Chlorine is an important chemical for pools. But, as with anything else, too much of it is not good. Some people may not realize that their pool has too much chlorine and what happens if they do. Let’s take a look at how this happens as well as how hiring a weekly pool service can help to avoid this problem.
Reasons Why Your Pool May Have Too Much Chlorine & How You Can Tell
Pools are supposed to have chlorine, right? So how is it that they can have too much? When you shock your pool, there’s a chance you can miscalculate and add more tablets than is necessary. This can lead to a high chlorine level. This is just one of the reasons why hiring a weekly pool service can help to avoid this.
While some people say you can smell when there’s too much chlorine in your pool, this is not going to give you an accurate picture. It’s important to realize that your pool has two types of chlorine compounds. One is free chlorine that is described as the “good” type of chlorine. It is used to get rid of bacteria and other microorganisms. Combine chlorine is the result of when chlorine combines with organic material, like bacteria.
You can tell how much chlorine your pool has by getting what’s called a DPD testing kit. This measures free and combined chlorine in your pool. There is also something called an OTO kit, but this will only measure the amount of free chlorine.
The CDC recommends that the chlorine level of a residential pool is between one and three ppm. If the DPD testing kit shows that your chlorine level is higher than that, you’ll want to lower it.
Problems Caused by Too Much Chlorine in Your Pool
When you realize you have too much chlorine in your pool, several health problems could arise. If there is too much chlorine in your pool, it can alter the pH level in the pool. This can make the water more acidic. Acid levels can lead to:
- Red Skin Rash
- Irritated Eyes
- Asthma & respiratory problems due to too much chlorine vapors in the pool’s surface
Although it’s very uncommon, too much chlorine in the pool can lead to chlorine poisoning. Symptoms of this include:
- Nausea and vomiting
- A burning sensation in the throat
- Dizziness
- Wheezing and shallow breathing
- Persistent coughing
- Tightness and pain in the chest
If you or someone who has been in your pool starts experiencing any of these symptoms it’s important to seek medical attention right away.
Steps to Lower Chlorine in a Pool
When you have too much chlorine in your pool, you need to lower it to prevent the symptoms mentioned above. This can be done in several ways:
Stop Adding Chlorine
This is perhaps the easiest way to lower levels. This will only work if your levels are only slightly elevated. If your levels are extremely high, this is not going to be effective.
Try a Chlorine Neutralizing Product
You can buy one of these products in your local pool store. It works to reduce the amount of chlorine without disrupting the pH, alkalinity, or water hardness levels. Be sure to add it gradually for the best results. This will prevent you from overdoing it and taking too much chlorine out of the pool.
Use Sodium Thiosulfate
This is another option to lower chlorine in a pool. The amount you’ll need will depend on how much water is in your pool and the chlorine level. Sodium thiosulfate is usually added using a pool skimmer. It’s best to use half of what is recommended and to add it in gradually so you don’t overdo it.
Heat the Pool
The pool’s temperature can affect the pool’s chlorine levels. An increase in temperature causes bacteria to grow, which uses more of the chlorine. If you have a heater, raise the temperature a few degrees and monitor the chlorine level. If you don’t have a heater, be sure to uncover your pool on a sunny day and let Mother Nature do the work.
As you can tell, lowering the amount of chlorine in a pool can be a tedious problem. This is why many people hire a weekly pool service to deal with this and other pool issues. At Clear Choice Pool Care & Maintenance, checking chemical levels is part of our 23-point service plan. When you hire our technicians, you can be sure your pool chemical levels are thoroughly checked and your pool is properly taken care of.
Problems Caused When You Have Too Little Chlorine
Just as there can be problems when there is too much chlorine in your pool, problems can arise when there is too little chlorine. If the results of your water test show too much chlorine, swimmers may actually experience “red-eye”. Some people say their pool also begins to smell when there’s not enough chlorine.
Whatever the case, you also don’t want to have too little chlorine since that can cause its own problems. When you start to add chlorine to even out the levels, you run the risk of over chlorinating it as well.
Contact Clear Choice Pool Care & Maintenance
If you don’t want to fuss with playing around with your pool’s chlorine levels, let the professionals at Clear Choice Pool take care of it all. Spend the time doing the things you love while still having a pool that’s clean to use and entertain in. Find out why people in Flower Mound and surrounding areas trust us for all of their pool care needs.
