Clear Water Starts With Balanced Water
Pool Water Testing and Treatment in North Bethesda MD
The PoolTek Way to Pool Care
Your pool should be the easiest part of your property. We keep it that way with steady, dependable care year after year.
Balanced Water, Every Visit
Balanced water stays clear and needs less chlorine. It also protects your pump, filter and plaster. We test three key levels on every visit: pH, Total Alkalinity and Calcium Hardness. Then we check your chlorine.
Your tap water matters too. WSSC says Potomac River water has about 120 to 130 mg/L of hardness. Patuxent water has about 60 to 65 mg/L. Both are below the 200 to 350 PPM we aim for, so a fresh fill usually needs calcium added.
- pH (7.2 to 7.6): Too high and the water gets cloudy and chlorine works poorly. Too low and the water eats at equipment and plaster.
- Total Alkalinity (80 to 120 PPM): This buffer keeps pH from bouncing after swimmers and rain.
- Calcium Hardness (200 to 350 PPM): Too low pits the plaster. Too high clouds the water and leaves scale.
- Chlorine (1.5 to 3.0 PPM): Chlorine must always be present for safe swimming.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find quick answers to the most common questions about our pool service, repairs and renovations.
Test chlorine at least once a week. Test pH, alkalinity and calcium often too. When they’re off, chlorine fades faster.
Start by testing pH, Total Alkalinity, Calcium Hardness and Cyanuric Acid. Levels out of range often make chlorine weak or vanish. Send us your results, run time and water temperature and we can help.
No. Cloudy water can come from other causes that shock won’t solve, like a dirty filter or high calcium. A water test tells you which it is.
Yes. We install salt chlorine generators and the Caribbean Clear copper/silver ionizer, which uses about 0.4 PPM chlorine instead of the usual 3.0 PPM. See equipment upgrades.
Yes. Water testing is part of every service visit, and you can book a special visit any time.