When to Add Chemicals to Your Pool: A Pool Owner Guide
In previous posts, we’ve covered which chemicals you should add to your pool. While it’s good to have a full inventory of chemicals on hand, it’s also important to know when to add those chemicals. Some pool owners get anxious about not adding chemicals often enough (and then end up adding too many). Other pool owners wait too long, which also harms the chemistry.
In this guide, we’re going to give you some helpful tips on when to add chemicals to your pool. We will cover weekly maintenance as well as a few special instances when you should adjust outside your usual schedule.
Have questions? Get in touch with our team. We’re always happy to answer questions for our maintenance members.
Why You Have to Be Flexible with Your Chemical Schedule
There’s no one answer to the question of when to add chemicals to your pool. Several factors can cause changes in pool chemistry, affecting the water’s clarity, safety, and overall quality. This means there’s no set schedule that works perfectly for every pool at all times.
Environmental Conditions
Weather plays a significant role in altering pool chemistry. Rainfall can dilute chemicals and disrupt the pool’s balance. It lowers pH levels, reduces chlorine concentration, and may introduce contaminants. On the other hand, high temperatures and strong sunlight can accelerate the depletion of chlorine, making it essential to monitor and adjust chemical levels more frequently during hot summer days.
Bather Load
How many people are using your pool at any given time? This is another critical factor. The number of people using the pool impacts water quality. Swimmers introduce contaminants like sweat, sunscreen, and body oils into the water, increasing the chlorine demand. A large pool party or a busy day at the community pool can significantly affect the pool’s chemistry, necessitating more frequent testing and chemical adjustments.
Pool Usage Patterns
Regular pool usage will also contribute to chemical changes. Pools that are heavily used will experience more fluctuations in pH and chlorine levels compared to those with sporadic use. To establish a regular chemical maintenance schedule, consideration must be given to pool usage.
The Seasonal Shifts
As the seasons shift from winter to summer and vice versa, you may notice significant changes to chemical requirements. When opening a pool in the spring, it’s common to find unbalanced chemistry due to winterization. Cold weather can reduce the effectiveness of pool chemicals. Conversely, hot summer months can intensify the need for chemical adjustments, requiring more frequent testing and maintenance.
Sunlight Exposure
Sun affects pool chemistry as well. Ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun break down chlorine, reducing its effectiveness. To counteract this, stabilizers like cyanuric acid are used to shield chlorine from UV degradation. However, excessive stabilizer levels can also disrupt the pool’s balance. As the sun changes position in the sky throughout the year, you may need to adjust when to add chemicals to your pool.
Vegetation and Trees
Plants near the pool can introduce organic matter, leaves, and pollen into the water. As these materials decompose, they consume chlorine and can lead to algae growth. Regular pool cleaning and skimming are necessary to counteract the impact of nearby plants.
Water Source
The type of water you use influences pool chemistry, especially if you rely on well water or have hard water. High levels of minerals like calcium and magnesium can lead to scaling and cloudy water. Proper testing and chemical adjustments are crucial to prevent these issues.
Pool Equipment and Maintenance
Malfunctioning or poorly maintained equipment, such as the filtration system or chemical feeders, can lead to imbalances. Regular equipment checks and maintenance are essential to ensure they function correctly and do not disrupt the pool’s chemical balance.
Weekly Chemical Balancing
Regular maintenance is the cornerstone of a well-managed pool. Every week, you should perform a water quality test. Before adding any chemicals, it’s crucial to test your pool water’s pH, chlorine, and alkalinity levels. A pool water testing kit or test strips are essential tools for this task.
Aim to maintain the following levels:
- pH: Ideally between 7.4 and 7.6.
- Chlorine: Free chlorine levels should be between 1 and 3 ppm (parts per million).
- Total Alkalinity: Keep it within the range of 80 to 120 ppm.
If all of the readings are within the proper ranges, then you don’t need to add chemicals. Your pool isn’t an animal that needs to be fed regularly. You simply have to check its chemistry every week.
If levels are off, then complete the following tasks.
Adjusting pH Levels
If your pH level falls outside the recommended range, use a pH increaser (sodium carbonate) to raise the level or a pH reducer (sodium bisulfate) to lower it. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and make gradual adjustments to avoid overcorrection.
Chlorine Maintenance
You can maintain proper chlorine levels by adding pool chlorine (liquid, tablets, or granules) as needed. Follow package instructions and distribute it evenly across the pool’s surface or through the skimmer.
Balancing Alkalinity
To adjust total alkalinity, use sodium bicarbonate to raise it or muriatic acid to lower it. Proper alkalinity helps stabilize pH levels.
Shock Treatment
Periodically, you should shock your pool, even if it appears clear. Shocking helps eliminate organic contaminants and maintain chlorine effectiveness. Follow the package instructions for your chosen pool shock product.
Cyanuric Acid (Stabilizer) Checks
Checking the cyanuric acid (stabilizer) levels in your pool water helps protect chlorine from UV degradation. The recommended range is typically 30 to 50 ppm. If it’s too low, add a stabilizer; if it’s too high, you may need to partially drain and refill the pool.
Calcium Hardness
Test for calcium hardness and adjust as necessary, typically aiming for a range of 200 to 400 ppm. Special chemicals can be used to increase or decrease the levels of calcium in your pool’s water.
When Else Should You Add Chemicals to Your Pool?
Closing Your Pool for the Winter
You’ll want to make sure you set yourself up for success over the winter. Before closing, clean the pool thoroughly, balance the chemicals, and ensure the pH, alkalinity, and chlorine levels are within the recommended range. Lower the water level to just below the skimmer.
In addition, add winterizing chemicals such as algaecide and a winter floater containing chlorine tablets to prevent algae growth and keep the water sanitized during the off-season. Place the pool cover securely, ensuring it’s free of debris and well-tightened to prevent wind from lifting it.
Opening Your Pool in the Spring
Pool water doesn’t magically remain stable when you put the cover on for the winter. Chemicals break down and evaporate. A full chemical check needs to be done before you open for business in the spring. You may have to repeat this process a few times if you left water in the pool over the winter.
If you want to make sure that the chemicals are distributed evenly, you should run the pool’s filtration system continuously for at least 24 to 48 hours.
After a Storm
Storms can make massive changes to your pool chemistry. You’ll want to add chemicals after a major weather event since rainwater, leaves, and other debris can impact various levels.
Skim the surface and vacuum the pool to remove leaves, branches, and other debris. After a storm, shock your pool to combat any bacteria or contaminants introduced by rainwater, debris, or foreign objects. Follow the shock treatment process mentioned in the weekly maintenance section. Test and balance the pool water’s chemistry, especially focusing on pH and chlorine levels. It’s common for these to be affected after a storm.
After a Pool Party
Finally, you’ll want to reset your pool’s chemicals after a pool party. Sunscreen, spilled drinks, and body fluids are just a few of the factors that can affect chemical levels after a pool party. As always, test the water for chlorine and pH levels. High bather load during a pool party can deplete chlorine, affecting water quality. Recheck and adjust chemical levels to ensure they are within the recommended range.
Family Pool Maintenance Has You Covered
We hope you appreciate this article on when to add chemicals to your pool. While we recommend checking your chemical levels weekly, the specific amounts of chemicals depend on the circumstances. You may want to check levels more frequently, especially if you’ve had a pool party or your area has experienced some stormy weather.
If you live in Delaware and are new to pool maintenance, let Family Pool Maintenance become your professional pool partner. Pool owners all over the Diamond state trust to provide reliable pool maintenance services. We’re here to help you at every phase of the pool maintenance process, from opening and closing for the season to maintaining the proper chemical balance and keeping pool equipment in top shape. Don’t wait – become part of the Family Pool Maintenance community today.
