Important Pool Service & Maintenance Tip – Houston, know your Pool Chemicals – Cyanuric Acid

What do you know about Cyanuric Acid?  It is commonly referred to as a pool water stabilizer or conditioner.  Cyanuric acid is an odorless, white granular substance.  It is often added to chlorine products to increase the longevity of the free chlorine in your pool water by inhibiting it’s destruction by sunlight.  Studies have shown that when your pool water has a level of cyanuric acid of 25ppm (parts per million), free chlorine will remain 3 to 5 times longer in the water than it would without the presence of the acid.   Conversely, if the cyanuric acid level gets too high, it can inhibit the chlorine from effectively sanitizing the pool’s water and cause the water quality to deteriorate.  It is recommended to keep the level of cyanuric acid above 30 ppm but as low as possible to maximize the efficiency of the chemicals involved. Once the cyanuric acid becomes high enough to inhibit the chlorine’s effectiveness, there is no treatment to lower it. The only way to lower the level of cyanuric acid in the water is through dilution… typically achieved by draining a significant amount of water from the pool and refilling. For any questions regarding pool chemicals or any Pool Service & Maintenance questions, contact your Houston Pool Professionals at Pool Man Inc.