Common Pool Woes in Nashville are a Product of the Humidity
Is your pool water looking a bit opaque after some muggy days in Nashville? You may find yourself at odds with algae that is persistent no matter how you put it to rights. And come summer, your pool equipment can appear to be putting in more effort than usual.
You would not be the only one if this rings true. We at West Meade Pools are accustomed to the particular difficulties our climate presents and we assist Nashville homeowners in overcoming them. We are fully licensed and insured and have a 100% satisfaction guarantee on all our work. Call (615)-989-2424 and we will discuss the situation with you.
It is the humidity that puts a pool to the test, not just the heat of a Nashville summer. The moisture in the air has a way of altering your water balance and the running of your equipment, and it hastens the onset of trouble. To forestall these things one must have an understanding of them.
The Effect of Humidity on Your Pool
There is more to humidity than a stickiness on the skin. With so much moisture in the air evaporation is retarded and the chemistry of the water is altered, making for an environment organisms thrive in. Then add in the succession of warm and damp days typical of Nashville and any minor problem is quick to get out of hand.
Some of what we attribute to the local humidity:
- Algae that will run rampant in still, warm water
- Cloudiness due to unbalanced chemicals
- A need for more chlorine as the sun and heat burn it away
- Scum and buildup at the edges of the waterline
- More wear on filters and pumps
- Staining from minerals on tile and other surfaces
We will go over a couple of them below.
Nashville Weather and Algae
When the humidity is up, complaints of algae are top of mind for us. Between the sunlight and the temperature of the water, algae has all it requires to make a clear pool green in a day or two.
The difficulty is you may not see it coming; by the time there is murk in the water or the walls are slimy it is already a fait accompli. Proper chlorine levels and adequate filter run time are the way to guard against it. Yet in July the demand for chlorine is greater on account of the humidity, so the regimen that was fine in the spring will not do.
Chemistry Swings and Hazy Water
For the most part cloudy water has an obvious explanation. Heat will use up chlorine at a quicker rate and the high humidity changes how the chemicals act in the pool. The water will lose its luster and become hazy when the balance is off.
Then there is the rain. A good summer storm here in Nashville will dilute the pool and throw the pH out of whack. In the wetter, more humid months you will want to be testing and making adjustments with greater frequency.
Overtime for Your Equipment
Hot, damp weather is hard on a pump and filter. They have to run longer to do their job of circulating and cleaning the water and that takes its toll on the parts. Debris and organic matter, which the humidity brings on, will clog a filter if it is not in good order.
Too often a homeowner is unaware of equipment issues until the quality of the water suffers. An ear for odd sounds and a clean filter will prevent the need for more extensive repairs down the road.
Staining and Buildup
Humid conditions exacerbate waterline scum and mineral deposits. Oils from sunscreen and other organics will collect at the surface and the warmth of the water makes them adhere. Left to themselves they will form a ring and stain your tile.
Brushing and skimming will mitigate this but once staining has taken hold routine care may not be sufficient to remedy it.
Putting Yourself in a Better Position
With some regularity you can keep the problems humidity brings under control. Be sure to test the water in the height of summer, maintain your chlorine, give the walls a brush and let the filter do its job. Do not put off dealing with something small.
Or put it in the hands of those who know a thing or two about pools in Nashville. The team at West Meade Pools is at your service Monday to Friday, 8 to 5. We have free estimates and have been given 4.6 stars in more than 50 Google reviews by the area’s homeowners.
Make a call to West Meade Pools at (615)-989-2424. Let us put an end to another humid summer having an effect on your pool and ensure your water stays clear for the duration of the season.