When your pool looksMurky and dull

What you may notice

When the pool water loses its clarity, you might notice the water looking slightly dull. The water can take on a milky appearance, making the main drain or the bottom steps of the pool difficult to see. You might notice the filter pressure gauge reading higher than it usually does. Visible cloudiness can point to an issue with filtration or water chemistry. The CDC notes that clear water can still carry germs, so testing matters more than looks. A visual change in the water can point to low sanitizer levels or suspended particles passing through the system.

Common causes in the valley

The Las Vegas Valley Water District lists the valley tap water at 280 ppm total hardness, which contains 75 ppm calcium and is considered very hard. The Southern Nevada Water Authority notes that a typical 470 square foot pool can lose up to 22,842 gallons a year to evaporation. Topping up the pool with hard water raises the calcium levels over time, which leaves calcium scale at the tile line. In addition, the NWS Las Vegas normals show the monsoon brings storms, strong winds and blowing dust in July and August. Debris can fill the baskets and filter, which can point to poor circulation.

What you can safely check

You can perform a few safe visual checks around the pool and equipment pad. Check whether your skimmer and pump baskets are full of leaves or debris. Check whether the water level looks low, which can prevent the pump from pulling water. Check whether the filter gauge reads higher than it usually does. Look for any error code on a display. Do not open or adjust the filter or pump. Electrical sparks, burning smells or water near electrical equipment: turn the equipment off at the breaker only if it is safe to do so, keep everyone away, and call NV Energy or 911 if there is any danger.

When to call a technician

If your baskets are clear but the water remains cloudy, you can call a technician. Cloudy water can point to an early algae bloom or a chemical imbalance. Random chemical additions can alter the balance further. We schedule urgent repairs, such as equipment that has stopped circulating the water, a leak at the equipment pad or a failed heater, ahead of routine work during business hours. A technician can evaluate the equipment and chemistry to find the cause.

How Kingfisher diagnoses it

We charge an $85 diagnostic fee, which is credited in full toward the repair when approved within 30 days. We provide a written estimate first. The technician tests the water and examines the pump and filter. If a cleaning is needed, cartridge filter cleaning is $95 and DE filter cleaning is $115. These cleanings are included four times a year on our Full Care Plus plan. The technician explains what failed, what a repair costs and what replacement would cost. We recommend replacement only when age, parts availability or repeated failures make a repair poor value. We repair most major brands, including Pentair, Hayward, Jandy, Raypak and Sta-Rite. We provide a 90-day warranty on repair labor, and one year on installation labor for new equipment we install plus the manufacturer parts warranty.