Maintenance7 min read
Pool water chemistry 101: ideal levels for North Texas pools
The target for each of the five readings, what each one controls, the order to adjust them in, and how often to test through a Plano summer.
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Pool service in DFW
Pool Chemical Balancing
Careful water chemistry for water that is safe, clear, and comfortable.
Rather have a number first? Get a free quoteBalanced water is what keeps a pool safe to swim in, easy on your equipment, and nice to look at. Our mineral-heavy North Texas fill water and that summer sun make it a moving target, so we test and adjust every visit instead of guessing. Chemistry is part of every weekly pool service visit, and it is also sold on its own as chemical-only service: the same weekly visit with the brushing and vacuuming left to you, for a little less.
Written and last reviewed by Austin Andrews, founder and lead technician, on .
What’s included
- Testing free chlorine, pH, and total alkalinity every visit
- Managing calcium hardness, which climbs as summer top-offs concentrate it, to prevent scale
- Checking cyanuric acid so your chlorine is protected from the sun
- Adjusting sanitizer and balancers in the correct order for stable water
- Salt system and chlorine generator checks where applicable
- Recorded readings so you can see your water’s trend over time
What chemical balancing costs
$120 to $215+ a month across the DFW area, depending on the size of your pool. Cancel anytime with no cancellation fees.
- Small pool (up to 10,000 gal)
- $120/mo
- Medium pool (10,000 - 20,000 gal)
- $145/mo
- Large pool (20,000+ gal)
- $215+/mo
A figure with a plus on it is a starting price. Bigger pools, and ones that have been let go a while, get quoted after we see them. Not sure which size you have?
Pick your start date
Book online in a minute, no card needed. Commit for longer, or pay the term up front, and the monthly rate drops by up to 10%.
How it works
Test the full panel
We measure chlorine, pH, alkalinity, calcium, and cyanuric acid, not just the two easy numbers.
Adjust in the right order
Alkalinity and pH come first so that chlorine works efficiently, then sanitizer and specialty balancers as needed.
Account for Texas conditions
We dose for heat and sun that burn chlorine off fast, and keep calcium in line so it doesn’t scale up your tile.
Record and report
Every reading is recorded and sent to you, building a clear history of your pool’s chemistry.
Ready to stop thinking about your pool?
True Texan Pools keeps your water swim-ready all year, across Plano and the rest of DFW. Clear pricing, a photo report after every visit, and Austin doing every job himself.
Photo report every visitSwim-Ready Guarantee
No card needed. Your day is held and Austin calls within 24 hours to confirm. Not ready? Ask for a free quote instead.
Questions we get asked
What are the ideal chemical levels for a pool?
Free chlorine should sit between 1 and 3 parts per million and pH between 7.4 and 7.6, with alkalinity, calcium hardness, and cyanuric acid kept in their proper ranges. In peak Texas summer we aim for the higher end of the chlorine range because heat and sun burn it off quickly.
Why does my Texas pool get scale or cloudy water?
NTMWD describes its treated water as moderately hard, and a pool concentrates it: every top-off after evaporation leaves the calcium behind while the water leaves. When calcium and pH climb too high, those minerals fall out of solution as white scale or cloudiness. Keeping both in range on every visit prevents it.
Can you balance a salt water pool?
Yes. Salt pools still need their chemistry monitored and balanced, and the salt cell needs to stay clean, especially once calcium has built up. We check and maintain both as part of service.
What is the difference between chemical-only and full weekly service?
The cleaning. Both are a weekly visit with the water tested and balanced, the chemicals included, the equipment looked over, and a photo report after. Full service adds skimming, brushing, vacuuming, and emptying the baskets. Chemical-only leaves those to you, and costs a little less because the chemicals and the drive cost the same either way.
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