Causes of Bubbly Pool Water and How to Get Rid Pool Foam

Keeping a pool clean and problem-free isn’t always easy.  A lot of different problems can arise with an in-ground pool. One of the less common issues is bubbles or foam in the water. A foamy pool is unsightly, and it is also an indication that extra cleaning steps may be needed. If you trust your pool care services to experts like our technicians at Pool Works, it’s an easy fix, since you can give us a call to get rid of pool bubbles.

What causes pool foam?

Diagnosing the cause of pool foam can be a matter of trial and error, since there are a number of possible causes. A very rare cause is a prank, in which someone pours some type of detergent in the pool. It’s not a very funny joke, since removing foam in that type of circumstance can be costly. For instance, it may be necessary to quickly drain and refill the pool, as a way of addressing the problem. The following is information about the more common causes of a foamy or bubbly pool:

Lotions and oils in the water

When swimmers get into your swimming pool wearing lotions and oils, the residue from those products can come off in the pool. Residue from hair care products such as mousse and hair spray as well as deodorant, makeup, and body lotions can also get into the pool. When agitated by splashing and swimming, the oils and lotions in the water can froth up. If swimmers use waterproof products, it helps to prevent foaming.

A chemistry imbalance

If chemicals and substances in the pool become out of balance, one potential result is foamy water. Soft water with low calcium hardness is prone to foam up. Cheap pool chemicals can also be the culprit.

Ineffective algae treatments

When algaecide treatments are applied incorrectly, one potential result is foaminess in the pool. Even high quality copper-based and silver-based algaecides will cause foamy pool water, if too much is applied.

A combination of causes

It’s often the case that several issues are the cause of a foamy pool. If there is an inadequate amount of algae treatment combined with air in the water return line, it will usually result in foamy pool water. Also, if there are algaecides in the pool but the pool filter is clogged, the water will become foamy.

Tips for preventing pool foam

Asking swimmers to take a shower before swimming may not be a popular request, but it can help prevent foam in the pool. Another prevention strategy is to maintain an appropriate hardness level in the water, between 200 and 400 parts per million (ppm). More pool foam prevention tips follow:

· Use algaecides that are non-copper and non-silver based. Also, look for “non-foaming” in the product description and don’t use too much.

· Check pool feeder lines routinely, to make sure no air is getting into them.

How to get rid of pool foam

Your method for getting rid of pool foam depends on the cause. If algaecide is causing bubbling, for example, you can just wait a few days to give the product time to completely enter the water. You can speed the process up by skimming the foam off the pool surface. More ways to get rid of pool foam follow:

· Using test strips, check the chemicals to be sure they are properly balanced.

· Check pH and alkalinity levels in the pool to see if they need to be adjusted. Alkalinity should be 100 to 150 ppm and pH should measure between 7.4 to 7.6

· If the above-mentioned suggestions don’t work, shock the pool at 1 pound per chlorine or non-chlorine shock per 10,000 gallons of water.

· Finally, as a last-ditch effort, purchase anti-foam chemicals to the water. This is the best solution if you’re in a hurry to get rid of the foam, as well.

Contact Pool Works

Whenever problems arise, you can always call on the experts at Pool Works. We can get rid of pool foam for you plus take care of all of your pool issues.