Swimming Pool is one of our favorite places where we love to enjoy, relax, and have a good time, isn’t it? But do we realize how important the hygiene of pool water is? The thought of diving into a pool may be exciting, but it is also filled with so many chemicals that can harm you. Adding an appropriate amount of chemicals and chlorine is recommended however, it should not exceed the recommended levels.
Assessing how much chlorine is good is subject to the size of the pool and the volume of water present in it. Pool owners must add a suitable amount of chlorine, which helps kill bacteria and other microorganisms. Not doing this may cause pools to become havens for water-borne infections. Too much chlorine can convert a safe pool into a breeding ground for harmful germs.
Over-chlorinated pools may also threaten swimmers’ health. Contact of chlorine with the skin can result in irritation, similar to that of a burning sensation. It can also cause many types of infection, not only to your skin but the nose and eyes. It may prove to be dangerous for kids at home too.
Excess levels of chlorine and other chemicals can result in sudden onset of nausea or vomiting, burning sensation in eyes and throat, can cause itchy eyes, may add difficulty in breathing or shallow breathing, causes skin redness, and also chest pain.
Since we realize how harmful chlorine can be for everyone, we should also know the benefits of it. But before that, here are some basics:
pH Level
Chlorine, as well as the level of pH, is also of great importance. The pH is a measure of the level of acidity in the water. The pH scale goes from 0 to 14, where pH 7 is neutral, pH above 7 is basic, and below 7 is acidic. The proposed pH levels for healthy swimming pool water is 7.4. pH range of 7.4 to 7.6 is also good for chlorine disinfection.
What is the Solution: In order to reduce or balance the pH levels use of sodium bisulfate is recommended by experts and to increase the levels of pH you can add sodium carbonate.
Chlorine
There are two forms of chlorine: organic and inorganic chlorine. Organic chlorine is referred to as trichloroisocyanuric acid and dichloroisocyanuric acid, which dissolves instantly and is recommended for small swimming pools. Inorganic chlorine is the formulation of calcium hypochlorite (it can be used for daily or for shock chlorination) and a combination of sodium hypochlorite (which is a liquid).
Whenever either organic or inorganic chlorine is added to the swimming pool, it is the free chlorine that kills bacteria and all other micro contaminants present in the pool water. As soon as chlorine reacts, it is converted into combined chlorine. Combined chlorine or chloramines can be ineffective.
Smells of this type of chlorine may irritate the eyes and affect mucous membranes. Therefore, to reduce the levels of combined chlorine, is it advised to shock chlorinate the pool with calcium hypochlorite. It solves the problem effectively, and the chlorine dissolves instantaneously in the outdoor pool.
The ideal utilization of chlorine for your gunite pool NJ or adjusting of chlorine relies upon different factors, for example, bathing frequency, the temperature of the water, amount of sunlight, and the size of the pool.
Related:- Why Your Swimming Pool Is Turning Green Even After Shocking
What is the Solution?
The use of a test kit is recommended to measure the chlorine content.
Adding Cyanuric acid which acts as a chlorine stabilizer is also recommended.
The recommended levels and values are as follows:
Levels of Free chlorine: 0.5-1.5 ppm (mg/l)
Levels of Combined chlorine: 0-0.5 ppm (mg/l)
Total recommended chlorine: 0.5-1.5 ppm (mg/l)
Cyanuric acid: 0-20 ppm (mg/l)
Final Word: The indications of improper levels of chlorine may not be life-threatening for adults, but if you have kids in the family, then they are more susceptible. It can still cause a great deal of pain and discomfort in daily life. Signs of mild to moderate chlorine poisoning usually disappear without any requirement of treatment within 24 hours, but it still causes severe levels of discomfort for you and others.
This is why balancing chemicals including chlorine is higher recommended to maintain healthy pool water. You can hire a pool expert for swimming pool restoration NJ or for consultation or for regular repaint and maintenance of your swimming pool. You can only have maximum fun when the water is clean and hygienic.
