Why Do You Have a Cloudy Pool?

It's a bright, sunny day and you are getting ready to head to the pool.  Just before you dive in, it's clear you can't see the bottom of the pool.  Obviously, since the last time you used your home pool something has gone wrong...and you're stuck with a cloudy pool.

Cloudy pool water is a common problem with private and public pools both.  Most people think cloudy water is caused by poor maintenance and cleaning.  Those factors certainly can lead to a cloudy pool, but there are all kinds of other circumstances that can cause the problem.  It's a good idea to be aware of how the pool's environment can contribute to the quality of the water so it can be avoided more easily.

One of the first things to check when your pool water is looking less than fresh is the sanitizer and oxidizer levels.  It's easy in the hustle and bustle of everyday life to let this important pool care step go.  However without the proper levels of chlorine and oxidizers in the pool, the build up of algae can cause that cloudy pool, and overall unclean appearance.

When you purchased your swimming pool, it's likely that you relied on the advice of the salesperson in choosing your pool's accessories.  Sometimes accidents happen and it's possible your pool's filter is too small.  If that is the case, cloudy pool water is going to occur.  There isn't any doubt.  Another possible problem to be sure to check out is how long you are allowing the filter to run.  If you don't use this vital piece of equipment enough, it simply doesn't have time to do its job fully. 

While you are rechecking your pool equipment, make the pump your next maintenance stop.  Many people think the higher the horsepower the more effective the pump will be.  This isn't necessarily accurate.  Your pool's pump should be the correct size and dimension for the pool and it's return jets have to be clear and fully operational for you to avoid cloudy pool water.

If all of your equipment checks out, it's time to take a look at how the pool is used.  Cloudy pool water can occur from not using the pool enough and the water stagnates.  Outside interference from leaves, lawn chemicals that have blown in, and an overuse of sunscreen, hair products, and lotions from pool bathers can attribute to the low quality of the water as well. 

The key to correcting your cloudy pool problem is to determine what combination of factors is damaging your investment.  You can check all of these things yourself or rely on a reputable pool cleaning company to do it for you.

 

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