Tips for Properly Storing your Chemicals

Safely storing pool chemicals is an important part of keeping your pool environment safe. Pool chemicals are essential to keep your pool water clean and clear and free of contaminants. However, they can be dangerous if they aren’t stored or handled properly. Additionally, chemicals can be costly so it is important you store them properly.

Over time, pool chemicals can naturally break down. This process can be accelerated if the chemicals are not stored properly. Here are some tips to make sure your pool chemicals are stored in a safe environment:

  1. Do Not Reuse or Switch Containers: Reusing pool chemical containers or transferring chemicals to another container is never recommended as it can create a dangerous situation. When storing pool chemicals, always use the original containers with their labels clearly legible. Each container was designed for the specific storage requirements of the chemical it contains, so it is never advisable to switch containers. Even if you’re handling the same type of chemical, mixing a new batch of a chemical with a leftover batch of the same chemical can lead to a reaction from the older residue, or create fumes.

  2. Keep Chemicals Away From Flammable Items: It should go without saying but, outdoor storage areas for pool chemicals should be out of the reach of anything flammable. Keep any gas-powered equipment, like your lawnmower, in a completely different location. The storage site should also be away from sources of heat, like an outdoor fire pit or grill.

  3. Provide Plenty of Ventilation: Choose a location with ample ventilation for storing pool chemicals. In areas with little airflow, dangerous fumes can quickly accumulate if chemicals do start to react.

  4. Avoid Exposure to Sunlight and Humidity: When considering where to store pool chemicals, the best storage locations are areas out of direct sunlight. Pool chemicals react poorly to sunshine and heat, and require a dark, cool environment to control for any potential reactions. Humidity or even small amounts of pool water can cause chemical reactions that could lead to dangerous fumes.

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Pool Issues you May Not Want to Ignore

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Nobody likes to think about the need to have their pool repaired, but sometimes issues arise that make it a necessity. Ignoring repairs can lead to bigger issues down the liner if not properly addressed. Here are some issues you may not want to ignore:

  1. Cracks in Your Gunite Foundation: While small cracks in the plaster coating can be common and usually simple to fix, it’s important to act on them early because they develop into more serious structural cracks over time.

  2. Peeling Plaster: If your pool chemicals are improperly balanced, the plaster on your gunite pool can erode, causing it to wear, crack and peel. People tend to ignore these issues, but it may be worth it to address this before it deteriorates.

  3. Loose Coping Stones: The stones that top your pool’s wall are called coping stones. These can become loose and crack. When this happens, they can turn into a safety hazard.

  4. Leaks: A leak is not always apparent, but signs can include significant water loss and a wet yard among others. If not properly addressed, a leak can lead to future, more costly issues.

If you find yourself facing any of these potential issues, contact us to see how we can help!

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Is My Pool Leaking, or is it Evaporation?

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With the arrival of warmer weather, we commonly hear concerns about water loss. Customers observe their water level dropping from one day to the next and become concerned. But, not all water loss is due to a leak or crack. Evaporation plays a big role in some water loss as well.

Evaporation occurs when heat causes water to turn into vapor or steam, like when you’re boiling water on the stovetop. However, evaporation isn’t always a dramatic or even visible process — nor are high temperatures needed to kick-start the process. Evaporation can also occur as a result of ambient heat; like the hot sun outdoors beating down on the surface of your pool.

Generally speaking, pools lose approximately 1/4” of water per day on average, though this can vary due to factors like wind, temperature, humidity and of course, the pool’s total surface area. As we do live in an area that does experience all four seasons, you may think that you’re safe from the threat of evaporation. The colder the water in your pool becomes, the greater the pressure difference grows between the water and the surrounding air. As this difference increases, the evaporation process speeds up — especially in the dry, low-humidity air that winter so often brings.

If you are losing water and are concerned the water loss may be more than evaporation, there is a simple test you can run; a bucket test:

  1. Get a 5-gallon bucket.

  2. Secure it to a step in your pool. A heavy rock in the bottom of the bucket is often all you need.

  3. Fill the bucket with water up to the same level as the pool water. Use tape or waterproof pen to mark the water level in the bucket.

  4. Leave the bucket in place overnight.

  5. Check the bucket water level in the morning.

If the pool water level has dropped but the bucket level has not, it’s possible that you have a leak. If both have dropped at the same rate, the cause is almost certainly evaporation. If you are still concerned you may have a leak after performing a bucket test, please contact Colley’s Pools & Spas at (716) 649-7640 to schedule a leak detection.

Colley’s Pools & Spas employs seasoned technicians who are equipped with the latest, high-tech equipment to accurate pinpoint a potential leak in your pool.