What is pool water evaporation and how can you mitigate it in your swimming pool?
If you look at your pool and the water level seems to be lower than before, you’re definitely not imagining it. On average, a swimming pool loses approximately a quarter of an inch of water every day. Some of this water loss is due to what’s commonly referred to as “splash out,” which is exactly what it sounds like – water that has been splashed outside of the pool from people getting in and out, soaking into a person’s hair, playing in the water, and other reasons.
As any swimming pool contractor will tell you though, the most common reason for water loss is evaporation. Today, we’re going to look at a few of the most common reasons for pool water evaporation and how you can prevent it from happening at such a fast rate with a small amount of attention and pool maintenance.
In order to stop pool water evaporation, it’s important to first understand why it happens.
Here are three of the biggest reasons for this type of water loss:
Direct Sunlight
Anyone who has ever gone through a basic science class is surely aware that sunlight increases the rate of water evaporation. Most homeowners have their pools out in the open, so it simply makes sense that being exposed to direct sunlight on a regular basis is going to significantly contribute to the evaporation.
Heat Exposure
In addition to direct sunlight, the overall temperature outside will greatly affect the rate of pool water evaporation. This is why the evaporation rate always goes up during the summer. Since it gets quite hot in Tampa Bay, this is definitely something every pool owner will need to keep in mind.
Low Humidity
Humidity levels will always have a huge impact on how much pool water evaporation occurs. In an environment where humidity is high, the pool won’t lose as much water as it will in an area where the humidity is low. Since Tampa Bay is often a low humidity environment, it’s important to be aware of the effects.
How You Can Prevent Pool Water Evaporation
Even though pool water evaporation is a natural occurrence that is impossible to stop completely, there are a few ways it can be reduced.
Here are a few strategies to try:
Use a Pool Cover
The best thing that you can do to reduce the rate of pool water evaporation is to install a pool cover as part of pool maintenance. This will protect the water from both direct sunlight and intense heat and has been shown to cut evaporation by as much as 95%. If you don’t want to get a pool cover, then any type of obstruction such as large bushes or fences will help.
Lower the Temperature
Pool water evaporation occurs more quickly with warm or hot water than it does with water that is kept at a cooler temperature. If you happen to have a heated pool, then the simple solution is to lower the temperature. Obviously, this would definitely work with any spa that you’ve installed, too.
Turn Off Features
Water features such as waterfalls and jets will improve the look and appeal of your swimming pool area, but due to the constant movement of the water, this will increase the amount the water that is exposed to sun and heat. Shutting off these features periodically will help to reduce the amount of pool water evaporation that occurs.
Contact Larsen’s Pool & Spa for the Most Experienced Tampa Pool Builders
Larsen’s Pool & Spa is one of the most reputable custom pool builders in Tampa. To learn more about how our team of swimming pool experts can improve your home with new pool construction or pool remodeling, give us a call at (727) 786-7665.