Pool water evaporation? Who knew?

You’re about to jump in the pool… it looks different… there’s less water. How could that be? Is someone siphoning the water? Are animals drinking from the pool? Did the last party have one too many dive bombers?

The pool water level is lower than normal and the likely reason is evaporation. Evaporation? Evaporation! Depending on the size of your pool, you could lose up to 1 ½ inches of water a week due to evaporation! Who knew?

Here are three main causes of pool water evaporation.

Temp-temp-temperature!

The heat from the summer sun contributes greatly to pool water loss. That direct, intense heat during the day combined with cooler weather at night is the perfect combo for evaporation. The difference in temperature between your pool water and the outside air is what causes evaporation.

Where’s the humidity?

Lack of humidity is yet another main cause of pool evaporation. Evaporation is like a sponge, the drier the heat, the more water will get absorbed. If your pool is in an area with higher humidity it will lose less water.

Wind

If your pool is fully exposed to the sun and the wind, that’s a recipe for more evaporation. Take for example a screened-in pool, or a fence, tree, or structure that shields the pool. That pool will lose dramatically less water. The more exposure your pool has to the outdoor elements, the more evaporation your pool will experience.

There’s a remedy you say?

Even though you can’t control the weather, and possibly can’t shield your pool from the wind, you can do something else to reduce pool water evaporation. Add a solar cover! A solar cover used on a regular basis can potentially prevent the majority of water evaporation.

I don’t mind water evaporating from the pot boiling my water for a cup of tea, or for my pasta, but from my pool? Well, it’s just downright unacceptable and now you know the cause and treatment.

Mystery solved.