How to Shock Your Pool

Shocking your pool is a surefire way for you to swim in crystal clear water again. When we say “shock your pool,” we don’t mean throw an electrical appliance in there. Shocking your pool means to break up combined chlorine.

Continue reading to learn more about shocking your pool.

A Better Understanding of Chlorine

Before you test the chlorine levels of your pool, it’s essential that you understand the classes of chlorine.

There are three classifications of chlorine:

• Free chlorine - This is what sanitizes and disinfects the water in your pool.

• Combined chlorine - Whenever there’s not enough chlorine in the pool to sanitize it, it mixes with the contaminants.

• Total Chlorine - This is simply the total amount of chlorine regardless if it’s combined or free.

How To Shock Your Pool

When someone shocks their pool, they’re merely adding disinfecting chemicals. In fact, due to the number of chemicals that are meant to disinfect, there are several ways to shock your pool.

Some methods used by pool builders include:

#1. Calcium hypochlorite - Also called cal hypo, calcium hypochlorite has been disinfecting water since 1928. It’s also one of the cheapest and most efficient ways to sanitize your pool. Calcium hypochlorite contains 65 to 75 percent of chlorine, depending on the brand. However, it needs to be dissolved first before you put it in your pool. Lastly, you must wait for about eight hours before swimming.

#2. Dichlor - “Dichlor” is just an abbreviated form of dichloroisocyanuric acid. Compared to calcium hypochlorite, dichlor is a lot safer and easier to use. However, you may not be able to add this chemical to your pool directly. Of course, this depends on the brand. Dichlor contains about 50 to 60 percent of chlorine and must be used at dusk.

#3. Lithium hypochlorite - This chemical is for people who have a pool that has a high amount of calcium. However, keep in mind that it’s a bit more expensive than the two chemicals listed above. Lithium hypochlorite dissolves much quicker than its calcium brethren, and you’re able to add it directly to your pool. This chemical is a bit weaker compared to the other two with its chlorine count only at 35 percent.

Are you looking for a professional pool builder? Your search has ended! At Hopkins Custom Pools, we'll help you acquire the pool of your dreams. Contact us today by calling our number at 972-771-1892.