria are killed!
- Pool equipment matters. If the chemicals are out of balance it can lead to corrosion of pool equipment like the ladder and hand rail and other equipment that is in contact with the water.
What needs to be checked when testing chemical balances?
- Stabilizer levels. The stabilizer helps your chlorine do its job longer. Stabilizer protects chlorine from breaking down when exposed to sunlight and this allows chlorine to do its long-acting task.
- Total alkalinity. If the water has high alkaline, it will have high pH; low alkaline leads to low pH.
- Total dissolved solids. All swimming pool water contains “dissolved” materials. When the water evaporates, the minerals stay behind in the water and eventually build up. The more concentrated the minerals, the more total dissolved solids the pool water has and the harder your pool chemicals need to work to keep the water clean.
If you’re unclear whether your pool water is properly balanced or if you’re struggling to keep it balanced, give us a call.