pH indicates how acidic or basic the water is. A pH of 7 indicates the water is neutral; above 7 indicates the water is alkaline, while below 7 indicates acidity. pH should be tested daily to begin with but as you gain experience with your pool, less frequent monitoring may be needed, depending on your pool’s typical rate of pH change. A pH level of 7.4 and 7.6 is ideal, but anything between 7.2 and 8.0 are acceptable.
pH levels can be affected by many factors including heavy rain, number of swimmers and chemicals added to your pool.
Problems caused with pH below 7.2
- Burning and stinging eyes.
- Itchy, dry skin.
- Deterioration of grout, concrete and tiles.
- Rapid dissipation of chlorine requiring increased dosage.
- A pH below 6.8 can cause damage to metal parts such as pool heaters copper heat exchange coils.
- When acidic water corrodes metal surfaces, the metal particles remain in suspension in the water, eventually falling down as sediment, leading to unsightly stains on the bottom of the pool.
Problems caused with pH above 8.0
- Cloudy water.
- Calcium in the water combines with carbonates to form scale at the edges of the pool.
- Calcium carbonate clogs the sand in the filter leading to ineffective filtration.
- Increased chlorine consumption. More chlorine is needed to do the same work as the chlorine is less effective.
Keeping your pH levels within the proper range is important for keeping your pool and equipment in good condition as well as for swimmer comfort.