A chlorine pool water stabilizer, also known as cyanuric acid or CYA, maintains an effective chlorine level in your pool.
Here are 5 things you need to know about stabilizers, how they work, and why they are your key to maintaining clean and clear pool water all season long.
Why are stabilizers important?
The sun and its UV rays are the enemy of clean, clear pool water. Without a stabilizer, the sun’s UV rays will burn off the chlorine in your pool quickly, which can lead to algae and bacteria growth. UV rays degrade the chlorine in your pool, leading to cloudy and less-than-deal- water conditions. That’s where a chlorine stabilizer comes in. A stabilizer counters the sun’s effects and stabilizes the chlorine level so your chlorine lasts longer and the water stays clear.
What is chlorine stabilizer?
Pool stabilizer is Cyanuric Acid. You may have heard it referred to as conditioner, chlorine pool stabilizer, or chlorine stabilizer. In its simplest terms, a pool stabilizer or conditioner keeps chlorine in the pool water longer by binding to the chlorite ions (free chlorine in the pool). These chemical bonds prevent the chlorine from burning off.
When should chlorine stabilizer be added to the pool?
When you open your pool for the season is the ideal time to add stabilizer. However, you must first know the Cyanuric Acid level. You can use test strips, a liquid test kit, or by bringing a water sample to one of our locations. If you are testing yourself, make sure the test strip kit specifies that it tests for Cyanuric Acid levels, since many standard test strip kits do not.
Can homeowners buy chlorine stabilizer from Colony Pools?
Yes. You can purchase stabilizer from either our West Chester or Wilmington pool store locations.
What can happen if you don’t use a stabilizer?
Since stabilizer protects the free chlorine in your pool water, if you don’t use a stabilizer the sun’s UV rays will burn off the chlorine quickly. Without an appropriate level of chlorine, the pool water will become cloudy and could turn green. Eventually, algae will begin to form leading to more serious problems.
Adding too much stabilizer is also a problem and can lead to purple staining on pool tile and other surfaces. When the Cyanuric Acid level is too high it reacts with any copper present in pool water, which causes the purple staining.
Let Us Know How We Can Help
Contact us or call if you have questions about chlorine stabilizer, whether you’re adding it to your pool yourself or would like us to handle it for you.