pH Balancing Made Easy

One of the most commonly asked questions of Leslie’s Pool Experts is “How do I balance my pool’s pH?” If you also have this question, don’t worry, you're not alone! Read on for all the basics.

What Exactly Is pH?

In order to keep your pool water clean, safe, and ready to enjoy, you’ll want to make sure the water is properly balanced. Water chemistry is an important part of taking care of your pool. Proper water balance ensures the water is safe and healthy.

You may remember from science class that pH tells you how acidic or basic a solution is. On the pH scale, zero is extremely acidic, and 14 is extremely basic. Right in the middle, 7 is neutral. For reference, human tears have a pH of about 7.5. Lemon juice, which is very acidic, has a pH between 2-2.5. That’s why, your eyes sting if you get lemon juice in them.

The ideal range for your pool water is a pH of between 7.4 and 7.6. When your water’s pH is out of balance, it can make swimmers miserable with itchy skin and red, irritated eyes.  Low pH can also corrode equipment, cause metallic stains, and etch plaster, pebble, or quartz surfaces. High pH can cause cloudy water, scale formation, and increase chlorine consumption. This forces you to spend money adding more chlorine to keep your water disinfected.

How Do I Test My Pool’s pH?

There are a few ways to test your pools’ pH. Test strips or test kits are a great way to see what issues you're dealing with. You can also bring a water sample to any Leslie’s location for a free 9-point water test. Once you know if your water’s pH is off, we can help you find the right products to bring your pool water back into balance.

What Are The Best pH Balancing Products?

If - after your pool water is tested - you find the pH is too low, Soda Ash can help raise it. Soda Ash granules added to your pool water will raise pH and Total Alkalinity. It dissolves quickly and will keep the effects of low pH from damaging pool surfaces and corroding pool equipment, in addition to keeping swimmers’ eyes and skin comfortable. If your water test reveals the pH is too high, Dry Acid is very effective at bringing the pH down. This will prevent the build-up of calcium scale. You can also use Muriatic Acid to lower the pH. Either will help clear cloudy water caused by high pH and make your chlorine work properly at keeping water sanitized.

Remember, the chemicals used to raise or lower pH also affect Total Alkalinity, so don’t forget to monitor that, too. And, of course, always read and follow label instructions when adding any chemicals to your pool. They contain important safety information as well as proper dosage and application instructions.

Any additional questions about how to balance the pH levels in your pool?
Stop into your local Leslie's today! Our experts can test your water with the precisely accurate Leslie's AccuBlue® system and help identify your pool's chemical needs.