How a Heat Wave Can Wreck Your Pool (and What to Do About It)

Your pool might look like the perfect escape during a heat wave, but the same extreme temperatures driving you toward the water are quietly working against it. Heat depletes chlorine faster than usual, throws pH out of balance, and creates conditions where bacteria and algae can take hold within a single day. Here's what's happening to your pool when temperatures soar, and what to do about it.

How Heat Destroys Chlorine

Chlorine is your pool's primary defense against bacteria, viruses, and algae. In normal conditions it breaks down gradually. When water temperatures climb above 85 degrees Fahrenheit, UV radiation degrades chlorine at a dramatically faster rate through photodegradation.

During a heat wave, daily testing isn't optional; it's a necessity. The standard recommendation of testing every few days works in normal conditions. In extreme heat, it's not enough.

What Happens to pH