Tile Grout affect PH?

We recently had a new pool and spa heater installed - after 6 weeks most of the copper has been corroded in the heat exchanger and now needs to be replaced. The sevice tech stated the Ph had been too low/too much muratic acid and caused the issue. Weekly we have someone come and "mantain" the chemicals for the pool. They stated that they think some recent grout work caused the low PH and not their chemical service. Can any type of grout lower the PH or is that a stretch?

From the last water test a week before the leak:
FAC: 5
TAC: 5
CYA: 99
TA: 3
PH: 7
Copper: 3+...
Iron: 0
TDS: 2500
Pho: 0

Approx 10,00 gal

Thanks from a new member!

I have no idea if grout affects pH or not but I do know that low pH will destroy pool equipment as is evidenced by your heater! If your copper in your heat exchanger has corroded, you unfortunately now have another problem as well --- metals in the water. It is copper and not chlorine that stains things and turns blonde hair green.

You need to add some 20 Mule Team Borax (laundry aisle at Walmart) to bring your pH up. Any reading below 7.0 is acidic and will as you have found out, damage your pool and/or equipment. Add a third of a box slowly to the skimmer while the pump is running, breaking up any clumps. After a couple of hours retest pH.

You've got a mess on your hands. I'm going to ask Ben to have a look at your post.

Welcome to the Pool Forum, by the way!

(p.s. I'd fire the pool company. They obviously don't have a clue what they are doing.)

Tile grout and other cement products tend to be basic (high pH) not acidic (low pH). If you can ID the grout used, it shouldn't be hard to determine whether that particular grout is acidic for some strange reason.

But my guess is the service company is BS'ing you because they might otherwise be on the hook for an expensive heater. To kill a heater in 6 weeks, the pH has to be REALLY really low.

By the way, low pH ALSO damages concrete . . . and tile grout!

I'd *strongly* recommend that you do 2 things:

1. Go purchase a cheap OTO / phenol red drops kit (Walmart, etc) TODAY. Test and post your results.

2. Order a K2006 kit, so you can get accurate results yourself. If you have had pH low enough to destroy a heater in 6 weeks, you have had SERIOUS chemical problems that your chemical company should have noticed REGARDLESS of the source of the low pH http://pool9.net/tk/