The art of pool draining and calcium hardness
- September 13, 2013
- Pool Safety and Health,
When was the last time you drained your pool? If you can’t answer that question, you might be in a little bit of trouble. Draining is one of the more crucial long-term maintenance responsibilities that needs to be taken care of to ensure the health of your pool water over time. This isn’t an everyday task, but is certainly something that needs to be taken care of once every couple of years.
Many people don’t even know that pools need to be drained.
Why do you need to drain your pool?
First, high temperatures can create extremely high evaporation rates in Phoenix area pools. Water evaporates from the pool, leaving behind all minerals that can saturate the pool water over time.
With temperatures rising above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, in very dry conditions, this evaporation rate requires pools to be refilled on a consistent basis, which may increase hard water readings. An important note to remember is that when your water temperature rises, the balance of the chemicals is greatly affected by these readings.
Also, certain chemicals may not dissolve properly in the pool water. Minerals in the water, such as calcium and copper, will “fall out of solution” and will dull or change the color of your surface. Once this happens, you may notice some staining on the pool surfaces – including your visible waterline tile. Chalky deposits will adhere to and harden on these surfaces.
At this point, only professional cleaning chemicals and equipment can remove the staining and buildup. These cleaning processes, referred to as “acid washing” or “tile cleaning,” require the water to be drained completely from the pool.
Poolman has you covered
Poolman recommends you drain your pool every two or three years or when your calcium hardness level goes above 700 parts per million. Draining your pool is preventive maintenance that can help avoid surface staining as well as maintain the water chemistry.
During the off season, which is typically from October to April, we test your water to determine if it needs to be drained. The worst thing you can do is wait too long to manage your water chemistry, as this will lead to more widespread problems and higher maintenance costs at the end of the day.
By keeping your regularly scheduled Phoenix pool service with Poolman going throughout the year, you’ll have a much easier and more amicable experience with your swimming environment.