Softened Water in Swimming Pools: Is it Safe?
A swimming pool can be great for recreation or cooling off on a hot Las Vegas day. If you have a water softener, you might wonder about using it to fill your swimming pool. Is it ok to use softened water in swimming pools? Will it cause any issues for the pool or its equipment?Read on to learn about using softened water in swimming pools.
Softened Water in Swimming Pools
Hard Water in Swimming Pools
If you live in Las Vegas, you are probably familiar with some of the issues hard water can cause. It leaves spots on dishes, clogs plumbing lines, and damages appliances. If you have a pool, you may even experience issues with scale building up in the pool or on equipment.Hard water can indeed cause problems for a swimming pool. If you have issues with hard water, you might wonder if you can solve them by softening your pool water. The answer to that question is more complex than you may think.
Effects of Soft Water
While you can use soft water in your swimming pool, you want to avoid filling a pool with softened water. Pool water does need a little hardness. If the mineral content in pool water gets too low, it will drain minerals from the sides of the pool. Over time, the soft water will corrode the surfaces in the pool and cause them to weaken.
Pool Water Hardness
Pool water is all about balance. If it is too hard, it can cause issues with mineral buildup. Water that is too soft can strip mineral content from pool surfaces. The goal is to have water that is not too soft or too hard. The general recommendation is to go with calcium hardness in the range of 200-400 parts per million.
Managing Water Hardness
The first step is to test the hardness of the water. Many people live in places with very hard or very soft water. If your water is too hard or too soft for a pool, you must take steps to balance it. Testing is something you will need to do regularly.Once you know the hardness levels, you can start taking steps to balance the water. Pool owners can buy products that increase calcium hardness if the water is too soft. There are various methods for softening pool water that is too hard. Many involve adding chemicals that neutralize some of the calcium content in the water.
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