The Main Causes of Pool Water Evaporation
Did you know that swimming pools lose about a quarter of an inch of water each day? Additionally, variations in wind intensity, humidity and sunlight can drastically increase these water loss rates.
You may look at your pool at some point and notice that the water level looks lower than usual. What could be the issue? More than likely, this is the result of pool evaporation. But how can you be so sure? We’ve compiled a list of water evaporation causes that you might find helpful in determining the cause of your pool water loss — as well as a helpful way to keep the water inside your pool from disappearing.
The most common causes of pool water evaporation include:
Lack of Humidity
Exposure to Sunlight
High Temperatures
Water Splash Out
Lack of Humidity
If you happen to live in an area where there is little to no humidity, water evaporation would be the main cause of water loss. Here’s how evaporation works. Evaporation can be compared to that of a sponge. The drier the heat, the more water is absorbed. An environment with higher humidity will lose less water. An environment with lower humidity will result in water evaporation.
Exposure to Sunlight
Is your pool situated somewhere where direct sunlight hits? A fully exposed pool means more water evaporation. Unscreened pools will lose more than a screened pool. However, we don’t expect all pool owners to build a pool enclosure as this an expensive add-on, but keep in mind that fences, structures, even trees near the location of a pool helps lower the amount of evaporation that occurs in pools.
Temperature
Temperatures at 100℉? A summer’s intense heat can be a huge contributor to the water loss in your pool. The intense heat during the day mixed with the cooler weather at night is the perfect recipe for evaporation. Here’s an easy explanation on why this water evaporation occurs. The difference in temperature between your pool water and the outside air is what causes evaporation. Imagine your pool as a pot of water on the stove; as the water starts to heat up, contact with air causes steam, which causes evaporation to occur.
Splash Out
While this is not a direct cause of water evaporation, we must not forget that simply using the pool itself can cause water loss. Think about it. Splash out occurs when swimmers enter and leave your pool, especially if these swimmers are diving in, doing cannonballs, and even playing water games. You’d be surprised at how much water loss is caused over the course of one day.
Want to Decrease Water Evaporation? Try a Solar Cover!
We understand that the factors that cause evaporation are not entirely controllable, but there is definitely a way to decrease water evaporation. A solar cover is a great way to shield pool water and decrease water evaporation. In fact, a solar cover can reduce water evaporation up to 95% when used regularly.