When there have been summer rainstorms, you may wonder if it’s a good idea to go for a dip in the pool. Your home’s pool is more than just water, so it makes sense that rain would affect it in some way. Generally, unless it’s been a very light rain, you shouldn’t go swimming immediately after it’s rained. The effect rainwater has on pool water may make it undesirable to swim in directly after a storm. A little bit of swimming pool maintenance and care can help keep your pool clean when it rains.
The Impact of Rain on Your Home Pool
- Affects chemical balance
As you may expect, rain dilutes your pool, which upsets the balance of chemicals in the water. What’s more, rain can have different levels of acidity, depending on where you live. Rain with higher acidity will cause your pool’s pH level to drop. Rain will also wash minerals and dirty from your deck and into the pool water, which may increase the calcium and total dissolved solids (TDS) in your pool.
- Creates algae spores and airborne debris
When it rains algae spores and debris get washed into the water. Other spores on surrounding vegetation or on the ground, along with other debris, may also get washed into the water. Combined with a little sunlight – especially in warm water – the conditions become ripe for algae to grow at an accelerated rate. To combat algae spores from forming and taking over, you will need to keep your sanitizer level up in the proper range and add algicide promptly. The debris added to the pool by the rainfall also means that the water should be tested and re-balanced if necessary.
Rain is not a pool’s friend as it can turn the water into an unappealing breeding ground for algae, and can alter the all-important water chemistry. Talk to your pool cleaning specialist for assistance in keeping your pool safe from rainy weather. At Sparkling Clear Pool Service, we understand what it takes to keep a pool clean, sanitary, and well-maintained. Be sure to contact us on 214-361-0255 for all of your pool maintenance needs in McKinney, Allen, Frisco, and beyond!
