Green Pool Cleanup in Las Vegas

How pools turn green here

Algae needs three things: warm water, sunlight and too little chlorine. Las Vegas summers supply the first two every day. If the chlorine dips for even a few days, through a missed week, a pump timer that's off, or a heavy swim weekend, algae can take over fast. Other common causes include a clogged filter, a failing pump, high phosphate levels from blown-in debris, and too much stabilizer, which makes chlorine less effective.

Foreclosures, vacant rentals and homes that sat empty over summer are frequent green pool cases. So are pools that came with a new house and an unknown history.

Our cleanup process

1. Assess. We check the water, filter, pump and circulation. If the equipment can't run properly, no amount of chemicals will fix the water.
2. Remove debris. Leaves and sludge come out first so the treatment goes into the algae, not the debris.
3. Treat and brush. A shock treatment sized to the pool, with thorough brushing of walls, floor and steps to break up algae growth.
4. Filter and clean. We run the system and clean the filter as dead algae collects in it. This is often repeated as the water clears.
5. Vacuum and balance. Once the water clears, we vacuum the settled debris and rebalance pH, alkalinity and sanitizer.
6. Follow-up. A follow-up check makes sure the algae hasn't returned and the water holds its balance.

When draining makes more sense

Not every green pool should be treated in place. If the water is extremely high in calcium, stabilizer or dissolved solids, which happens often with hard Las Vegas water, the chemicals that clear algae may not work well. In that case a drain and refill, sometimes with an acid wash of the surface, can be faster and cheaper than weeks of treatment. We'll test first and tell you which route makes sense, and why.

How long does it take?

A lightly green pool can clear within a few days. A dark, swampy pool that has sat for months usually takes longer and needs more than one visit. The filter is often the limiting factor: algae clogs it quickly, and it needs cleaning several times during the cleanup. If the pump or filter is failing, we'll tell you so it can be repaired through our equipment repair service.

Keeping it from coming back

The cleanup fixes today's problem. Staying clear is about steady chlorine and good circulation. Weekly pool service is the simplest way to make sure it doesn't happen again. If your pool keeps losing water and needs constant topping up, that dilutes your chemicals too, so it's worth ruling out a leak with leak detection. Call for a current quote.