Calcium Deposits On Pool Walls: What They Are And How To Remove Them
Keeping your pool clean and inviting can seem like an ongoing task. In effect, it is. Calcium deposits can build up over time, making your pool unsightly and less safe. Here is some information about calcium sediments that may build up on pool walls and how to remove them:
What causes the deposits?
Calcium deposits often occur when the pH level of a pool remains too high for too long. A high pH indicates that the water of your pool has become too alkaline. This situation can become exacerbated by changes in atmospheric temperature that lead to the evaporation of your pool water.
As the pool water evaporates, the calcium deposits can start to stick or settle on your pool walls. It may be tempting to leave the deposits in place, but this can lead to damage to the surface of your pool. Additionally, the calcium deposits can become a safety hazard as they can make the pool walls scratchy and abrasive.
What do the deposits look like?
The calcium scaling or deposits will appear as whitish or gray stains on the sides of your pool. Two types of calcium deposits may appear. The first is calcium carbonate. It is white and chalky, so it is not very difficult to remove. The other type of deposit is calcium silicate. It tends to be grayish in appearance and must be scrubbed away.
Calcium Carbonate or Calcium Silicate?
If you are unsure of which type of deposit you have accumulating on your pool walls, you can perform a quick test for confirmation. By placing a bit of muriatic acid onto an obvious area of buildup, you can determine whether or not the substance is calcium carbonate. Calcium carbonate will start to foam when the acid makes contact with it. However, calcium silicate does not react to the acid.
Calcium Carbonate Removal
To remove calcium carbonate, you can simply scrub the area with scale remover or a pumice stone. Still, be careful to only use the pumice stone on the hardest surfaces of your pool, such as concrete. The stone is quite abrasive and can scratch other pool surfaces. Also, to promote a smooth removal without scratching, be sure to keep the surface of your pool and that of the stone wet as you clean.
A less labor-intensive method of removing calcium carbonate deposits is through calcium scaling treatments. The treatments are designed to be added to the water of your pool and work to dissolve the unwanted deposits of calcium carbonate gradually.
Calcium Silicate Removal
To remove calcium silicate, a pumice stone is the best option, but the deposits will not crumble easily like calcium carbonate. Thus, it can be difficult work. Additives that use chemicals for deposit removal may take several months to complete the dissolution of the calcium silicate.
To learn more about the removal of calcium deposits from your pool or to hire a professional to perform the service, schedule an appointment with a pool cleaning company in your area.