Pool Water Level
Your pool water levels are important for a number of reasons. If the water is too high or too low, your pool system could become severely damaged.Read on to learn why the water level matters, the appropriate water level, and how to maintain the correct pool water level.
Why Pool Water Levels Matter
You can increase the longevity of your pool by ensuring that your pool water level stays at the right height. If it’s too high or too low, surface debris can’t be cleared, pumps can be destroyed, and your pretty and expensive plaster and pool tiles can dry out and become brittle.
Luckily, these are preventable damages. Ideally, you’ll want to check your water levels once a week as it doesn’t take too long for some of these costly damages to occur. Set a reminder and make it a habit to consistently check your pool water levels.
The Ideal Pool Water Level
The best gauge for the perfect water level is going to be your pool’s skimmer. You want the pool water to hit at right about the middle of the skimmer flaps. When your pool water level is correct, everything in your pool will function the way it’s supposed to.
Simply eyeballing this water level once a week could save you a ton of trouble later on.
Too High
If your pool water levels are above the middle of your pool’s skimmer, then the skimmer won’t be able to work correctly. When high water flows into a skimmer basket, the debris can’t be skimmed properly. The excess leaves and debris will be forced to remain on the surface of your pool. Or the water could be so high that it covers the opening of the skimmer entirely, making it impossible to remove any floating debris from your pool.
The more debris just floating in your pool, the higher the risk for it getting pumped into the wrong hose. From this point, hoses can become clogged, or worse, the debris can move into the pump and break it.
Too Low
Similar to the effects of a high water level, having your water level be too low can also cause your pump to break down. Without enough water, it can run dry, overheat, and break. Also, when the water isn’t high enough to reach the skimmer basket, the debris that falls into your pool will just stay there. This can lead to clogged hoses and more pump damage.
How To Maintain The Ideal Water Level
- Know your water level. Create a schedule that allows you to check you pool water levels once a week. From there, you’ll be able to discern whether you need more or less water.
- Take the weather into account. If you’re getting a lot of rain, you may need to drain a little of the water to get it back to the sweet spot. Similarly, if the weather is exceptionally hot, dry, or windy, you may need to add some water back in with a garden hose.
- Lastly, be aware that pool water features may contribute to a lower water level, requiring extra attention.
Regular checks to your water level will ensure your pool and its systems are working in proper order. Stick to your schedule, adjust your pool water level when needed, and you’ll be all set!