Nothing beats taking a dip in a pool on a hot summer day. But understanding the methods and ingredients that keep a pool clean, can be a bit overwhelming. Especially if you are a beginner. We are all well aware of the fact that chlorine promotes a safe swimming environment. However, when it comes to adding it to the pool, many owners tend to wonder how often they should do it.
Depending on the usage and temperature of the water, you should add chlorine to your pool at least once a week. But other factors, such as pool size and weather conditions, should be taken into account in determining the frequency.
In this article, I will talk a bit more on how often to add chlorine to pool and what are the indications that your pool needs a good shock.
How Often Should You Chlorinate Your Pool
Keeping track of chlorine levels is inevitable if you happen to be a pool owner. We all know that chlorine sanitizes the water in your pool, making it safe to swim in.
But, if you add chlorine to your pool too frequently, it will do more harm than doing good. On the other hand, if you don’t do it enough, you’ll end up with algae growing all over the pool. So, how often should you add chlorine to your pool in order to keep it safe? The answer to this question depends on a couple of factors!
The Size Of The Pool
The number of times you should chlorinate your pool depends on the size of your pool and the volume of water it holds. The larger the pool, the more frequently it should be chlorinated. If your pool can hold up to a whopping 30,000 gallons of water, chlorinating it at least twice a week is a must!
However, if your pool is relatively small and holds approximately 10,000 gallons of water or less, chlorinating at least once a week will do the job.
The amount of time you spend in the pool
When there is a lot of swimming going on, the added chlorine in the pool breaks down faster than usual. If you spend a lot of time in the pool or have frequent pool parties, you’ll need to add chlorine more frequently than someone who just swims once or twice a week.
If you use the pool regularly, you should chlorinate it at least two or three times a week. But, if you don’t use your pool very often, consider chlorinating it once a week. Testing the water quality every other day will help you keep the chlorine level in check.
Regular water level testing will allow you to ensure that the chlorine levels remain within the acceptable limits of 2.0 to 4.0+ ppm. It will also help you identify whether any unusual activity resulted in a rise in pollutants.
Hot Weather and Sunlight
Bacteria thrive in warmer water. In response to the increasing number of bacteria, chlorine tends to ramp up in order to kill them. In addition to that, UV radiation releases chlorine into the air, which results in the loss of chlorine.
Your pool could lose up to 90% of its chlorination in a matter of hours on the brightest days. And, that means, the longer your swimming pool is exposed to the sun, the more frequently you will need to add chlorine to it.
To avoid this problem throughout the summer, you may need to chlorinate your pool once a day. You may also have to add twice as much stabilizer as before to keep the chlorine loss at bay.
Know When It’s Time To Chlorinate The Pool
Now that you know about the factors that determine how often you should add chlorine to your pool, there are a few more things you need to consider. Check out the list below to know when you have to chlorinate your pool immediately!
After A party
If you own a pool, chances are throwing pool parties is nothing new to you. While throwing a pool party is fun, what happens afterward can be a real problem as it can take a toll on your pool.
It’s no secret that people carry bacteria. And, when a pool has a few active swimmers, chlorine levels can fall rapidly. That’s why chlorinating the pool is a must if you want to get rid of all bacteria and pollutants after a party!
After Heavy Rain
While the rain can be beneficial to our lawns, it is no friend of pools. Frequent heavy rains during the summer months can make it more difficult to maintain the pool than it already is.
A downpour can fill your pool with dirt and leaves while diluting the chlorine level. After heavy rain, it is essential that you chlorinate your pool to prevent issues like algae and discoloration of water.
At The Beginning Of The Season
The majority of the people tend to keep their pool covered throughout the winter. As tempting as it is to simply remove the cover and jump straight in, think about the algae your pool has grown over the winter.
If you don’t want to dive into a swarm of filth, chlorinating your pool is the only way out! You can also consider draining the water of the pool, before winterizing it.
Smell Of Chlorine
All of us have been in a pool that reeked of chlorine and made our eyes turn red. While the smell of chlorine can evoke happy memories of summer, it can irritate the eyes, skin, or even lungs.
It turns out that chloramines, a chemical compound that builds up in pool water, are to blame for the odor, not chlorine. If you notice a smell of chloramines, it is a sign that your pool needs to be chlorinated right away!
Things To Keep in Mind When Adding Chlorine to Your Pool
When it comes to adding chlorine to the pool, there are so many things you have to keep in mind.
- Do not add chlorine directly to the water. Mix in a bucket of water and then add it slowly to your pool. Adding chlorine directly to the pool may cause degradation of the pool surface.
- As we mentioned earlier, UV rays can deteriorate the level of chlorine in your pool. If you want to save up on a few bucks all the while keeping your pool safe, consider using a pool cover in sunny weather!
- Try not to shock your pool during the day. As the UV rays can easily nullify the effects of chlorine, adding it at night is much more preferable. This way you won’t even have to cover the pool
- Not paying enough attention to your pool during fall or winter can set you back a lot of money in the long run. A clean pool makes the opening process so much easier at the end of the season. That’s why chlorinating the pool before winterizing is always a good idea!
- Use pool test kits to figure out exactly how much chlorine you need. Over or under chlorination can be a danger to you and your pool.
Final Thoughts
Needless to say, adding chlorine to your pool on a regular basis will help you get the most out of it. But figuring out how often you should do it can be pretty difficult. I hope this article on how often to add chlorine to pool will assist you in maintaining the right chlorine level.
Thanks for reading till the end & have a nice day.
