Extreme Heat Is Coming: Here's How to Prepare Your Pool Before Temperatures Soar

With temperatures forecast to reach the 90s across southeast Wisconsin and heat index values climbing even higher in some areas, many pool owners are getting ready to spend more time in the water.

Your pool should be ready, too.

High heat doesn't just affect swimmers; it puts extra stress on your pool's water chemistry. Hot weather, warmer water, increased swimming, and summer thunderstorms can all work together to make pools harder to maintain.

To make sure we're giving advice that's practical, not just theoretical, we asked our service manager what he recommends customers do before an extended stretch of hot weather.

"This isn't the week to cut corners."

One of the first recommendations?

"During an extended heat wave, run your pump longer - up to 24 hours a day if possible. The extra circulation helps distribute sanitizer throughout the pool, improves filtration, and reduces the chance of algae getting started."

Keep Chlorine on the High End of the Ideal Range

Heat, sunshine, and increased swimming all increase chlorine demand.

Our service team recommends maintaining your free chlorine toward the upper end of the ideal range, around 4.0 ppm, during periods of extreme heat. Starting a little higher helps ensure your pool maintains adequate sanitizer throughout the day.

Warm Water Is Perfect for Algae

Algae thrives in warm water.

There’s an old saying, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” When it comes to algae prevention (and pool care in general), we couldn’t agree more. Don’t wait to see green water, be proactive.

"Don't wait until algae becomes visible. Preventing algae is much easier than treating it after it starts."

Our recommended preventative treatment is ProTeam Microfloc Clarifier, which helps support water clarity while assisting in algae prevention as part of a complete maintenance program.

More Swimmers + Summer Storms = More Stress on Your Pool

One thing many pool owners don't realize is that hot weather often brings two things:

• More people in the pool
• More afternoon and evening thunderstorms

Together, they introduce additional contaminants (including nitrogen and ammonia) that force chlorine to work harder.

Those contaminants can contribute to the formation of combined chlorine (chloramines). Unlike free chlorine, chloramines don't sanitize effectively and are often responsible for the strong "chlorine smell," eye irritation, and skin irritation that many people mistakenly blame on having too much chlorine.

Stay Ahead of Chloramines

Rather than waiting until chloramines become a problem, our service team recommends adding Shock & Swim once a week during periods of extreme heat, frequent swimming, or repeated thunderstorms.

Recommended dosage:
1 pound per 10,000 gallons of pool water once per week.

This helps break down contaminants before they create water quality problems and keeps your sanitizer working more effectively.

A Few Simple Steps Can Make a Big Difference

Before temperatures really climb, we recommend:

• Bring in a water sample for professional testing.
• Keep free chlorine around 4.0 ppm.
• Run your pump longer during the hottest days.
• Use ProTeam Microfloc Clarifier as a preventative algae treatment.
• Add Shock & Swim weekly during periods of heavy swimming or frequent storms.
• Stay proactive instead of waiting for cloudy or green water.

Extreme heat doesn't have to mean pool problems; but it does mean your pool needs a little more attention.

If you're unsure whether your water is ready for the heat, stop into A-1 Pools with a water sample. Our team can test your water and recommend the right products to keep your pool clear, balanced, and swim-ready all summer long.