Wouldn’t we all like our swimming pools and spas to look new all the time? Unfortunately that isn’t always the case, especially as our pools age.
What Causes Pool Staining?
Fertilizers and pesticides are some of the biggest culprits in changing the appearance of a pool or spa’s finish. Metals in well can also cause staining. Many customers find stains after a pool party or family visiting where a hair clip, toy or bottle top has sat on the pool bottom causing it to rust and leave a stain on the finish.
How Does Pool Stain Treatment Work?
Stain treatments treat specific spots and can yield outstanding results. Generally, they are less abrasive on the pool finish and do not require you to drain the pool, which saves both time and water costs. The stain treatment process can take some time, generally 7 days up to 14 to see the final result from the treatment and has no guarantee of stain removal. However, we must remember that all pools are not exactly the same so what might work on your neighbors pool, even if it was built by the same builder, might not have the same results on your pool.
How Does Pool Acid Wash Work?
Acid Washing is another way to get the ultimate result for a perfect looking pool. Acid washing can make a finish look like it was when the pool was new and it was just applied. With older pool finishes we have to remember that they can be too old to properly wear the acid wash. When this happens, the result will not yield dramatically different results and it is time for the pool to have the refinished. But for most of our customers, acid washing brings the finish back to the bright and clean appearance it had when it was new.
Acid washing does require the pool to be drained completely in order to really hit the stains. Some may try what is called a “poor man’s acid wash” where they just pour 10-12 gallons of acid in a filled pool and just let it sit in the water. In our opinion is a bad idea because it will tarnish handrails, ladders and lights. It is not recommended that you perform an acid wash on a pool finish more than once. Acid washing can be costly since it is a more labor intensive task and the pool will need to be drained, which leads to an increase in water usage. However it is a much cheaper option than refinishing an existing pool. Acid washing can be done in as little as a few hours, not including the draining and refilling of the pool, which is the most time consuming part.
With all stains that appear In swimming pools and spas, there is light at the end of the tunnel with acid washing and stain treatments. Although results can vary greatly from job to job, we have seen amazing results with both treatment options. Call us today for a FREE QUOTE to acid wash or treat stains on your pool. We will do our best to get your pool’s finish looking great again!
