Swimming Pool Chemicals

Keeping your swimming pool clean and contaminant-free is extremely important. Pool water that isn’t properly cared for will become dirty and cloudy, and can also pose a health risk. That is why every swimming pool owner should have a thorough and regular maintenance routine which involves monitoring the pool water and equipment, and making any necessary adjustments. In particular, good pool maintenance involves regular water testing to ensure that it stays well balanced. Maintaining the equilibrium of swimming pool water and preventing cloudiness and contamination requires the use of a variety of swimming pool chemicals. One of the most important chemicals for proper pool maintenance is the sanitizer, which removes bacteria and other contaminants from the water, promoting a safer and healthier environment. Chlorine is the most common type of sanitizer used by swimming pool owners and is also one of the most highly produced chemicals in the United States. When added to swimming pool water, chlorine causes a reaction, producing its active form, hypochlorous acid. This form of the chlorine deactivates and destroys bacteria cells and other microorganisms, rendering them harmless.While chlorine is the most common chemical used for swimming pool sanitization, some pool owners prefer to use bromine. Also a powerful sanitizer, bromine effectively destroys bacteria and contaminants to provide clean water. Some pool owners prefer bromine over chlorine because it tends to cause less eye and skin irritation, it doesn't produce the strong odor associated with chlorine and it is pre-stabilized so it doesn't require the addition of stabilizing chemicals or conditioners. Since bromine dissolves more slowly than chlorine does, it needs to be added to pool water through an automatic feeder. Another option for pool water sanitizing is a category known as “alternative sanitizers” which are generally classified as chlorine & bromine alternatives. These systems are gaining in popularity because they eliminate the harsh effects associated with traditional sanitizers, are much more environmentally friendly and often involve less maintenance time and effort. Alternative sanitizers clean pool water using the power of minerals, salt-chlorine, salt/ozone, copper/silver ionizers and a host of others that all perform well with limited use of a sanitizer / oxidizer. While sanitizing pool chemicals such as chlorine are used regularly to keep pool water clean, sometimes the water will also need to be “shocked”. This refers to oxidizing the water by raising chlorine levels to a point known as “breakpoint chlorination”, which provides extra contaminant-killing power. Typically, it's best to shock your pool when opening it for the swimming season and when certain problems arise, such as algae growth, cloudiness, instances of heavy swimmer load, or changes in weather (rain, humidity). Once again, while chlorine is the most common chemical used for shocking, there are also non-chlorine shock options available. Other types of pool chemicals that are important to proper swimming pool maintenance include algaecides and balancing chemicals. As a fast-growing and stubborn form of microscopic plant life, algae can be a real problem for swimming pool owners. Algae can quickly take over your pool, turning the water cloudy, staining your pool liner & steps, and clogging your filter. However, use of an algaecide will kill algae and will also prevent its re-growth. When you use an effective algaecide to keep your pool free from algae blooms, you will also be reducing the need for shock treatments and sanitizing chemicals.Balancing chemicals also form an important component of swimming pool maintenance. The chemical levels in pool water change on a constant basis, as they are affected by many factors such as sunlight, water evaporation and rain as well as the addition of dirt and oils to the water. It's important that pool water have the right pH level, the right total alkalinity and the right level of calcium hardness. In order to make sure that these levels stay within the proper range, you need to test your water regularly using commercially available water testing strips and kits. Whenever any one or more levels need to be adjusted, you simply need to use the right pool chemicals to restore equilibrium. For example, available balancing chemicals include pH increasers and reducers, total alkalinity increasers and calcium hardness increasers.In some cases, the use of stabilizers and specialty swimming pool chemicals will also be necessary. Stabilizers are used with chlorine and help to protect the chlorine molecules from being quickly destroyed by the sun's UV radiation. Specialty chemicals that may be beneficial in certain situations include clarifiers, which remove organic oils and grease from pool water, and rust, scale and stain removal treatments. The latter are particularly useful in situations where well water or water with high metal content is used.While the many different types of available swimming pool chemicals may seem somewhat overwhelming, pool maintenance doesn't have to be complicated. Many retailers offer convenient chemical kits which contain everything you need to keep your pool clean. In many cases, the chemicals in such kits will be specially formulated for pools of particular sizes so all you have to do is follow the application instructions. Chemical kits are also a great value, and are readily available from reliable and trusted online retailers such as PoolProducts.com. As a result, it's easy and convenient to find all the pool chemicals you need to create a clean and healthy swimming environment, without putting any unnecessary strain on your pool maintenance time or budget.