Although we have now entered the off-season, it’s never too late to discuss the importance of pool chemicals. Testing your pool water and adding the right amount of chemicals is essential maintenance in keeping a pool healthy for everyone to enjoy during the summer. What you may not know is that you should be balancing your pool in the winter as well to keep the water clean and create a flawless spring opening. Find the right winterizing chemicals for your pool by contacting your local Carlton swimming pool contractors in Lehigh County and asking about all the available winterizing chemicals.
Chlorine
Chlorine is the most popular pool sanitizer among many homeowners. It is a low-cost chemical that effectively cleans pool water by eradicating harmful contaminants. Chlorine comes in two main forms: stabilized and unstabilized.
Stabilized chlorine is a blend of chlorine and cyanuric acid, which helps preserve chlorine so it doesn’t burn off in the sunlight too quickly. Cyanuric acid will increase chlorine’s lifespan by a factor of five, which, in effect, decreases the pool owner’s maintenance efforts. Outdoor pools would benefit the most from using stabilized chlorine.
Unstabilized chlorine does not contain any cyanuric acid and is, therefore, more vulnerable to the sun’s UV rays. You may be wondering, why would someone choose this over stabilized chlorine? Indoor pools that don’t see much, if any, sunlight can use unstabilized chlorine. However, pool owners must be cognizant of frequently testing the pool water and adding more chlorine if necessary. It’s also a great pool shock!
Chlorine alternatives
Not a fan of chlorine? No worries, there are plenty of alternatives! The most popular chlorine alternatives are bromine and biguanide. Bromine works in the same manner as chlorine, where it destroys bacteria and cleans the pool in the process. Biguanide, also known as PHMB, attracts bacteria and makes it bind together, so it can easily be caught in the filters.
pH increaser and pH reducer
If you want to enjoy a safe and comfortable pool day, you’ll need to make sure your pool’s pH level is constantly balanced. Chemistry class taught us that pH measures the acidity or alkalinity of any liquid from a scale of 0-14. Acids range from 0-6.9, with 0 being the highest level of acidity, which would cause your skin to burn off. Bases range from 7.1-14, with 14 being the highest level of alkalinity, which would cause your skin to dry out and crack. Seven is the neutral pH and the range every pool owner should aim to balance their pool water at.
Thus, pH increasers and reducers are important in maintaining your pool’s pH levels, which can fluctuate from anything that enters the pool. To determine which pH balancer to use, you must test your water first.
Pool Shock
Every once in a while, your pool needs a shock. Not literally! Shocking a pool refers to adding high amounts of chlorine or other shock tablets. This gives your pool water a nice cleaning, getting rid of all bacteria and algae that may be hanging around. It’s best to shock your pool at least once a week if it’s in constant use and before a storm.
What Do Pool Chemicals Do for Your Pool?
This blog only covers the absolute necessary pool chemicals needed to keep a pool safe and usable. However, if you’re a pro, you’ll also be interested in investing in the following chemicals:
- Clarifiers and Flocculants
- Enzymes
- Filter Cleaners
- Metal Sequestrants
- Alkalinity increaser
- Algaecide
- Calcium Hardness Increaser
- Chlorine Neutralizer
Contact a Carlton Pools expert if you have any questions or concerns about maintaining your pool chemicals this upcoming winter. As a leading swimming pool company in Lehigh County, we have all the tools available to help you keep your pool healthy all year long.