how pool ph affects your eyes, skin, and equipment

How Pool pH Affects Your Eyes, Skin, and Equipment

When it comes to pool maintenance, pH balance is one of the most important—and most overlooked—parts of water chemistry. It doesn’t just affect your pool water clarity; it directly impacts your skin, eyes, and expensive equipment.

If your pool’s pH is off, your water could be too acidic or too alkaline, which can lead to irritation, corrosion, cloudy water, and even long-term damage to your pool system. Let’s break down what pH does and why it matters for every pool owner in South Florida.

What Is pH in Pool Water?

pH is a measure of how acidic or basic your pool water is, on a scale of 0 to 14. A pH of 7 is neutral. For pools, the ideal pH range is 7.2 to 7.8. This is slightly basic, and it’s where chlorine works best, and where water feels most comfortable on your body.

Low pH: Too Acidic

When pH drops below 7.2, your pool water becomes acidic. This can cause:

• Burning or stinging eyes
• Dry, itchy, or irritated skin
• Corrosion of metal components, ladders, and light fixtures
• Damage to pool heaters, pumps, and plaster
• Reduced effectiveness of chlorine, leading to cloudy or unsafe water

High pH: Too Basic

When pH rises above 7.8, your water becomes too alkaline. This can lead to:

• Cloudy water
• Scale buildup on tile, jets, and inside pipes
• Eye and skin irritation
• Chlorine becoming less effective at sanitizing the water

How pH Affects Chlorine Efficiency

Chlorine is your pool’s first line of defense against bacteria and algae. But if your pH is too high or too low, chlorine can’t do its job properly. In fact, at a pH of 8.0, chlorine is only about 20% effective. That means you’ll need more chemicals—and get less protection.

What Causes pH to Shift?

pH can change quickly in South Florida pools due to:

• Rain (especially acid rain during the summer)
• High winds blowing in debris or pollen
• Sunlight and heat increasing evaporation and chemical reactions
• Swimmers bringing in oils, lotions, and other contaminants
• Adding the wrong amount of chemicals or using low-quality products

How to Keep pH in Check

• Test your pool water at least once per week (unless you're treating for algae or balancing a green pool)
• Adjust using pH increaser or decreaser as needed
• Avoid using household chemicals not made for pools
• Use high-quality chlorine and balancers made for South Florida conditions
• Schedule regular pool service to stay balanced year-round

Let Sparkling Pools Keep Your pH Balanced

Our professional pool technicians monitor your water chemistry weekly and make real-time adjustments to keep your pool safe, clean, and comfortable. We also offer high-quality water balancers and test kits at our retail store if you maintain your pool yourself.

Don't let unbalanced water cost you in repairs, extra chemicals, or uncomfortable swims. Let us keep your pool perfectly balanced—every week.

□ Contact Sparkling Pools today to schedule your weekly service or stop by our store for trusted pool products and expert help!