Swimming Pool
Water Chemistry
General Info
On a hot summer day, who wouldn't
want to jump into a cool and refreshing pool? And then, as the sun
sets, what better way to relax than to slip into your own backyard
spa -- summer or winter?
But enjoying all that requires
some regular attention. Remember, the water in your pool and spa is
an ever-changing environment that calls for constant and careful
monitoring. For some, this means hiring a professional service
technician to come by once or twice a week. You can, however, take
care of your pool and spa yourself.
The need to treat water has
been widely accepted for a long time. Sanitation, especially, is
recognized as a means of controlling communicable diseases. The pool
operator is expected to provide safe, clean water for bathers.
More recently, however, the
importance of mineral saturation, or 'water balance" as it is
more popularly known, is recognized by those responsible for
maintaining the pool and equipment. Water can become aggressive and
destroy pools with corrosion, or it can become scaling and damage
the pool with mineral deposits.
The pool operator must learn about the use of
chemical agents for sanitation and for control of pH, total
alkalinity and calcium hardness. The operator is expected to protect
both the swimmers and the pool itself. This is written to
present the necessary chemical treatments and sufficient background
information to know when and how to use them.
Here's a basic guide to pool and
spa water chemistry. It will give you a general outline of the
issues that shape routine care.
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