Water care resourcesCovers and evaporation

The rate of evaporation in Southern Nevada

If you are regularly topping off a pool in Las Vegas, it is reasonable to ask how much water is actually being lost. The Southern Nevada Water Authority reports that an average in ground pool loses 48.6 gallons per square foot per year. For a typical 470 square foot Southern Nevada pool, that can mean up to 22,842 gallons annually.

Las Vegas has a long, hot summer season. The National Weather Service in Las Vegas reports a July average high of 104.5 degrees Fahrenheit, with about 78 days each year reaching 100 degrees. The local monsoon usually brings storms, strong winds and blowing dust in July and August, so pool care can also change when storm cleanup is needed.

How pool covers reduce evaporation

A pool cover is one way to reduce the amount of water lost from the surface. The Southern Nevada Water Authority reports that a pool cover cuts evaporation by about 90 percent. With less evaporation, the pool needs less replacement water.

Replacement water matters in Southern Nevada because the Las Vegas Valley Water District calls local tap water very hard. It contains 280 parts per million of total hardness and 75 parts per million of calcium. The minerals come from the Colorado River through Lake Mead. Topping up with hard water raises calcium over time, and hard water leaves calcium scale at the tile line, in heaters and on salt cells.

Covers and water chemistry

A cover does not replace regular water testing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends keeping pool pH between 7.0 and 7.8, and notes that clear water can still carry germs, so testing matters more than looks. Kingfisher tests free chlorine, pH and total alkalinity weekly on weekly service routes, with calcium hardness and cyanuric acid checked monthly.

Keeping a record of those readings is useful when water is being added regularly. Kingfisher includes the readings in the visit report sent after every weekly stop, along with chemicals added, completed tasks, technician notes, equipment observations and a photo of the pool.

Winter covers and seasonal care

Most Las Vegas pools run all year, but some owners leave their homes for part of the year. Kingfisher offers pool closing and winterization for vacation and seasonal homes. The service includes balancing the water, shutting down and draining equipment where needed, protecting the lines, setting freeze protection and installing the cover.

When an owner returns, pool opening and startup can include removing the cover, reassembling and starting the equipment, inspecting, cleaning and balancing the water. For new plaster, startup chemistry follows the plaster maker’s schedule.

For spas, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends at least 3 parts per million of free chlorine and a water temperature no higher than 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Jacuzzi recommends draining, cleaning and refilling a spa every three to four months under normal use.

How Kingfisher Pool & Spa helps

Full Care and Full Care Plus include a weekly water level check. Chemical Care and Full Care include weekly testing of free chlorine, pH and total alkalinity, with monthly calcium hardness and cyanuric acid testing. Routine chemicals are added as the readings call for them.

If a seasonal pool needs service when the owner returns, we can provide pool opening and startup. The work is documented in the visit report, giving the homeowner the water readings, tasks completed, technician notes, equipment observations and a photo after the visit.