When plaster asks for an acid wash
Not every dirty pool needs one. Routine brushing and a balanced chemistry plan keep most plaster in good shape, which is exactly what the weekly checklist from Native Pools of Brevard is built to do. An acid wash is the next step up, for the surface that has stopped responding to brushing.
The usual triggers are stains that will not lift, algae that has set into the plaster rather than sitting on it, and the aftermath of a green pool. After a long stretch of neglect, the surface can be dull, rough under the hand, and dark in patches, and no amount of surface cleaning brings back the white.
In a Brevard lanai pool, where the water is warm for most of the year, algae takes hold fast and leaves a lot to clean up. If you are not sure whether your plaster needs a wash, call John Sirounis at (321) 446-6242 and he will tell you honestly what he sees.
How a wash goes: drain, wash, rinse, neutralise, refill
The pool is drained first, so the wash can reach the bare surface. The plaster is then washed with a diluted acid solution and worked over by hand, which strips away the stained and weathered top layer and the algae set into it. This is hazardous work, one more reason it belongs to a licensed and insured professional and not a weekend project.
Next the surface is rinsed thoroughly and the acid is neutralised, so none of it is left to attack the plaster or the water. Then the pool is refilled. Fresh fill water arrives with its own chemistry, which has to be tested and corrected before anyone swims.
Native Pools of Brevard lists the Acid Wash and Chlorine Wash together under its Green Pool service, and the right treatment depends on the pool. A chlorine wash can be enough for some, while stained, algae-set plaster calls for the acid wash. John decides after he sees the surface, and he explains why before anything is drained.
The first weeks after the wash
Freshly washed plaster is sensitive. It is more exposed to poor water balance than a surface that has had years to settle, so the weeks right after a wash are when chemistry matters most. Water that drifts out of balance can etch or stain the surface all over again.
That is where the rest of the service comes in. Water Chemistry Balancing brings the refilled pool to a healthy pH, and a weekly visit keeps checking it, with all cleaning products and maintenance chemicals included in the service. The same visit brushes the walls, steps and tiles and checks the equipment, so the clean surface stays clean.
Ask for the free estimate, pool water evaluation and chemical balance test. John will explain the condition of the pool, what the plaster needs, and give you a no obligation quote, whether you are in Melbourne Beach, Rockledge or Palm Bay.
