Swimming pools are a source of enjoyment, relaxation, physical fitness, and family time. However, the cost for all the benefits, is maintenance, both weekly and daily. Many homeowners are intimidated by the countless pool chemicals located on the shelves of pool supply retailers. Honestly, understanding Pool Chemicals in Pearland is not that difficult, it just requires some patience and time.
There are six main types used for swimming pools: algicides, sanitizers, pH control, oxidizers, balancers, and stabilizers.
- Algicides – The bane of pool owners everywhere is algae. It tends to seemingly appear “out-of-nowhere”, is ugly, and stains the liner of a pool as quickly as it appears. Algicides are not used to eliminate existing algae, but rather, to prevent it from growing.
- Sanitizers – Chlorine is a sanitizer that makes for safe swimming conditions. Sanitizers eliminate the microscopic elements like fungi and bacteria that can cause illness in swimmers that come into contact with them. Chlorine is available in a granular form, tablets, or liquid, and all contain the same active ingredient.
- pH Control – The pH level is a measure of how acidic or alkaline the water is and if it’s too high or too low, it results in eye and skin irritation, reduces the effectiveness of chlorine, and can damage pool equipment. The goal is to aim for a value of 7.2 to 7.6, where 7.0 is neutral. Chemicals like soda ash or borax raise the pH and muriatic acid lowers the pH.
- Oxidizers – Pool chemicals in Pearland that get rid of pool contaminants like sunscreen, tanning lotions, sweat, urine, and debris blown into the pool, don’t exactly kill them but rather, oxidize them. The oxidation process chemically breaks the contaminants down to eliminate them.
- Balancing – To keep everything running smoothly all these chemicals must be kept in balance. The pH and chlorine levels especially should be tested a few times a week and adjusted as needed.
- Stabilizers – Chlorine is unstable and rapidly degrades due to ultraviolet rays, therefore, adding chemical stabilizers is necessary to increase and prolong chlorine’s effectiveness.
Fortunately, combination packages are available to help pool owners manage all these chemicals, as they contain the basics, to get you started with the pool season. Contact us for information on these kits, or other chemicals such as stain removers, tile or vinyl cleaners, pool filters and equipment, and everything needed to winterize your pool as well.
