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Table of Contents
How long after shocking a pool is it safe to swim?
The general guideline is that it’s safe to swim in a pool 24 hours after shocking it. To be safe, test your chlorine and pH using a chemical test kit to see if they are in balance. Make sure your free chlorine level has returned to 3ppm or less.
Can you swim in a pool with non chlorine shocks?
Non-chlorine shocks are known as Oxidizing shocks or chlorine-free shocks. They contain no chlorine but instead use oxygen to remove contaminants from the swimming pool. With this type of chlorine-free shock, you can usually swim in as little as 20 minutes after adding it to your pool.
What does shock do for swimming pools?
Shock also helps destroy bacteria, clears pool water and destroys other organic materials after your pool gets a lot of activity; shock removes contamination, and also works to kill and eliminate mustard, green and black algae. Learn more about shock in our article, “Are shock and chlorine the same thing?”
Can you swim in a pool with too much chlorine?
Well in a way you can but in practice it generally just means that you will have to wait longer for the chlorine levels to reduce to a safe level before swimming in the pool again. Perhaps up to 48 hours. If you have severely over shocked and have a vinyl liner the strong chlorine solution may bleach it.
When is it safe to go into a pool after it’s shocked?
In general, it’s recommended that you wait up to 24 hours to hop into a pool after it’s been shocked, depending on the size of the pool, Alan says.
What is shocking in pool?
Shocking is "the process of adding chemicals to the pool to make water composition ideal for chlorine or non-chlorine alternatives to work best," Jamie Alan, PhD, an associate professor of pharmacology and toxicology at Michigan State, tells Health.
What to do if you wear contacts?
If you wear contacts, she also recommends taking them out, pitching them, and "thoroughly" rinsing your eyes with saline solution. If your skin feels uncomfortable after you’ve cleaned off, Dr. Goldenberg recommends using a moisturizer and even a topical steroid cream if your symptoms don’t improve.
What happens if you drink pool water?
And, if you happen to accidentally drink some pool water, you could end up feeling nauseous even throw up.
What to do if you have trouble breathing after cleaning?
If your skin feels uncomfortable after you’ve cleaned off, Dr. Goldenberg recommends using a moisturizer and even a topical steroid cream if your symptoms don’t improve. And, if you have trouble breathing, Alan says it’s time to call 911.
What is the pH of a pool?
(A good chlorine level is between 1.0 and 4.0 parts per million, and the pH should be between 7.2 and 7.8, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .)
What chemicals are used in pool shock?
There is a range of chemicals that can be used for a pool shock, including calcium hypochlorite, lithium hypochlorite, dichlor, and potassium peroxymonosulfate, according to Home Depot.
When Can I Swim After Shocking Pool?
Wait at least one hour for each pound of shock that you use before you get in the pool. After that time passes, test your pool water to see if there is too much chlorine. Make sure that the water has 1.0-3.0 parts per million chlorine content before you get in the water.
Why is chlorine important?
Think of chlorine as an extended-release sanitation chemical. The chlorine will continually sanitize the water and kill germs before they allow algae to bloom.
What is chlorine in a pool?
Chlorine is a chemical that can kill germs and keep your pool safe from bacteria and algae. You can find chlorine in several forms, such as liquid and pucks, and you need to maintain proper levels. Bacteria can render chlorine useless if you don’t use enough, and it can disappear if you use too much stabilizer.
How long does it take to swim after shock?
You can swim after you wait one hour per one pound of shock, and that can take up to 24 hours. Shock contains 70%-80% chlorine, and that can cause rash, nausea, vomiting, and asthma attacks. Test your pool water to make sure that it contains 1.0-3.0 parts per million (ppm) chlorine before you can safely swim.
How much chlorine is in shock?
Shock isn’t much different from chlorine in the sense that it contains chlorine but in higher concentrations. Pool shock can contain as much as 70%-80% chlorine, and that high concentration can immediately raise chlorine levels. The intense concentration of chlorine that shock provides is enough to kill germs, algae, and waterborne illnesses.
How long does it take for a pool to get chlorine?
It often takes 12-24 hours for a large pool to reach a balanced and safe chlorine level after shocking. You can try to dilute the chlorine content if you are eager to get in the pool quickly. However, you may lower the free chlorine content in the pool if you add fresh water to dilute the shock.
Does shock kill algae?
Yes, shock does kill algae if it has a high chlorine content. You can successfully kill algae with a 70% chlorine concentration. Treat your pool with algaecide 12-24 hours after you shock it to completely eradicate the algae. It may take up to 3 treatments to kill the algae.
What Kind of Shock Are You Using?
The type of shock you use to shock your pool also affects how long you have to wait until you jump back into the pool. The two most popular shocks we encounter at INYO are shocks with chlorine and shocks without chlorine. Shocks with chlorine, or cal-hypo, make up the majority of chlorine- based shock available today. The major differences lie in the concentration levels of the active ingredients. Most shocks with chlorine take longer to interact with your pool than non-chlorine shock.
What is chlorine free shock?
Chlorine- free shock oxidizes bacteria and organics in your pool without any additional chemicals. With this type of shock, you can swim in the pool just one hour after. Chlorine- based shock contains high levels of pH and will alter both your pH and chlorine levels in the pool. Chlorine- free shock has a neutral pH and will not affect any …
How to give your swimmers a realistic time frame?
First, assess how bad or dirty your pool actually is. Obviously, pools that are days away from becoming a swamp require more time and maintenance than a pool recovering from a rainy day.
Why do you need to take a large dose of chlorine?
The purpose for such a large dose is to break down the combined chlorine, organic waste, and other contaminants in your pool and re-establish a positive level of free chlorine. This process is not instant and can take several days to conquer. The condition and the chemical levels in every pool vary. That is why it is impossible for a pool technician to hand out specific time frames that are suitable for EVERY pool.
Can you swim up to shock level?
In short, if you want to be certain that your water is safe before returning to swim, test it. Once your free chlorine levels are holding and you can see the bottom of your pool, you can safely return swimming up to your shock levels for your CYA. Secondly, review the instructions on the back of your shock.
Do you have to shock a pool?
However, if you have a salt water generator and consistently test and monitor your chemical levels, there shouldn’t be a need to shock your pool often.
Where to follow the manufacturer’s instructions on a bag of shock?
Another good rule of thumb is to follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the back of the product. Typically on all chemicals, the manufacturer provides directions for use, precaution warnings, and tips for storage and disposal. The back the bag of shock we analyzed states, “Follow label directions for each product.
How long should you wait to swim when adding other chemicals?
Although some of the other chemicals you may add to your pool are relatively harmless, at least when compared with chlorine, it is generally not a good idea to swim in the pool immediately after adding chemicals.
How long does it take to swim in a non chlorine shock?
They contain no chlorine but instead uses oxygen to to remove contaminants from the pool. With this type of shock you can usually swim in as little as 20 minutes after adding it to your pool.
How many bags of chlorine free pool shock?
One of the most popular on Amazon is the In The Swim Chlorine-Free Oxidizing Pool Shock which comes in 24 handy 1 pound bags.
What are the two types of chlorine shocks?
Chlorine shocks. There are two main types of Chlorine shock (that is, shock containing Chlorine) which are Calcium Hypochlorite (often referred to as Cal-Hypo) and Dichloroisocyanuric acid (often referred to as Di-Chlor).
What is a di chlor shock?
Di-Chlor is a granulated, stabilized chlorine.
How long after shocking a pool should you swim?
In general, after shocking a pool, no-one should swim in the pool for a minimum of 6 hours and up to 24 hours.
How long should you leave chlorine shock on?
You should leave the chlorine shock to work for at least 4 hours before you first test the water.
What Is Pool Shock?
Before we tell you about the time you need to wait before you can dive into your pool, let’s talk about pool shock and why it’s important to wait to swim after adding it.
When Can I Swim After Shocking My Pool?
The general guideline is that it’s safe to swim in a pool 24 hours after shocking it. To be safe, test your chlorine and pH using a chemical test kit to see if they are in balance. Make sure your free chlorine level has returned to 3ppm or less.
Just a Little Longer
Once your pool has met the conditions we discuss above, it will be time to jump in and enjoy. Please visit our safety guides for more valuable information on how to keep your family and home safe.
What is pool shock?
Swimming pool shock is a powdered or liquid form of chlorine that’s used to treat your pool water to help make it safe and healthy for swimming. Shock is an important part of pool care regardless of which type of chlorine you use for daily sanitation. There are three types of pool shock you can buy to treat your water: …
How to swim after shock?
The simplest rule to follow with swimming after shock is to check the package of shock you have in your hand and follow the instructions closely. Each unique shock product may come with different instructions, and the videos you find on the internet certainly offer a range of advice that isn’t necessarily applicable to the product you have. What IS consistent is the range of free available chlorine that’s safe for swimming (1-4ppm), so with that in mind, another simple rule for pool ownership is to test your water often and always before swimming to make sure your pool is swim ready.
What happens when you add shock to your pool?
When you add shock to your pool water, it introduces a fast boost in chlorine concentration that helps to remove the combined chlorine molecules (also called chloramines) from your pool.
How long after shock to test chlorine?
It’s recommended that you wait one hour after adding shock with the filter running, and then test the water to confirm the pH and chlorine are in the proper range before letting anyone enter the pool. As a reminder, you want your pH to be between 7.2 and 7.8ppm and your free available chlorine to be 1-4ppm for safe swimming.
When to shock pool water?
In an ideal world, you’d apply shock to your pool in the evening after sundown and after the day’s last swim, then turn on the filter and let the shock do its job to eliminate bacteria and organic matters overnight. Test your water in the morning to make sure it’s safe for swimming.
Is shock good for pool water?
All are effective in treating your pool water, but each type of shock has its own unique advantages.