What You Need to Know About Winter Chlorination

It's usually good news for pool owners when the cooler weather sets in. This usually means that their pool will be less prone to algae breakout. Although it is not necessary to regularly dose your pool, now is the time to make sure that it is properly maintained.

What is the most effective way to ensure that your pool is properly chlorinated?

Find out the right dose

Each pool has its own set of requirements when it comes to keeping it clean and healthy. Pool owners should use the same basic formula to determine how much chlorine they should use.

• Granules: 850gm per 3785 litres
• Tablets: 1 tablet per 3785 litres
• Liquid: 400mL per 3785 litres

Although tablets are commonly used weekly, the use of liquid and granules is also common. However, it is important to note that some chemicals may require a different dose than those used in tablets.

Correct pH

The most important step to ensuring your pool water is balanced is to collect a sample. This method is quick and easy to follow, and it can help identify any issues.

A chemical feeder is an easy and effective way to maintain the balance of your pool water. It can be used during the winter months to prevent the buildup of chlorine.

Clean up pool filters

Chlorine will kill the bacteria in your pool, but it won’t remove the debris that can get stuck in the filtration system. This includes leaves and branches that can get tangled in the water.

Give the filter a good clean out by removing it from its box. There will usually be dirt and leaves stuck in there. It is best to backwash once or twice a week to remove any impurities.

Super chlorinate

In most cases, regular chlorine use will not solve the issue of pool water that has bad odours and skin irritation. Instead, try using super chlorination or pool shocking.

• Determine how much combined chlorine is in the water. Use a DPD kit or test strip to test your pool water.
• Calculate the amount of shock treatment needed. Once you know the amount of combined chlorine in the water, you need to add roughly ten times that amount of chlorine to eliminate it.
• Add the treatment. Administer the correct dose of shock treatment and wait for a few hours before swimming.

Salt chlorination

Instead of using traditional chlorine, a salt chlorinator uses a combination of saltwater and chlorine to remove harmful chemicals from the water. Even with a salt chlorinator, you will still need to keep your pool regularly shocking.

If you have any other questions about pool and spa products please do let us know - we are here to help!