The Acid Washing Process: an Overview
One of the biggest maintenance jobs we encounter is acid washing a pool. Now is an excellent time of year to consider acid washing a pool since swimming is at a minimum, and so is rain. Before deciding acid washing your pool, it’s a wise idea to talk to your pool tech about the pros and cons.
One false step will result in a fast ride to the closest hospital.
Reasons to acid wash a pool
After several years, usually between five and seven, pool water chemistry becomes more challenging to maintain. There may be a white or gray ring around the pool at the waterline, and there may even be rust stains from light fixtures, hair clips, or other metals that wound up in the water. There may be an ongoing fight with green algae that never seems to end.
Draining the water from a pool, however, isn’t a casual decision. It turns a significant home feature into a massive cliff in the backyard. Anyone who accidentally falls into it will hit the plaster bottom, which creates a severe test of the quality of their health insurance. If you’re still interested, read on.
Draining the water
Our crew has the skills, the tools, and the gear to acid wash your pool without falling in.
During the drainage process, two things are essential: first, that the home has a sanitary sewer drain system. A septic tank will quickly overflow if the pool is drained into it. However, the old pool water shouldn’t be randomly drained in the yard, either because it’s full of chemicals that have the potential to contaminate the groundwater. The pool should be drained until it’s empty.
Pro tip: turn off the auto-fill feature before starting the drainage process. There’s nothing more disconcerting than to begin to drain the pool, only to come back hours later to discover that the pool is at its original water level.
Applying the acid
Because acid washing takes a thin layer of plaster off of the sides of the pool, it shouldn’t be acid washed very often. The mix is a combination of muriatic acid and water, which is used to clean the sides and bottom of the pool in small segments, along with plenty of scrubbing to get the last bit of discoloration.
The protective gear worn by the crew is to shield them from burns as a result of the muriatic acid. The wash is applied and rinsed in sections so the pool will be clean, but the wash won’t erode the plaster too much.
The acid puddle created at the bottom of the pool can be neutralized with soda ash. The resulting sludge often requires a submersible pump and container, both of which have to be handled and cleaned carefully, and the area rinsed.
Replastering is a last resort, and usually only opted for when a pool is old and badly stained. Your pool tech will tell you if replastering is your best option.
Adding the new water
The techs will add a new batch of chemicals to the water during the refilling process, which will turn the tap water into pool water. Cooler weather works in favor of the acid wash, as fewer chemicals are needed to balance the pool.
If you think it’s time to have your pool acid washed, give us a call. We can help you
Flawless Image Pool Service is a veteran-owned and operated residential pool maintenance team for Hillsborough County. Our Certified Pool Operators provide top-notch pool maintenance, 20 years of experience and reliable service. Call 813-536-3941 today!