When it comes to maintaining a healthy, long-lasting swimming pool, water chemistry is everything. But balancing your pool isn’t just about keeping chlorine and pH within a certain range — it’s about understanding how those levels interact to either protect your pool or slowly destroy it.
That’s where the Langelier Saturation Index (LSI) comes in.
What Is the LSI?
The LSI is a scientific formula that tells us whether your pool water is balanced, aggressive (corrosive), or scale-forming. It takes into account:
- pH
- Alkalinity
- Calcium hardness
- Total dissolved solids (TDS)
- Water temperature
- And cyanuric acid (CYA)
While most pool techs check the first few, many skip the water temperature — and that’s a red flag.
Why Temperature Matters
Water temperature plays a critical role in LSI calculations. As water warms up, its ability to hold minerals in solution changes. That means a pool that looks “perfect” on paper (with good pH, alkalinity, and hardness) can still be scaling or corroding surfaces if the temperature isn’t factored in.
If your pool tech isn’t checking temperature every visit, they aren’t calculating the LSI accurately. That could mean:
- Scaling: White crusty buildup on tile, heaters, or salt cells
- Corrosion: Etching on plaster, heater damage, or dissolved metal components
- Shortened equipment life: Leading to costly repairs or early replacement
What Balanced Water Should Look Like
A properly balanced LSI hovers around zero (typically between -0.3 to +0.3 is acceptable). Below -0.3? That’s corrosive water. Above +0.3? You’re risking scale. At Founder's Pool Service, we test water temperature digitally every visit and use it to calculate the true LSI — so your pool stays in the safe zone.
The Founder's Difference
We don’t guess — we calculate. Our techs use advanced digital testing and LSI modeling on every visit. That means:
✅ Longer-lasting pool surfaces
✅ Efficient, protected heaters and salt systems
✅ Fewer chemical surprises
✅ A safer, clearer swimming experience
Bottom Line:
If your current pool service isn’t checking water temperature — they’re not protecting your pool the way they should.
Switch to Founder's Pool Service and experience the difference that real science-backed pool care can make.
📍 Now serving Buckeye, Verrado, Goodyear, North Scottsdale & Paradise Valley
