Keeping your pool water clean, clear, and properly balanced is essential for a refreshing and enjoyable swimming experience. One crucial aspect of pool care is the process of shocking or super chlorinating your pool.
How often should you be shocking or super chlorinating a pool can vary depending on several factors, including pool usage, weather conditions, and water quality.
Generally, you should shock your pool every 1 to 2 weeks during the swimming season. Understanding when and how often to shock your pool can ensure a pristine and safe swimming environment for you, your family, and your guests.
How Often Should I Shock My Pool?
About one shock per week is often recommended for swimming pools. If you don’t do it every week, then at least every other week. To maintain your pool’s chemistry, you must do this.
Many people may use your pool, so shock your pool more frequently if that is the case. Simply ensure that you have a clean pool by doing this.
You should use two pounds of shock per 10,000 gallons of water in your pool. In this way, you will be able to ensure that the chemicals in your pool are appropriately treated in the right amount.
Pool Shock 101
Using shock to treat your pool is equivalent to using chlorine. As well as being a shock, pool shock is also known as a granular oxidizer. You can also purchase it in liquid form. There are liquid forms available in similar containers to laundry bleaches.
Because it is liquid and has no residue, it dissolves quickly. When using liquid shock, be careful to avoid getting it on your clothes since it will bleach them.
Granular shock for pools is also available. You may need to dissolve this in water and add it to your pool afterwards.
There is often more strength in granular shock than in liquid shock. Generally speaking, it tends to be less expensive than liquid shock and more popular. Depending on the type of shock, some are also poured directly into the pool.
Some prefer liquid shock and granular shock to others. In either case, it depends on preferences and if a more robust product is needed.
Why is Shock So Important?
Your swimming pool cleaning arsenal should include shock. By swimming in the pool, we introduce contaminants to the water. There’s sweat, saliva, skin cells, sun tan lotion, urine, and other nasty stuff in our bodies!
It doesn’t end there: dirt, leaves, bugs and rain can all contribute to the pH of your pool, causing it to fluctuate and diluting your pool’s chemicals as well.
The above not only introduce bacteria to a pool, but they feed the bacteria, too, so we need chlorine to kill the bacteria and break down these contaminants to remove them.
It won’t matter when your chlorine levels drop too low; just shock your pool to keep any nasties from growing in your pool.
Signs You Need To Shock Your Swimming Pool
The regular shock of your pool will help the water remain clean and free of contaminants. Shocking your pool once a week is recommended, with additional shocks after heavy use.
It’s important to shock your pool if its water is cloudy, foamy, green, or odorous.
When To Shock Your Pool?
To keep your swimming pool safe and clean, you should shock it once a week. A shock may also be required in addition to regular maintenance at the following times:
Closing
Shocking your pool before you close it will make opening your pool at the beginning of next season a little easier.
As well as cleaning your pool, you can inspect it or complete a complete inspection during this time. You’ll need a few supplies to help you achieve this, including robotic pool cleaners, water care chemicals, a skimmer, and a test kit.
Strong Chlorine Small or Irritated Eyes
The smell of chlorine may appear to signify that the pool is clean and the water is safe to use, but it indicates that chloramines, or combined chlorine, have built up in the water. The eyes become red and irritated when swimming as another sign of this.
After Heavy Rain
It is common for contaminants to enter the pool during heavy rains, which can result in increased pH levels.
After Days of Hot Weather
When the temperature in your pool rises, bacteria can grow, and the chlorine strength can decrease. Your pool will benefit from a shock after a period of hot, sunny weather.
Following Heavy Use
What is your experience with entertaining guests or throwing pool parties? Increasing swimmers and heavier use will increase the incidence of bacteria and contaminants such as shampoos, soaps, and oils entering the water.
Consequently, the chlorine level can drop, and pool shock is required.
Opening
Bacteria and algae may have built up since your pool has been closed for the cooler months. It is important to shock the pool water in the late spring before opening it.
Definitely Shock the Pool After a Gastrointestinal Accident
Your kids will surely get into trouble in your pool if they are constantly playing in it. A pool shock is essential if you notice that your child has had an accident in the pool to sanitize the water.
Shock the Pool After a Party or Hosting an Event
The best thing about having a pool is sharing it with friends and family! Your swimming pool will likely get dirty if kids and adults run around, eat, drink, play, and splash.
There are many contaminants that make their way into the water, like food scraps, sweat, urine, grass, dirt, and more. This reduces the chlorine levels in your pool and makes it less sanitary than you would like.
It’s a good idea to shock the pool after every party, whether you throw one yearly bash or gather every week.
Shock Your Pool If It’s Taking on a Green Tinge
It is often considered to be the worst nightmare of pool owners to deal with algae. Aside from making your pool an unsightly colour – whose idea is to swim in green water?
As well as damaging your equipment and pool surfaces, it can also damage your equipment. When you notice cloudy water, give it one shock. It may be necessary to shock the entire pool if the water has taken on a green tint.
How Do You Shock Your Pool?
You may pour or sprinkle the shock around your pool’s perimeter when the filter runs. Make sure the sprinkle doesn’t get on your clothes since it will bleach them.
After shocking your pool, you should avoid swimming in it for 24-48 hours. By doing this, the chemicals will run through the water and won’t harm your skin or eyes. It is always a good idea to check the instructions on the packaging of your pool shock.
What Is The Best Time Of Day To Shock?
A shock treatment is most effective in the evening. Due to the sun’s rays, chlorine can’t perform as well as it should because it dissolves too quickly before it has a chance to rid the pool of contaminants.
You can also shock your pool in the evening after an enjoyable day of swimming since it won’t be used for the next 12-24 hours.
Helpful Pool Shock Tips To Remember:
- When your pool’s Free Chlorine level measures zero, or the Combined Chlorine level exceeds 0.3 ppm, shock your pool.
- Make sure shock is added to water, not water added to the shock.
- Do not store half-full shock bags; use the entire 1-pound bag.
- You should distribute chlorine shock around the edge of the pool. NEVER add shock directly to the skimmer.
- Remove solar blankets, winter, and auto covers if chlorine levels do not drop below 4.0 ppm.
- According to package instructions, You need to wait a certain amount of time before swimming after shocking.
- If possible, shock when pH levels are between 7.2 and 7.3. This is close to the lower end of the ideal range for shock.
- It is best to keep the pump running and brush your pool after shock in order to help the chlorine disperse quickly.
- If your shock bags require rinsing in the pool and then drying, allow them to dry before disposing of them.
- It is always best to add shock upwind so that the powder does not blow back into your face. Aim for a close pouring of the shock on the surface of the water.
The Bottom Line
Owners of pools need to maintain their pools. The device needs to be cleaned regularly and shocked as well. Pool shock is worth considering if you’re a first-time pool owner without any idea what it is or why it is so important.
After going through this article, you should have a good idea of pool shock as well as how often you should shock your pool.
Sources:
https://intheswim.com/eguides/how-often-to-shock-your-pool.html
https://www.asppoolco.com/blog/2022/october/how-often-should-i-shock-my-swimming-pool-/
