WATER TESTING TIPS
TIPS FOR TESTING YOUR POOL OR SPA WATER
SINCE YOU ALREADY HAVE A POOL, YOU KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO BE AWARE OF WHAT’S GOING ON WITH YOUR WATER. BUT DON’T LET THE IDEA OF WATER CHEMISTRY SCARE YOU. IT’S REALLY VERY SIMPLE. WHETHER YOU’RE NEW TO POOL OR SPA OWNERSHIP OR JUST NEED A REFRESHER, HERE ARE SOME COMMON-SENSE GUIDELINES FOR ACCURATE WATER TESTING.
• DON’T TAKE YOUR SAMPLE IN FRONT OF WHERE THE WATER COMES INTO THE POOL OR SPA. THESE AREAS ARE NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ENTIRE BODY OF WATER.
• TAKE YOUR SAMPLE FROM ABOUT 12 TO 18 INCHES BELOW THE SURFACE. YOU WANT WATER FROM THIS LEVEL BECAUSE EVAPORATION AND SUNLIGHT CAN CHANGE WHAT’S GOING ON WITH THE WATER AT THE SURFACE. YOU MAY GET FALSE-HIGH PH READINGS IF YOU TEST SURFACE WATER.
• WHEN USING TRADITIONAL TEST KITS (THE ONES WITH VIALS THAT YOU ADD REAGENTS TO), DON’T SWITCH THE CAPS AROUND. THEY’RE DESIGNED TO FIT ON PARTICULAR TUBES.
• ALSO, BE SURE TO SEAL THE VIALS WITH THE CAPS THAT CAME WITH THE KIT. DON’T USE YOUR THUMB! BELIEVE IT OR NOT, YOUR SKIN HAS ENOUGH PH TO THROW OFF THE RESULTS.
• DON’T WEAR SUNGLASSES WHEN YOU’RE TRYING TO READ COLOR-BASED RESULTS. AND WHEN READING LIQUID TEST RESULTS, HOLD THE SAMPLE AT EYE LEVEL. THE COLOR MAY LOOK LIGHTER OR DARKER IF VIEWED AT AN ANGLE. (THIS IS NOT TRUE OF TEST STRIPS, ONLY WET TESTS.)
• ALWAYS USE FRESH TESTING REAGENTS.
• DON’T SUBSTITUTE REAGENTS FROM ONE COMPANY’S TEST KIT INTO ANOTHER. COLOR STANDARDS, REAGENT CONCENTRATIONS AND SAMPLE SIZES MAY BE DIFFERENT FROM KIT TO KIT.
• ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT YOU CAN CALL THE EXPERTS AT YOUR LOCAL POOL OR SPA DEALERSHIP FOR HELP.
• IF POSSIBLE, TRY TO READ YOUR RESULTS BEFORE THE WATER SAMPLE CAN CHANGE TEMPERATURE.
