All About August

Let’s face it, New Jersey has had a significant amount of rain these past few months. Sadly, we experienced a huge flash flood in July that impacted Union and Somerset counties the hardest. Some parts of New Jersey got almost half a month’s worth of rain in one evening.  And most weekends, there was a recording of some measurable precipitation throughout the state. This does not bode well for pool days or pools for that matter. What does this wet weather mean for our pools?

ALL “UN” NATRUAL

According to the NY Times, the acid level in rain in New Jersey is typically more acidic than normal. Average rain has a pH of 5.6, while New Jersey rain has an average pH of around 4.1 to 4.3. The acidity is primarily caused by pollutants from vehicles, power plants, etc. The high population in the New Jersey and New York areas contributes to these higher levels of pollutants. Rain with such a low pH is going to drag down the pH levels in our pools. pH has the most important impact on water balance and bather comfort. Low pH levels can lead to the etching of pool and spa surfaces, corrosion of metals, staining of walls and surfaces, wrinkles in vinyl liners, and eye and skin irritation to bathers. To increase the pH to acceptable levels, usually sodium carbonate or bicarbonate is added to the pool.

ALL THAT

Additionally, all this rain is going to impact the water chemistry in our pools for all other parameters. This is going to lead to increased chemical consumption at our pools in terms of chlorine, calcium chloride, and cyanuric acid. Generally, calcium chloride and cyanuric acid will be added at the beginning of the season and does not need to be replenished often as these levels are only decreased by adding fresh water (i.e., rain). But this summer we have had to add more chlorine, calcium chloride, and cyanuric acid than normal.

ALL UP IN IT

And all this rain is going to raise the water levels in our pools. Typically, we like to keep water levels at the middle of the skimmers. We don’t want the levels to fall below the skimmers, as it can cause the pump to suck air and run dry. We also don’t want to have high levels of water in our pools as the skimmers could have difficulty catching debris and insects, hindering the cleanliness. So, be sure to keep an eye on your water levels.

ALL OVER IT

This all sounds like kind of a bummer. Not only is the rain limiting our pool use, but it is also impacting the pool’s operation. The good news is that these are all easy fixes that anyone can perform. So, you don’t need to wait until your weekly visit to make some of these adjustments. Give us a call for tips and tricks to keep the pool balanced and happy!