🧪💧 The Trouble with High Cyanuric Acid in Pools – and How to Fix It 💧🧪

If you're a pool owner using stabilized chlorine (like trichlor or dichlor), you may be familiar with cyanuric acid (CYA)—often referred to as "chlorine stabilizer" or "conditioner." While it's an essential part of keeping your chlorine from being burned off too quickly by the sun, too much of a good thing can lead to big trouble. Here's what you need to know:

🚨 Why High Cyanuric Acid Levels Are a Problem

Cyanuric acid binds to free chlorine to help it last longer—but when the CYA level gets too high, it starts to reduce chlorine’s effectiveness instead of helping it. That can lead to:

🦠 Cloudy water or persistent algae
🧫 Increased risk of recreational water illnesses (RWIs)
💸 Wasted money on more chlorine trying to compensate

Think of it like this: CYA is sunscreen for your chlorine. Too little, and chlorine gets zapped. Too much, and chlorine can't do its job.

🧰 How to Fix High CYA Levels

Unfortunately, you can’t chemically lower CYA (There are products that claim to, but we have found them to be ineffective) —you have to physically remove water from the pool and refill with fresh water. Here's how to do it safely and correctly:

1. ✅ Test & Confirm

Before you start draining, use a reliable test kit or bring a water sample to Premier Pool & Spa for free water testing.

Target range: 30–50 ppm for most pools. If you're seeing numbers over 80–100 ppm, it’s likely time to take action.

2. 💦 Drain with Caution

You’ll need to partially drain the pool—never below the return jets, as this can unbalance the pool structure or allow the pool liner to float.

Important Tips:

• ❗ If your pool has a vinyl liner and it has floated in the past, draining too far can be risky. Consult a service pro before proceeding.

• 💡 Using your equipment's drain or waste valve? Be sure to close the skimmer valves so the pump doesn’t lose prime. This keeps your system safe and running.

3. 🚰 Refill with Fresh Water

Once you've removed 6–12 inches (or more, depending on CYA levels), top off the pool and retest. You may need to repeat this process to bring CYA back into range. When refilling, you can use a water filter on your hose to help remove metals, ask our staff for more details. Here is one option for a hose filter: Hurricane Hose Filter

🧼 Prevention Tips Going Forward

✔️ Switch to non-stabilized chlorine (like liquid bleach or cal hypo) if CYA tends to creep up.
✔️ Don’t use stabilized tablets exclusively. Alternate your chlorine sources.
✔️ Get on a routine water testing schedule—and take advantage of Premier Pools’ free testing service!

🔧 Need help with draining or CYA correction? Book a professional service visit today:
👉 Schedule with Premier Pool & Spa

📌 High cyanuric acid doesn’t have to mean a lost summer. With a little knowledge and the right service team, your pool can stay clear, clean, and safe all season long.