As the summer heat continues to climb here in Central Florida, you may notice your pool’s water level going down. This begs the question “How much evaporation is normal?” Having this information will help you figure out if the decreasing level of your pool water is in fact due to evaporation or if you may possibly have a leak. Typically, an uncovered swimming pool loses approximately a quarter-inch of water everyday. If your pool is covered, it will most likely lose less on a daily basis if you cover it at night.
Other factors that affect water evaporation in Central Florida:
- Air temperature and sun exposure
- Hail storms and rain
- Wind velocity
- Humidity
Another important factor that affects water evaporation in our pools is tropical storms and hurricanes. Although Central Florida’s weather is known to be sunny and warm, we are in the hurricane belt. As these strong tropical storms come through they bring heavy wind and intense humidity, affecting evaporation.
Tropical Storm Weather
A lot of times in Florida – especially during hurricane season – we know when we’re going to be expecting heavy rain. Once you know, its important to prepare your pool to reduce debris, flooding and excessive evaporation. It is the high winds and dry weather that can cause higher evaporation. Your pool will potentially lose more water to evaporation when the humidity drops and the weather is windy. On the flip side, high humidity will cause less pool water evaporation.
Sun and Wind
Sometimes all year round in Florida, but especially in the summer months, the intense sunlight will lead to evaporation. The chemicals added to the pool for maintenance, like chlorine and other chemicals, will also evaporate. In the hot weather, adding stabilizers to your pool water will help prevent excessive chlorine evaporation.
Pools that are in direct sun and uncovered for 24 hours a day will lose, on average, a quarter-inch of water during dry, hot weather. This is mainly because heat rises as the air cools. If you do have a pool cover and use it at night, it will hold in the heat and moisture reducing the amount of evaporation water loss.
Along with strong storms and heavy rains, Central Florida also experiences a lot of drought conditions, making refilling your pool very expensive. During these droughts, as much as 60 gallons of water can be lost in a day due to evaporation in a 14’x28′ pool. A 20’x40′ pool can lose up to 125 gallons from evaporation. You’ll also want to turn off any water features during drought times as well as your pool heater – both can lead to additional evaporation.
Leaks vs Evaporation
If you notice your pool is losing over a quarter-inch of water on hotter days, you’ll want to check for leaks. Check the fittings and drains and look for puddles of water around your pool deck. Puddles are an indication of a plumbing leak. To figure out if you have a leak in your pool, The Florida Spa & Pool Association recommends you use the bucket test. The steps are as follows, “Fill the pool to a normal level and fill a 5-gallon bucket about a third full of pool water. Mark the water level on the inside of the bucket and the pool level on the outside (shut off the pump when you do it and then resume normal operation). After 24 hours compare the two. If the pool water mark on the outside of the bucket goes down more than the bucket water, there is probably a leak. If the levels changed the same amount it is evaporation.”
Pools by Bradley is Here for YOU
Everyone here at Pools by Bradley lives and breathes our mission of designing and building your ultimate outdoor pool atmosphere. We intend to inspire you to improve the recreational time you spend with your family and friends in your new outdoor environment. BUT – we especially want you to protect your investment! Our motto is “take care of the customer and everything else will take care of itself”. When you choose Pools by Bradley to help you build your dream pool, you can rest assured that you’re choosing the very best. As a local family owned and operated company founded in back 1996, we have received numerous design awards and honors. Pools by Bradley is rated as one of the top 50 pool builders in the U.S., plus recognized as the “Best Pool Company” in Orlando by Orlando Magazine several years in a row! We offer custom built pools and spas with additions ranging from water features and lighting effects to rain curtains and water slides…the sky’s the limit! Contact us online or call us today at 407-323-7496 to see how we can help you build the pool of your dreams!
