Pool chemical levels and poor pool chemistry conditions that lead to problems.
Quite often the Affordable Pool Service team come across a pool that has been chemically abused!
So what sort of chemical abuse is there?
Most common
- Extreme Chlorine levels above 5 ppm
- Extreme Alkalinic levels high pH 8 – 14
- Extreme Acidic levels low pH 0 – 6.8
- Calcium Hardness low value 0 – 80
All of the above will do damage to something, let alone to your health.
Humans have a tolerance for pH levels (drinkable levels range from 4-11 with minimal gastrointestinal irritation). pH values greater than 11 can cause skin and eye irritations, as does a pH below 4. A pH value below 2.5 will do irreversible damage to skin and organ linings. Levels above 8.0 cannot be effectively disinfected with chlorine, causing other indirect risks.
The alkalinity of water also plays an important role in daily pH levels. The process of photosynthesis by algae and plants uses hydrogen, this raises pH levels. Respiration and decomposition can lower pH levels. Most bodies of water are able to buffer these changes due to their alkalinity.
pH levels outside of 6.5-9.5 can damage and is corrosive which will affect the metal components around your pool and/or equipment. A high Acidic value will also attack and corrode cement like products such as the grout in between tiles the adhesive glue behind the tiles and will etch the mortar used in pebblecrete. It will also irritate your eyes.
High Chlorine will rapidly soften and eat flexible plastics and rubbers found in many parts of your pool including pumps, filters, valves, pool toys and pool cleaners. Harsh water chemistry will cause some problems with your pool equipment in time. One telltale way to detect this without testing the pool water is stinging eyes that appear red around the whites.
Poor pool chemical levels also opens the door for calcium scaling crystallization to form in your pool and can create friction in side pipe and pool equipment.
Low Calcium value will eventually lead to white crystal spots/strips on pool floor and walls due to the body of water trying to draw calcium from the concrete pool shell. These are very hard to remove, so if you have put a lot new tap water in your pool it is advised to check how the existing calcium level is going.
Good pool chemical levels
pH levels to stay between 7.2 and 7.6 for concrete pools and 7.0 -7.2 for fiberglass pools.
Total Alkalinity between 80 -120
Chlorine 1.5 -4 PPM
Calcium range 80 -500
If you would like your pool chemistry checked and corrected please book a Pool Clean Service.
Affordable Pool Service provides a regular pool clean service so you can keep these levels in check.