How To Check The Chemicals In Your Pool

Where Should You Store Pool Chemicals

Many pool cleaning products contain chemicals that can be hazardous or even deadly if stored improperly. As the Environmental Protection Agency points out, various pool chemicals can potentially be highly reactive and capable of generating high temperatures, as well as releasing toxic vapors if improperly handled or stored.

Avoid fumes, fires, chemical reactions, and other hazards by following the storage instructions on each cleaner carefully. The ideal storage space should be well ventilated, clearly organized, free of leaks or spills, and protected from excessive heat or sunlight.

What Happens If I Ignore The Pool Chemical Levels

Ignoring the pool chemical levels can be a costly mistake. An abundance of the wrong chemicals or elements could damage your pools features, materials and even the equipment in and around it. Most importantly, if you arent testing the water, you dont know if the water is a safe swimming environment! Proper and routine pool chemical levels testing will prevent you from damaging your pool finish, pool equipment and keep you and your family swimming in healthy, sanitary water.

What Water Tests Are Needed

In order for us to have a sparkling clean and well-balanced pool, we have to ensure that the levels of pool chemicals stay within the ideal range of:

• pH: 7.2 7.6
• Bromine: 3-5 ppm
• Cyanuric Acid: 30 50 ppm

Testing your pool water and maintaining perfect chemical harmony is not rocket science but it definitely involves regularity and consistency on your part.

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What Happens If Somebody Still Urinates In My Pool

The chemical trick wont work on infants or toddlers, and even some children, even adults, will urinate in your pool. If the babys diaper breaks, or somebody else decides to use your swimming pool as a toilet, you are going to need to act immediately.

Urinating in ones swimming pool should not hurt the pools chemistry, provided the pool owner has been regularly maintaining their pool with chlorine. Discountpoolsupply.com offers the latest in cleaning technology, as well as shock solution.

Salt Water Pool Maintenance Checklist

We’ve put together a salt water pool maintenance checklist specifically for salt water pool owners. As you continue reading keep in mind that not all pools, generators and water quality are the same which will present unique maintenance challenges. We’ve also put together a detailed hot tub maintenance checklist with helpful tips and advice specifically for salt water hot tubs.

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Testing Your Pool Water Chemistry: 4 Things You Should Test For

There are four main things to test for:

It is important to check your pool water chemistry for several fundamental reasons:

• To help prevent the spread and transmission of bacteria and diseases that thrive in un-sanitized pool or spa water.
• To prevent high chlorine levels, which can damage swimsuits, pool toys cause eye and skin irritation, as well as respiratory issues.
• Increase longevity and reduce damages to pool features, equipment, and materials.

What Type Of Chemicals Are Needed To Keep Pool Water Sanitary

There are a few chemicals that all pool owners will need to use to maintain a safe swimming pool environment. It is necessary to understand which chemicals your swimming pool needs and use them regularly. Using the right chemicals at the right time will help you to avoid waste, and adding more chemicals than necessary to correct mistakes.

Chlorine : Most pools are sanitized using bromine or chlorine, chemicals that are always present in the water to ensure that your pool water doesnt become cloudy, dangerous, and unsanitary to swim in. Youll need to maintain a base level of chlorine in your swimming pool at all times to ensure your water is safe for swimmers.

Shock: Shocking your pool every once in a while is a necessity. A shock involves adding a much higher than normal amount of chlorine or bromine to your pool water, a deep treatment that will eliminate any emerging pathogens and bacteria. Some brands of shock may include additional chemicals to help to control algae or prevent cloudy water over time.

Other necessary chemicals: Occasionally, youll need to use other chemicals in your pool to balance the water , to treat for algae, or to prepare your swimming pool to be closed for the season. Pool owners can often minimize or eliminate the use of these chemicals through rigorous cleaning and water balancing through the summer.

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Ideal Pool Kit Test Readings

The goal of testing your water is to ensure that it stays within a specific acceptable range of quality, according to the National Plasters Council. Ideal readings are as follows:

• pH 7.2 to 7.6

• Total Chlorine 1 to 3 ppm

• Calcium Hardness 200-400ppm

• Total Alkalinity 80 to 120 ppm

• Cyanuric Acid 30-50ppm

If you keep your water quality readings within these ranges, you will have few problems maintaining your pool. If your pool chemical levels arent in these specific ranges, youll need to take further steps.

How To Test Pool Water Accurately

It doesnt seem like it should be a complicated endeavor, and its really not. You even have a few testing options:

• Use test strips quick and easy
• Take a water sample to your local pool store the most thorough and accurate

How hard can it be, right? Theres just one key to making sure youre testing pool water accurately: the water sample.

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Only Use Approved Chemicals In Your Pool

If you cant find the pool chemicals that you need, mixing your own concoction is never the answer. According to the EPA, some common pool chemicals arent compatible with one another. Mixing these chemicals could cause a chemical reaction that could ignite combustible materials nearby or it can create highly toxic and corrosive chlorine gas.

If you have a hard time finding the pool chemicals that you need, dont resort to homegrown brews or homegrown mixtures. We know there are a lot of things that are in short supply right now. Pool chemicals are no exception. Its important to use things that are safe and certified for use in a pool. Its not the time to experiment.

He adds that basic personal protective equipment like goggles and gloves are essential. If youre using pool chemicals for a longer period, Dr. Fertel suggests using a face shield. And be sure to use these chemicals in a well-ventilated area.

Dr. Fertel says that most exposures to chemicals can be managed by just leaving the area. But when in doubt, seek medical help. And if someone ingests pool chemicals, contact your local poison control center immediately.

Test And Adjust Total Alkalinity

Your pools Total Alkalinity represents the number of alkaline substances present in the water.

Every swimming pool should have a healthy amount of alkaline in it. Why?

Because alkaline is a pH stabilizer. So when your pools alkaline is properly adjusted, your pH fluctuates less.

Ideal Total Alkalinity range: 80 120 ppm

How to increase total alkalinity:

• Use sodium bicarbonate, or baking soda to increase total alkalinity.
• Use up to 25 pounds of sodium bicarbonate per 10,000 gallons of pool water.

How to decrease total alkalinity:

• Use sodium bisulfate
• Use muriatic acid

When using dry acid to decrease total alkalinity, follow the numbers in this chart from our friends at Pinch-a-Penny:

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Tips For Testing Pool Water

• Dont buy more pool chemicals than youll use in a season because they can lose effectiveness over time. The test solutions typically last about one year.
• Avoid test strips. Test strips are available to conduct individual tests simply by dipping the strips into the pool water and “reading” the color. However, these are not as accurate as test kits that mix the water with a reacting solution.
• When you run out of testing solutions, you can purchase replenishment bottles rather than buying an entire testing kit.
• Comprehensive kits are available that offer the testing solutions and materials required for nearly any chemical test you might need. These deluxe kits can cost between $30 and $60.

Not Covering Pool In Winter: Pros And Cons

Most pool owners in mild climates dont close or cover their pool in the winter. Some of the more common reasons people leave pools uncovered in winter include:

• Many people dont like how pool covers look.
• Some pool owners dont have space to store a pool cover.
• Other pool owners like to have the option of being able to just run and jump into the pool on those rare warm winter day.
• Some pool owners dont want the added hassle of having to roll off their pool cover.
• If you have a saltwater pool, you may go through more salt if you cover your pool.
• It can be difficult to find a suitable cover for irregularly-shaped pools.
• Covers are costly.
• Some pool owners want to use their pool year-round.

Do keep in mind that one warm winter day wont be enough to change your water temperature to make it comfortable for a dip. If you do decide to take the plunge, be prepared to feel more like a polar bear than a summer swimmer.

Standard pool covers, which range in price from $75-$250, are typically made of a tarp-like material, which means that if someone tries to walk on top of it, they will get wet or even worse, trapped. Rainwater can also get trapped on top.

The decision about whether or not to cover a pool in winter generally depends on the homeowner, what the specific needs are and how often the pool is used year- round. If you do decide to leave your pool open for the winter, there are some pool maintenance tasks you will need to perform during the winter.

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How To Correct Poor Test Results

Correcting poor water quality readings usually means dosing your pool with certain chemicals. For example, sodium carbonate increases pH whereas sodium bisulfate lowers pH. There are also chemicals to increase or lower alkalinity, increase hardness, stabilize chlorine, control algae, reduce cloudiness, etc.

In certain instances, you may not have to add chemicals at all, but you may have to dilute the chemicals in your pool by adding water or performing a partial water change.

Pool chemistry can be complex. For this reason, its a good idea to ask a pool professional about the proper chemicals and dosage needed to correct your readings. Whether youre looking for more information on this subject or would like a pool company to take care of pool maintenance and chemical balancing for you, contact Summerhill Pools.

Test Pool Water Chemistry Using Pool Test Kits

Pool testing kits require users to collect small samples of pool water, which change color depending on their alkalinity, pH and chlorine levels when mixed with a reagent. To use one, follow these instructions:

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Store Pool Chemicals In A Dry Area

You never want to store chemicals in a damp area. Dr. Fertel strongly recommends keeping them in a very dry space and away from any leaky containers.

Pool chemicals should be stored in a dry area. Make sure that there are no other chemicals or items on the shelves above that could potentially drip down on them. The containers that the chemicals are in should also be sealed tightly.

He adds that chemicals from different years should never be mixed. And if youre using a specific device or container to pour the chemicals in, clean it thoroughly before the next use.

Measure Cyanuric Acid Levels

CYA is a stabilizer that gets added to certain pool shocking chemicals, such as di-chlor. Its purpose is to prevent ultraviolet rays from burning off free chlorine, making sanitization more efficient especially on hot, sunny days. The ideal CYA measurement for your swimming pool is between 35 and 60 ppm, unless you have a saltwater pool. In that case, aim for 60 to 80 ppm.

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What Chemicals Do You Need For A Pool

Certain items on the list below are essential to keep on hand, such as pool shock chemicals, which are used to sanitize contaminated water. Others, such as stain removers, may not be necessary for every pool owner. You should consult with a pool care and maintenance expert, like the pool service technicians at Latham Pool Products, to determine which chemical products are right for your swimming pool needs. With that in mind, here are a few common pool chemicals you might want to learn about:

Tile and Vinyl Cleaners: If you own a tile or vinyl liner swimming pool, you may want to look into cleaners to help maintain that day-one shine.

Cyanuric Acid Or Stabilizer

Most chlorine products you add to the water will be stabilized chlorine. However, if you start with fresh water, you might want to add some cyanuric acid as a stabilizer base so that the chlorine doesnt get burned off by the suns UV rays so quickly. This chemical will protect your chlorine from the sun.

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Testing For Calcium: Softening The Hardness

Whether water is hard or soft is determined by the levels of calcium and magnesium in it. Depending on where you live, you may have to deal with the problems created by hard water.

If you get calcium buildup in your faucets and showerheads, imagine what its doing to your pool filter and pump. Not only that, too much calcium in your pool can cause cloudy water, rough pool surfaces, and heater inefficiency.

But unlike copper and iron, its also possible for calcium levels to be too low. With that comes a host of other problems including pitted concrete pool surfaces , dissolved concrete and grout, and etched plaster. Over time, these can become expensive problems to fix.

Keeping calcium levels balanced is essential to prevent damage to your pool and its surroundings, and to save you money.

A calcium imbalance can cause deposits, dissolved grout, and other expensive damage.

Why Test Pool Water

A swimming pool is just a hole in the ground without water, and swimming is no fun if not experienced in clean, clear and healthy water.

Since swimming pools are generally used by multiple people at any given time, it is imperative that pool water is tested and treated regularly to prevent the spread of infectious diseases and enhance the pool experience.

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Why Are Pool Chemical Levels So Important

The chemicals you put in your swimming pool help balance the water, making it safe to swim in. The right balance of these chemicals keeps your pool clean, and protects the pool finish from discoloration, as well. Most likely, you wont be changing out the pool water for several years and youll have stagnate periods where its not being used. A good filtration system and balance of chemicals will help your pool stay healthy, even when you arent using it every day.

Why Do We Need To Use Chemicals In Pool Water

Bodies of water are the perfect place for wildlife, bacteria, pathogens, insects and algae to thrive, and an untreated swimming pool is no exception. Even a pool that is cleaned and vacuumed regularly will need some form of chemical sanitization for safe swimming.

The reason that we use pool cleaning chemicals is to ensure that pool water doesnt turn into a murky mess. The sanitizers and balancing chemicals you add to your pool water ensure it is kept sparkling and sanitary, and only attractive to human swimmers.

A sparkling blue swimming pool can quickly turn into an unattractive swamp without chlorine, algaecide, and chemicals intended to balance your water.

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Sanitizing Using A Saltwater Pool System

Saltwater systems are gaining popularity all over the world, and are becoming more and more common across Canada. Saltwater pool systems allow you to enjoy smooth and silky water that is so much more comfortable than a traditional chlorine system. Many people believe that saltwater replaces chlorine in your pool. But, saltwater pools simply use salt to produce a constant output of chlorine in your water.

While saltwater pools dont eliminate the need for pool chemicals, these systems allow you to maintain the perfect balance of chlorine in your pool at all times. A saltwater chlorinator builds cleaning capability into your pool, and reduces the need to add additional cleaning chemicals, treat for algae, and shock your pool with additional chemicals.

Saltwater systems are ideal if you are trying to minimize your use of chemicals. Not only does saltwater give you the opportunity to maintain a balanced pool, ita also feels more comfortable and reduces the chemical smell of chlorine.