No matter what time of year it is, if you have a swimming pool you should be caring for the water and keeping an eye on several factors, including the pH. But what is pH exactly and how does it affect your pool and your health? When do you need to think about raising or lowering your swimming pool pH level? How does pH affect chlorine levels in your swimming pool?
Read on to learn more.
Basically, pH refers to the balance between acidity and alkalinity. You never want the water to be too acidic or alkaline.
Experts have given this balance a scale of 1 to 14. A pH of one means that the water is dangerously acidic. As you can imagine, acidity means etching on materials in the pool and also slight irritation and burning of the skin. A pH of 14 means the water is very alkaline.
Alkaline water turns cloudy and causes buildup on the pump and other pool equipment. Ideally, the water’s pH level in your pool will sit around 7.2-7.6.
Water that is too acidic or alkaline will change how the chlorine works. When adding chlorine to acidic water, you will find it dissipates and becomes ineffectual much more quickly.
Chlorine in alkaline water will not work to destroy bacteria and pathogens as well. The perfect pH balance will make your chlorine work better and stick around longer.
Does chlorine turn your hair green? What are the effects of chlorine on the body? While chlorine and pH are interrelated in terms of pool water health, chlorine levels are a whole other ballgame when testing your pool.
Chlorine levels are important, and too much can be bad for your health. Why is chlorine bad for you?
An imbalance of chlorine can cause skin irritation and red eyes. It can also dry out your hair and skin.
Keeping your swimming pool water balanced can be tricky, especially if your pool is used more often, overly shaded or very small or large. Having a professional test your water throughout the year is the best way to keep your pool healthy and will increase the longevity of the equipment and surfaces.
Often, when you try to do it yourself, you spend more money on chemicals and trial and error.
