How to Reduce Pool Water Evaporation With These 6 Helpful Tips

When the sun is hot and the afternoon stretches out in front of you, the last thing you want is to notice a low water level as you’re about to cannonball into your pool. If you check for leaks and come up empty, you’re likely losing water to evaporation and spending more on filling it back up. If you suspect the sun is making your water run low, learn how to reduce pool evaporation with these six tips.

1. Try Liquid Protection

An easy and quick fix for pool evaporation is a liquid pool blanket. This is a specifically formulated liquid you pour into your pool, commonly made from some combination of alcohol and calcium hydroxide. Together, these liquids create a barrier between the pool’s surface and water, keeping the water at a more constant temperature and lessening evaporation rates. 

Remember to calculate the pool’s volume and follow the manufacturer’s instructions on your liquid pool cover for your pool’s specific size and needs.

2. Get a Pool Cover 

When your pool stays at a constant temperature, it stops the water from rapidly heating and evaporation. This is when a pool cover comes into play. 

A pool cover, no matter what type, helps keep your pool at a constant temperature and reduces the rate of chemical consumption (meaning you’ll use less pool chemicals because the water evaporates more slowly). And (bonus!) they also act as a shield that keeps outside debris like leaves and twigs from falling into the water. Pool cover costs start at $145 on the low end and go up to $4,400 on the high end. 

3. Give It Some Shade

Add shrubs, hedges, or any kind of greenery to the perimeter of your pool to shield the water from the beating sun. 

This shades your pool so the sun doesn’t heat the water, leading to a faster rate of evaporation. If greenery isn’t your style, then wood paneling or a pergola overhead is another DIY trick that shades the pool and reduces water evaporation. 

4. Turn the Temp Down

You know the feeling when you jump into a cool, refreshing pool on a scorching day? If you want to cut down on water use, then it’s time to embrace these chilly temperatures. 

Because warm water evaporates faster than cold, cranking your pool heater is a common cause of water evaporation. Stick with a colder pool temp, and you’re sure to reduce water loss. 

A good rule to follow is the 2-degree rule, meaning your pool should be 2 degrees colder than the temperature outside (up to 86 degrees Fahrenheit). Call a local pool repair technician who can assist you with optimizing your pool temperature and your equipment.

5. Turn Off Any Water Features

Features such as slides, fountains, and waterfalls contribute to water loss because their motion heats up the pool, accelerating evaporation. You can still enjoy them while you’re taking a dip, but always turn them off when the pool isn’t in use.

6. Add Windbreaks Around the Pool

The sun isn’t the only element driving evaporation—wind exposure also causes pool water evaporation. You can add windbreaks around your pool to block or divert the wind and prevent it from affecting the water level. Adding shrubs or hedges around the pool to provide shade can also double as a windbreak. Other ideas include a solid fence (a chain-link fence won’t work) or a tarp or a sunshade that you can position to block the wind.  

Paige Novak contributed to this piece.