LOOP-LOC, Supplier of Pool Covers, Explains How Sunshine Can Affect Your Pool Chemicals

HAUPPAUGE, N.Y., May 22, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- A day spent by the pool is a day well spent. During the summer, there is nothing better than the refreshing feeling of diving into a cool pool on a hot day. However, what many swimmers don't realize is what it takes to keep pools up and running on those warmer days. While the sun is always welcome and feels good at times, it is not a welcome element for the chemicals that keep pools swimmer ready. LOOP-LOC, supplier of pool covers, explains how sunshine can affect your pool chemicals.

What chemicals are affected?
Chlorine, a well-known pool chemical, is used to disinfect pool water. Without it, pool water would become an unhealthy, cloudy greenish color, instead of the beloved sparkling blue that pool owners have grown used to. Chlorine disinfects water through a process where the chemical reacts with the cell walls that make up bacteria and algae and ultimately kills the unwanted organisms. A careful chemical balance is required to allow chlorine to perform its job properly. Part of this balance is to have free and combined chlorine in pools. Free chlorine is the fraction of total chlorine that is available to disinfect pool water, while combined chlorine is the fraction of the total chlorine that has reacted with organic matter (we're talking about algae). A healthy pool will have both free and combined chlorine.

What happens when the sun reaches chlorine?
When the sun is out, chlorine levels may be affected, which is why it is important to keep a close eye on chlorine levels. Sunshine, while necessary to enjoy a dip in the pool, affects chlorine negatively. When the sun hits your pool water (more specifically the chlorine in your pool), hypochlorite ions are formed. Once these ions are formed and the ultraviolet radiation reaches it, the ion falls apart on a molecular level and a gas is formed and released into the atmosphere. Basically, the chlorine will evaporate from the pool on sunny days. This happens fairly quickly and after only two hours of sunlight, the chlorine in your pool can be depleted by 90 percent. To avoid that, be sure to regularly add chlorine and stabilizers on those sunny days.

How does warm weather affect chlorine?
The sun isn't the only factor that can affect your pool negatively. High temperatures, whether the water or the environment, will also impact the chemical levels in your pool. It is well-known that warmer water is a breeding ground for bacteria - the warmer the water the more quickly free chlorine becomes combined chlorine. As free chlorine becomes combined chlorine, the chemical levels will be out of balance sooner than usual in warmer temperatures. To combat this, it is best to add twice as much chlorine to the water for every 10 degrees Fahrenheit above 80, in order to maintain the ideal free chlorine level.

How can pool owners combat sunshine?
Where there is a pool, there is a way to keep it swimmer ready. In order for pool owners to work against the natural elements (aka the heat), they will need to use more chemicals. Chemical compounds such as dichlor and trichlor release cyanuric acid into the pool. Cyanuric acid will work to maintain proper chlorine levels. This means that with the proper chemicals, the pool will be able to withstand the warmest of days, without pool owners missing out on the fun themselves.

ABOUT LOOP-LOC: There's only one company known for manufacturing safety pool covers strong and tough enough to support an elephant: the legendary LOOP-LOC. LOOP-LOC inground pool covers manufacturer is a global leader in the pool industry with a 200,000-square-foot headquarters in Hauppauge, New York, and 300 employees. Through its network of dealers, the company has sold safety swimming pool covers on every continent on Earth except Antarctica. LOOP-LOC now also manufactures a line of luxury in-ground pool liners—with more exclusive designer patterns than any other company—as well as the BABY-LOC removable fencing, a convenient, cost-effective additional layer of protection to help deter toddlers from gaining access to a swimming pool.

SOURCE LOOP-LOC