How to shock a pool?
Pool shock isn’t the solution to all your pool problems, but it can be a key tool in fighting off contaminants and cloudiness. For example: if you’re having trouble with green water or algae growth on surfaces like tiles and step. Pool shock is a simple and effective way to keep your swimming pool clean. It’s important, though, that you know when enough really does turn into too much in the quest for crystal clear waters or an algae-free surfaces.
But before you use it, you should know…
What is pool shock?
You may think that your “free chlorine” levels are too low, but this doesn’t mean there’s no trace of it at all. In fact, a pool with little or no free elemental chlorine can sometimes give off an unpleasant chemical odor known as chloramine – which is created when combined chemicals like water and bleach break down into their respective parts (monoatassium hydrogen phthalate + sodium hypochlorite). The presence of these compounds means you should shock the swimming area more often than expected!
Most products marketed as “pool shock” are either more concentrated or simply just reformulated versions of pool chlorine treatments, which are themselves typically more concentrated versions of household bleach.
What does pool shock do to a pool?
Pool shock combats the build-up of chloramine and other contaminants by quickly bringing your “free chlorine” level back to its normal range. A concentration between 1 – 3 parts per million (PPM) is typically considered adequate for most pools, but different manufacturers may require higher concentrations depending on what type they produce or how old it is in general; make sure you check information provided by both parties before deciding!
Pool shock can help get your pool water to what is sometimes called “breakpoint chlorination,” which starts breaking up built-up chlorine and other contaminants. The process turns them into a gas that evaporates harmlessly in the atmosphere freeing space for more good free chlorine needed to stay clean!
When to shock a pool
Pool pros recommend shocking your pool at night, after the sun sets. This will ensure that chlorine is not neutralized by its UV rays and you’ll have to add less of it when adding shock in order for there be any effect on water clarity or balance since partials are lost with every day light exposure
Salt water and pool shock
The chlorine in saltwater pools is used to keep the water clean, but even with an automatic chlorinator it can become overwhelmed by a major storm or really messy party. Some kinds of cells will go into Shock mode and others Super Chlorinate- this reduces their useful lifetime spans unless your system was designed for larger pools than what you have installed at home!
