Getting the Right Chemicals For the Job

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Feb. 5, 2016 - PRLog -- Caring for a swimming pool means gathering the right ingredients to keep bacteria and algae at bay.Skimming the water for leaves and sticks will not be enough to keep a swimming pool clean and safe for swimmers. Residential pool owners also need to ensure that the chemicals in their pool are both present and balanced. Knowing swimming pool chemical providers in the West Palm Beach area will be helpful, and Pool Doctor of the Palm Beaches can provide pool maintenance and service, including balancing the various chemicals in the pool.

 Most pools have filter systems, but the filter can only do so much. Swimming pool owners also need to use chemicals to help kill bacteria and disease-carrying microorganisms. Most pool owners will end up using chlorine as their disinfecting agent. Chlorine comes as both a liquid and a powder, but some  professionals use a gas version.

 Chlorine is not very stable under the sunlight, particularly under ultraviolent rays. To stabilize it, pool professionals often recommend a stabilizing agent like cyanuric acid. This slows down the degrading process the chlorine experiences when it sits under the sun. Interestingly, the strong chlorine smell that is sometimes associated with swimming pools actually means that there is too little free chlorine, instead of too much. The range of chlorine in the pool should be between 1.0 and 3.0 parts per million (ppm) for an outdoor pool.

 Having the right balance of chlorine will also affect the various other chemical factors in the pool. Chlorine and pH levels are particularly related. pH in the pool should be between 7.2 and 7.8. Pool owners also need to keep an eye on calcium hardness as well. This is caused by placing untreated water into the pool from the tap (hard water). Calcium hardness should remain between 100 to 400 ppm. Total alkalinity should also stay between 80 to 120 ppm. These three factors—pH, calcium hardness, and total alkalinity—will determine whether the pool has cloudy water and influences corrosion of the pool surfaces.

 Total dissolved solids (TDS) should also be between 250 and 1500 ppm, and stain producing minerals should be completely absent. Pool owners can only achieve this balance by having the right amount of chemicals in their swimming pool. Chemicals that adjust these factors are available from a swimming pool supply provider. Pool owners may also need chemicals to remove stains, clarify the water, and shock the water. Each of these chemicals plays a very specific role in a residential swimming pool ecosystem.

 Getting professional help with these chemicals is important because mixing the wrong chemicals can have disastrous effects. Having an unbalanced pool is not good for swimmers’ health or the pool’s health. Unnecessary chemicals in the pool can cause skin and eye irritation, and can even cause asthma and lung problems in some situations. It can also lead to pool corrosion and staining.

 The Pool Doctor of the Palm Beaches not only supplies swimming pool chemicals, they can help swimming pool owners use them correctly. They are also an experienced swimming pool service and repair company. Visit their website at http://www.poolspalmbeaches.com/.