Your Pool and Spa Safety Starts with Weekly Water Tests
Just because your water looks clear, that doesn’t mean it’s safe for people to be in the water. Even pool or spa surfaces and the pump that handles your water aren’t safe from damage when water isn’t tested and maintained at proper levels.
The only way you know your water is safe—or what exactly you need to do to correct it—is to test your water. In the hot and busy summer season that means testing weekly and if needed correcting your water.
If you have a weekly service agreement, Budd’s technicians will take care of testing and maintaining your water. If you prefer to do your own maintenance, bring your water sample to the Budd’s store in Deptford for testing. Your water test is always free at Budd’s, and it comes with specific advice on what you need to do to correct any potential problems before they grow into bigger problems.
Critical Factors that Determine Pool Water Safety
Pool chemistry is complicated. We often hear people say they need to check the chlorine, but as Chris Volk points out in “Total Pool Water Balance: Why It Takes More than Chlorine,” there are times when “adding more chlorine doesn’t help and could further compound your problems.”
In addition to chlorine, there are five more factors you need to measure and test. Your Budd’s Pools test will measure all five factors and provide information and directions for your next steps:
• Chlorine: recommended level 2-3 ppm
• pH level of pool or spa water: recommended 7.4-7.6
• Total Alkalinity: recommended: 90-120 ppm
• Calcium level (hardness): 200-400 ppm
• Dissolved Solids level (TDS): measures organic matter, minerals, metals, and salts in your water
Watch Water Temperature
Rising water temperatures raise pH levels and lower chlorine levels. You need to check water more frequently when temperatures are hot, especially when lots of people are using the pool. Temperature also affects water test results, which is why you need to keep your water sample out of the sun or a hot car and get it to the testing facility without delay.
Water Treatment and Chemical Recommendations
Along with test results, we will recommend the precise amount of chemicals and provide recommendations for chlorine (or chlorine generation via salt system), algaecide, and shock to dose your pool. If you need chemicals, we maintain a large inventory and recommend Regal Chemicals, which are manufactured in the US. Regal is our choice for purity, quality, and affordability.
5 Top Pool Maintenance and Safety Tips
Follow these suggestions to stay safe and maintain your pool at its best.
1. Always add the chemical to the water, never water to chemical
2. Don’t mix chemicals together—a fire or violent reaction may result
3. Run your pool water filter 24 hours a day to maintain optimal filtration
4. Make sure your skimmer and pump baskets stay free of leaves and debris
5. Vacuum and brush your pool weekly to keep the surface clean and equipment working efficiently
