Why Is My Pool Cloudy

Why is my pool cloudy? Were your plans for swimming in your pool canceled because the water seemed cloudy? This situation could be familiar among everyone with a pool on their property.

We all know that clear pool water is equal to a well-maintained and sanitized pool. And at the same time, the pool water’s appearance influences your desire to swim in it. This situation could be annoying for most people.

Causes Of Cloudy Pool Water

Cloudy water usually has a milky look that doesn’t allow you to see the bottom of the pool. With that appearance, it is reasonable to not want to enter the pool anymore.

We first must warn you that you shouldn’t enter a pool with cloudy water. Since you can not see the depth of the pool, people who cannot swim could even drown.

Plus, there are more chances of experiencing irritated eyes or even catching an infection.

In general, pool water gets cloudy because of poor pool maintenance. However, when you have scheduled pool maintenance, it’s reasonable to have doubts about the possible causes of cloudy water.

Here are three of the most common reasons for cloudy pool water to help you answer the question “why is my pool cloudy?” and therefore help you to determine the solution:

• Defective Or Poorly Maintained Filtration Systems
• Unbalance Pool Chemicals
• Debris In Pool Coming From Environmental Conditions

Defective Or Poorly Maintained Filtration Systems

To keep the pool water clean for 24 hours, the filter should be running for at least 8 hours a day.

A faulty filter running less than the amount of time recommended is one of the most common reasons for cloudy water.

There are several reasons why a pool filter may fail. For example, the pool is too old, too small, or damaged while trying to clean the filter.

Check the filtration system carefully to determine what kind of solution you need. See if you can fix the problem by yourself. If not, ask for professional help to know if you need to repair the pumps or replace the whole system.

Unbalance Pool Chemicals

In pool sanitation, chlorine, pH, alkalinity, and calcium hardness ensure clean, safe, and clear water. When these chemical levels are improper (too much or too little), your pool water can become cloudy.

An incorrect chemical level can typically affect the others. With a high pH level, calcium hardness increases and becomes difficult to dissolve.

In contrast, insufficient pH levels result in reducing chlorine’s effectiveness. High total alkalinity impacts pH levels, calcium hardness, and so on.

To find out the level of each component, consider purchasing a simple kit that shows the exact level of each chemical in the pool.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the following balance:

• pH levels between 7.2 and 7.8,
• A free chlorine level of at least 1ppm and 3 in hot tubs
• Total alkalinity 80 to 120 ppm
• Calcium hardness should be between 200 ppm and 400 ppm, ideally.

Debris In Pool Coming From Environmental Conditions

If your pool has everything balanced and the filtration system is working properly, then the last possible cause is related to the environment.

Weather conditions or other important events happening near the pool can contribute to the cloudiness of your pool.

A rainstorm, for example, can easily alter your pool’s chemical balance because of its acidic properties, resulting in cloudy water.

Small dust particles, pollen, insects, tree and bird droppings, water from the environment, or contaminants brought by people can grow inside the filter and slow down the cleaning process.

When algae start appearing, and you do not pay attention, the pool water starts getting into a green color. So, it is crucial to keep the water pool clean from algae.

If you agree that rainwater is the cause, make a plan to prevent rain from altering chemicals. You could also clean and shock your pool when you determine that contaminants are causing cloudy water.

Pool shock consists of the addition of chlorine or other elements. You can do it after a pool party in the rainy season, hot season, or when chlorine levels are inadequate.

Get Rid of Cloudy Pool Water With Professional Pool Assistance

Now you have a basic understanding of why is your pool cloudy. There are several main causes for cloudy pool water, from a poor filtration system to chemical imbalances, or environmental factors.

In any case, you have to keep in mind to perform regular pool maintenance. Even if you decide to do it by yourself, we recommend having a professional company phone number just in case.

You can rely on the JB Pool Plastering Corp. team of professionals. With over eighteen years of experience in the industry, we could say that we have a broad knowledge of swimming pools.

We can help you with any pool maintenance, repair, or even construction project. We handle any type of material and design.

Schedule an appointment with JB Pool Plastering Corps!