Dealing With Cloudy Swimming Pools

With spring a couple of months away there will be an increase in temperatures and an increase in swimming pool owners calling asking why their swimming pool water looks anything but great! This isn’t uncommon and that is why we want to discuss it to help the do it yourself pool cleaners at home. The simple answer would be to hire Clark County Pool & Lawn but we want to inform you of reasons why pool water gets cloudy, how to troubleshoot this on your own and how you can prevent it from happening in the future. Typically if you have a pool that is cloudy you will want to check the following:

• Proper levels of chlorine which is different during the year
• Your filter run times which are different depending on the time of the year
• Your pH
• Phosphates
• Filtration equipment for leaks

Any of the above can cause your swimming pool water to be cloudy or cause algae growth. Also, during the summer heavy use of body oils, sunscreen could cause your water to look cloudy.

Chlorine – to effectively kill bacteria and living organisms in your swimming pool your chlorine levels must be at least 3 – 5 parts per million (ppm) during the summertime. If it is lower, algae will most definitely grow in your swimming pool. Make sure to also monitor your free chlorine levels as well especially during the summertime to help kill off any algae.

Filter Run Times – your filter should run at least 10 – 12 hours each night during the summertime. You can get away with shorter run times during the winter but proper filtration is necessary to circulate chemicals and filter our debris. In the wintertime, you can cut your filter run times to 6 – 8 hours.

pH – your pH should be between 7.2 and 7.8! When levels climb above 8 it can cause your water to be cloudy and for scaling to occur.

Phosphates – they are food for algae and can enter your swimming pool from a variety of sources. Make sure to check those levels because if they are high, algae will grow no matter how much chlorine you have.

Filtration leaks – this can cause poor filtration. You will want to fix leaks as soon as possible to keep good circulation in your swimming pool.

Another important thing to look at is your filter. Whether you have sand, cartridge, or a DE filter, they need to be maintained, cleaned, or backwashed on a regular basis. Each filter is unique and has different requirements but for your pool to remain blue and clear it is extremely important that your filter is working properly.

To learn more about Clark County Pool & Lawn your premier Las Vegas weekly pool service please contact us today.