Calcium deposits are formed on surfaces that touch hard water. Even though these deposits occur naturally, they can cost you a lot of money if you do not eliminate them. Calcium deposits can cause a water heater to increase fuel use by 40 percent or more. It is beneficial to observe these deposits and withdrawals when possible.
Measure the amount of lime in swimming pool water
Measuring the level of lime in the water in your swimming pool is in fact the same as measuring the hardness of the water, always given in TH (hydrometric strength). Very easily carried out thanks to bands with colorimetric indicators, this test will make it possible to determine the concentration of calcium and magnesium carbonate (and therefore of limestone) in the water in our basin.
Generally speaking, it is estimated that the ideal TH for swimming pool water should be between 10 ° f and 20 ° f. Beyond 20 ° f, the east is said to be hard. And above 25 ° f, it is considered that its lime concentration is too high: it must therefore be treated with an anti-lime product.
Why is having lime in your swimming pool a problem?
If pool owners hunt limestone like this, it’s not for nothing. Having excess lime in your swimming pool can indeed be the cause of various problems.
First of all, at the level of the interior of the basin. Because the more our pool is loaded with limestone, the more “chance” we have of seeing it build up from the inside.
And this as well at the level of the waterline as at the level of the walls and the bottom (especially if one has opted for a swimming pool liner as a coating). And a scaled pool is a pool whose water will be cloudy, and whose walls will be covered with gray or whitish deposits.
Stains which, in addition to being unsightly, will promote the appearance of ‘impurities and algae development. Without forgetting the possible inconvenience for swimmers: possible irritation of the skin and eyes.
But that’s not all: having too much lime can also be dangerous for the filtration system of the swimming pool. Indeed, when there is too much lime in our water, it will simply build up scale and prevent the proper functioning of the swimming pool filter.
Instructions to remove large calcium deposits from water heater
- Drain all water from the water heater tank.
- Remove the drain valve. With a wrench, unscrew the valve.
- Insert a long, narrow brush through space from which you have removed the drain valve. Rub each inside surface of the bottom of the tank with the brush.
- Reinstall the drain valve. Apply Teflon tape on the outside of the valve to prevent leaks.
- Open the drain valve and attach a garden hose to it.
- Open the water supply through the hose and in the water heater. Leave on for 15 to 20 seconds and then turn it off.
- Let all the water drain out of the tank.
- Repeat this filling and draining process until the water draining from the stove is clear.
How to prevent limescale in the swimming pool
If you live in an area where the water is hard (TH greater than 20), the limestone will represent a real danger for our pool and our equipment. To avoid having to change our liner or completely empty our pool to scrub the limestone from the walls, it is better to act upstream.
To do this, we can:
- Buy a lime stabilizer from a pool equipment store to prevent lime deposits in the pool.
- Check that the pool water is not too hot, as a high temperature favors the formation of scale.
- Carry out at least 3 anti-limescale treatments per year. The first to commissioning the pool, the next in mid-season, and finally the last before putting the pool in winter. Obviously, if our pool shows signs of scaling outside of these 3 periods, we apply an anti-limescale treatment and we rub the walls well.