"Why do I have to worry about testing & balancing my swimming pool water?  If it looks clear, everything must be good. Right?"  The answer is, "Usually not."  The short answer is if the water isn't properly balanced, you're not safe, the pool & its components (filter, pump, heater, pool surfaces, fittings, etc) just won't last long, and finally, you'll be wasting your money!

This is what we mean:

Pool Water balancing for you & your body:  When the pH & Total alkalinity are out of balance, your chlorine, bromine or other sanitizer don't work as efficiently as they should.  When the sanitizer doesn't work efficiently, bacteria & other stuff you don't want in your spa start gaining control.  You could easily end up with skin rashes and eye irritations at least & it could be worse.  More pH information here.

Pool Water balancing for your pool: Without proper chemical maintenance, you can get water line scum build-up, much shortened heater life (the heater either corrodes away due to low pH & Total Alkalinity; we've seen people buy 2 heaters in one season because they don't think they need to balance their water!) or scale build-ups (high pH, high Total Alkalinity, high Total Hardness) prevent efficient heating (scaling of the thickness of just 1 sheet of paper can easily cause you to use at least 10% MORE electricity or gas), clogged filters and shortened filter life.  Left completely alone, we've even seen the pool liners become faded & brittle & other damage because of it's constant contact with out-of-balance water.  You didn't buy your pool for that mess!

Calcium Hardness Adjustments       Total Alkalinity Adjustments

Wasting money:  I think you're beginning to understand the reason why from the above information. You'll be purchasing more chemicals when you don't need them.  More frequent filter changes (proper cleaning of the filter cartridge should give a life of 2 to 3 years minimum).  Par Pool & Spa wants you to have fun.  Proper water balancing, testing & care shouldn't take more than 15 to 20 minutes per week on average.

Adjusting pH:  Adjusting the pH is one of the most essential elements to good swimming pool maintenance.  Almost more important than the chlorine, bromine or other sanitizer level.  When the pH is correct, the sanitizer works the way it was meant to.  Use BioGuard Balance Pak 200 to increase the pH and BioGuard Lo 'n Slo to lower the pH.  Don't use baking soda (great for baking & cooking, lousy for pools) or any other household product that isn't made to treat swimming pool water.  Lo 'n Slo is a dry acid & is much safer than muriatic acid or sulfuric acid to lower the pH.

If there is a question you need answered, please call or fax us, and we'll talk to you right away.

For your convenience, you may also email us your question and we will reply usually within the same business day. Please note that as the season becomes busier, we may not be able to answer it as quickly as you might need.

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