Everything About Acid Washing for Swimming Pool
Acid washing, also known as drain and clean is a service we provide when your swimming pool turns into a green or black swamp. Trust us when we say Las Vegas has seen it’s a fair share of backyard swamps. This happens when algae take over which is generally caused by a bad winterizing process or your pool water becomes stagnant. Stagnant water is often the cause of a broken pump. A bad winterizing process can be the result of an inexperienced company. If your pool looks like the swamp you’ve seen alligators living in on the animal planet it may be time to call a professional hint.
All jokes aside if you can see the bottom of your pool then it’s not too late, we can get away with strictly using chemicals. If the bottom of the pool has disappeared, and your entire pool resembles the black lagoon then the cost of chemicals and labor will typically be much more than the charge of the acid washing. It will generally take much longer as well. Extensive algae blooms can stain a plastered pool, making an acid wash very attractive.
Understand that all acid washing is doing to your swimming pool is stripping away a thin layer of pool plaster, exposing fresh plaster. This process is great for algae removal but is not recommended as an annual ritual. Doing this to often can speed up the time between plastering your pool and will hurt your pockets in the future. If you’re not going to have your pool properly winterized or maintained over the harsh conditions of winter then you may want to drain your pool. Draining your swimming pool is much cheaper than an acid wash. Whitecoat or marcite also is known as plaster is an excess of 1/2″, so a few acids wash here and there should be fine.
Changing the water and acid washing the surface algae sticks can also give you algae free summer. This is recommended if your pool has seen years of algae bloom or if your pool seems to grow algae overnight.
Acid washing or anywhere for that matter is always a huge improvement aesthetically speaking. So you may decide to treat your pool to an acid wash just to bring out a brighter, whiter finish. This will also help with mineral stains and/or deposits dirt stains, and chlorine stains. Generally speaking, you don’t always need to wait for your pool to become a swamp.
It’s no secret how hazardous acid can be. Our Company is highly trained in this aspect and always wear protective clothing and breathing apparatus during an acid wash. Also note that to protect your environment, the acid waste should be neutralized with a substance called soda ash, before you pump it to a safer location. Be sure to hire a licensed, bonded, and insured company for a job like this.
If you’re a do-it-yourself type and insist on taking this job on yourself, there are a few things you must keep in mind. For one, be sure the hydrostatic relief plugs are pulled instantly. The water should also be pumped to a distant location, or into a nearby storm drain. To play it say you may also want to contact local water authorities and make sure you’re not doing anything that violates discharge regulations. Especially here in Las Vegas, NV. As you drain your pool wash and scrub it down and be sure to remove all and I mean all algae and leaves. Once the pool is clean and empty, you can begin to acid wash the plaster. Be sure to wear appropriate clothing: rubber boots, goggles, gloves and a breathing mask specially designed for acid fumes.
