RAINWATER & YOUR SWIMMING POOL WATER HEALTH

Palm Beach pools - local Gold Coast pool builders

Rain! A welcomed sight by many who live in on the Gold Coast! A free top up of water for your swimming pool! Who can complain right? As much as we welcome the free pool top up, it is important to understand the role rain water plays in the chemistry of your pools water. Our team here at Palm Beach Pools will explain.

Not many people know this, but rain water can have an adverse affect on the health of your swimming pool. Most pools have an overflow attached that prevents them from overflowing, but if you don’t have one in yours, it’s worth emptying it before it overflows. By doing so sediment and other materials are not inadvertently pulled into the pools water from the surrounds and gardens. When organic material are dragged into the pool It will create a lot of cleaning and extra chemicals than otherwise required. If you have a sand filter, think of this as a perfect opportunity to backwash your pool! Remember, the waterline should not be covering the skimmer entry to the point where you can’t see it.

WATER CHEMISTRY

Rainwater brings extra debris and organic materials that affects your chemistry balance. This includes your pH levels, alkalinity, chlorine, and salt or minerals. As such it’s always crucially important that you test your water after a heavy downpour. Whether you use testing strips, a drop test kit, or you take a sample into your local pool shop, all of these are fine. Just pay particular attention to the pH as Swim University explain that the waters pH may have dropped considerably due to rain.  – More so if the rain was acidic.

Be sure to also pay particular attention to your salt and chlorine levels. If you have a salt water chlorinator, the rain water and any subsequent backwashing and draining of the pool water may call for extra salt to be added. Adding salt will ensure your chlorinator can produce the chlorine needed. – Refer to your chlorinator manufacturer for the ideal salt levels as these may vary. At this point you should also consider manually adding chlorine especially if the rain is continuing. This will put less strain on your chlorinator and give the pool water that quick boost it requires.

Testing and balancing your swimming pool, particularly after rain, is important in maintaining the health all year round.

PROTECTING YOUR GOLD COAST SWIMMING POOL

If you know you’re in for a few days of heavy rain prepare your surrounds. Remove any leaves and debris from around the swimming pool. This will save you from having to collect it all from the pool later. Not to mention it will also reduce the amount of chemicals you may require later on to combat the organic contaminants.

  • Keep surrounds clean and clear of debris so it doesn’t wash into the pool
  • Remove excess water. – Ensure you don’t remove water below the skimmer level otherwise your pool pump will burn out
  • Vacuum the floor
  • Brush the walls
  • Backwash as required
  • Clean any cartridges
  • Test the pools water and balance the chemical levels.
  • Balance chemicals

As one of the best pool builders Gold Coast has on offer we understand that your swimming pool is one of the largest assets you have. As such, maintaining it will ensure longevity throughout the years to come. Rain storms come and go! Avoid the costly after effect of your pools water going green with algae! Clean your swimming pool regularly and take your water sample to the nearest Gold Coast pool shop to every so often to get tested by the professionals. For more support, get in touch with our team today. 

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