July brings together several factors that challenge water quality. High temperatures encourage algae growth. Afternoon thunderstorms dilute carefully balanced chemicals. Wind carries pollen, leaves, grass clippings, and dust into the water. Add a weekend full of swimming, sunscreen, and backyard entertaining, and your pool has a lot more work to do than it did in the spring.

Storms are often the biggest culprit this time of year. Wind pushes pollen, dirt, leaves, and organic debris into the water, forcing filtration systems to work overtime. Repeated rain can also dilute pool chemistry, changing chlorine levels and affecting water clarity. Even pools that looked perfect a few days earlier may suddenly need extra attention.

Pool chemistry is closely tied to temperature. Warm days encourage algae growth and increase chlorine demand. Then cooler nights slow everything down again.