Homeowners should have their pools acid washed every two or three years to ensure the pool’s health and beauty. If there are some spots or blotchiness starting to appear on the interior finish, this is a good indication that it’s time for an acid wash. However, this process should not be taken on by a pool owner alone — often it requires the help of a pool technician. The pool professionals at Aquaman Pools LLC share some ins and outs of acid washing the pool.
Acid washing not only cleans the pool’s interior surface, it can remove stains and built-up calcium deposits too. But it takes a skilled hand, and it can be dangerous so it really should be done by an expert or a pool professional to ensure that it’s done properly and that the pool’s interior finish is not damaged in the process.
For a traditional acid wash, the pool will need to be drained prior to acid washing; the water can be filtered into the sewer clean-outs via gas-powered dewater pumps per city code. After the pool is drained, the professionals at Aquaman Pools will prepare a solution that consists of muriatic acid, water, stain remover and a brightening agent. The solution is then sprayed around the pool’s interior surface and the pool technicians will scrub it into the surface to ensure the surface is evenly covered.
Once the solution has been used to scrub and clean the entire surface, the pool technician will rinse off the remaining acid wash mixture with a powerful pressure washer. Once the solution is pumped and vacuumed out, the clean pool interior finish is left behind and the pool is ready to be refilled. This can take between 12 and 24 hours depending on the size of the pool, how many gallons of water it requires to fill, and the hose’s water pressure.
There is also an acid wash process that does not require the pool to be completely drained. There are solutions that essentially lower the pH and alkalinity levels to create a corrosive water environment that gently helps disintegrate stains and build-up such as minerals. During the period of low acidic and alkalinity levels, the pool will need to be brushed down several times a day using a pool brush with steel bristles to loosen scale and hardened debris. The pump should be turned off during this time, which typically takes about three days before the pool’s chemical levels need to be returned to their balanced state. Any longer than this can cause long-term damage to the pool.
When it comes time to acid wash the pool, homeowners are welcome to call Aquaman Pools with questions or to request an estimate. The professional pool technicians at Aquaman can also discuss options when it comes to whether a traditional draining or a no-drain process is best for each homeowner’s pool.
