How does swimming pool water retain its crystal clarity when normal stagnant water turns green and nasty? Water circulation pumps and a variety or chemicals are present in a pool to keep it clear and safe for your use. If you use a public pool, you should be able to assume that the pool is safe. With a private pool, you need to work to maintain stable chemical levels in your pool to keep it pretty and clean.
There are a number of things that are involved in keeping a swimming pool functioning properly. Besides the pool pump itself, pool owners rely on a mixture of various chemicals to keep it from growing algae. However, dumping too much chlorine in a pool can result in health problems, which is why keeping a stable chemical level is important for all pool owners.
The primary method to gauge your pool's pH, alkalinity, calcium, and chemical levels can be done with a testing kit. Most pool supply companies have these available, as they are reliable if used correctly. Some people can eyeball the water and determine what the water needs, but this is not always accurate and can lead to serious problems. Basically, all you have to do is take samples of the water and add drops of certain substances. The color that it turns can be measured against a standardized chart that tells you what's going on with your pool.
It is key to check your pool and run tests on it daily, especially if it is used heavily. Things that get in the pool, such as washed-off sunscreen, sweat, makeup, and urine, greatly disrupt a pool's chemical balance. Generally, adding chlorine to your pool as one ppm (part per million) can help you kill the germs that get in your pool through these various methods. However, too-strong chlorine levels can give swimmers burns and even cause damage to the airways through inhalation.
If your pool gets way off, you can turn to a shock treatment to bring the levels back to normal. Keep in mind, though, that it takes some serious chemical power to do this, and people should avoid the pool for a while after a shock treatment.
With pool maintenance, it is all about balance-pH level, chlorine, alkalinity, and calcium. Too little chemicals can lead to the breeding of germs and algae, while too much can cause burns and other injuries. Thus, it is always easier to check the pool every day, because uneven levels can quickly spiral out of control.
In some cases, improperly treated pools can result in personal injuries such as chemical burns or the spread of disease. For more information on personal injury law, check out the Phoenix personal injury law specialists at the law firm of Haralson, Miller, Pitt, Feldman & McAnally, P.L.C., today.
