Why does your swimming pool need to be “shocked”? Will your pool contractor from ACC Pools in Menifee, California recommend it happens often? Your question might be, can you swim when your pool is being shocked? The short answer is… no. The reason is, that the pool water is being over- or super-chlorinated and that means the pool contractor is pouring in copious amounts of chlorine or another sanitizer.
The reason a pool is being shocked is typically because of algae bloom or if the water chemistry is so far out of balance that the only way to get it back in balance is to essentially “start over” by shocking the water.
Can you swim when your pool water is being shocked?
Swimming pool water is exposed to contaminants all the time. Whether you’re using it and bringing in organic materials or if you’re forgetful about using the pool cover, water has bacteria in it. The reason pool contractors use chlorine and sanitizers is to keep the bacteria and algae spores at bay. When the pool is shocked — and some pool contractors recommend it monthly depending on how many people are in your pool and how frequently it’s cleaned — you will need to stay out of the water.
We caution our clients to stay out of the water for at least an entire day. We will want to come back and test the water to ensure the chlorine and pH levels are safe for swimming in. If the chlorine is too high it can hurt your eyes and dry out your skin and it honestly just is not safe to swim in.
Since the pandemic, the cost of chlorine and its availability has been high and in short supply. If you are a DIYer pool maintenance person, you can look for sanitizer alternatives — give us a call and let’s talk.