The Florida Sun: Chlorine's Worst Enemy
Florida receives some of the most intense UV radiation in the continental United States. That's great for your tan, but devastating for your pool's chlorine levels. Ultraviolet light breaks down free chlorine through a process called photolysis. On a typical Northeast Florida summer day, an unprotected pool can lose up to 90% of its free chlorine in just two to three hours of direct sunlight.
This is where cyanuric acid (CYA) — often called stabilizer or conditioner — becomes critical. CYA acts as a sunscreen for your chlorine, shielding it from UV breakdown. The ideal CYA level for Florida pools is between 30 and 50 ppm. Too little and your chlorine evaporates before it can sanitize. Too much and the chlorine becomes locked up and ineffective, a condition known as "chlorine lock."
Many budget services either ignore CYA entirely or let it climb to dangerous levels by continuously adding stabilized chlorine tablets without ever testing. A professional service monitors this balance carefully and adjusts the approach based on your pool's specific conditions.
Florida Heat: The Algae Accelerator
Water temperatures in Northeast Florida pools routinely reach 85 to 92°F during summer months. Algae thrives in warm water — growth rates essentially double with every 10-degree temperature increase. What might take algae a week to establish in 75°F water can happen in two to three days at 90°F.
This means Florida pools have almost zero margin for error during summer. A single missed service visit, an undersized chlorine dose, or a pump that's not running long enough can result in a green pool within days. Pool owners who maintain their own pools are often caught off guard by how quickly conditions can deteriorate during peak heat.
Professional maintenance accounts for this by increasing chlorine levels during warm months, ensuring adequate circulation time (often 10 to 12 hours daily in summer versus 6 to 8 in cooler months), and brushing surfaces regularly to prevent algae from gaining a foothold on walls and floors.
Afternoon Downpours: The Chemistry Disruptor
Florida's rainy season — roughly June through September — brings daily afternoon thunderstorms that can dump inches of water into your pool in under an hour. Rainwater is acidic, typically with a pH between 5.0 and 5.5. When it hits your pool in volume, several things happen simultaneously.
First, your water's pH drops. Second, your total alkalinity — which acts as a pH buffer — gets diluted. Third, your chlorine concentration drops as the pool volume increases. Fourth, rainwater carries airborne contaminants, pollen, dust, and organic matter directly into the water. The combined effect is a sudden, multi-front assault on your water chemistry.
After a heavy storm, your pool needs immediate rebalancing — not at the next scheduled weekly visit, but as soon as conditions allow. AFS Pools factors Florida's rain patterns into our service approach. During rainy season, we increase chemical monitoring frequency and adjust dosing to account for the dilution and contamination that afternoon storms bring.
Hurricane Season: Preparation Is Everything
June through November is hurricane season, and Northeast Florida is no stranger to tropical weather. Proper pool preparation before a storm can mean the difference between a quick recovery and weeks of problems.
Before a storm, the critical steps include super-chlorinating the pool to maintain sanitizer levels during potential multi-day power outages, lowering the water level 4 to 6 inches below the skimmer to accommodate rainfall, turning off all electrical equipment at the breaker, and securing or removing any loose items around the pool deck that could become projectiles. Importantly, you should never drain your pool before a hurricane — the weight of the water helps hold the pool shell in place against hydrostatic pressure from rising groundwater.
After the storm, recovery involves removing debris, restoring power to equipment, rebalancing chemistry, running the pump continuously until the water clears, and inspecting all equipment for damage. If equipment issues are found, we coordinate with our network of licensed professionals to get everything back in working order quickly.
Year-Round Vigilance, Not Seasonal Guesswork
Unlike pools in northern states that have a clear on-season and off-season, Florida pools are active year-round. Even in our mild winters, water temperatures rarely drop below the mid-60s — warm enough for algae to remain a threat and chemical reactions to continue. This means your pool needs consistent professional attention twelve months a year, with protocols that adjust to the specific demands of each season.