Owning an inground pool is one of life’s greatest pleasures, especially when it’s crystal clear, inviting and always ready for a dip.
But keeping your pool in top shape requires a bit of maintenance, and one of the key tasks in your pool care routine is shocking.
But how often should you shock your inground pool?
Let’s dive into the nitty gritty with a splash of fun, and get your pool sparkling like new.
What Does It Mean To Shock Your Pool?
Before we jump into the “how often” type questions. Let us understand the what and why.
Shocking your pool is the process of adding a concentrated dose of chlorine or other pool sanitizers to the water.
This helps to:
Eliminate Bacteria:
Even the cleanest pools harbor bacteria that can be harmful if left unchecked. Shocking destroys these unwanted guests.
Oxidize Organic Contaminants
Swimmers introduce all sorts of organic matters into the pool, sweat, sunscreen, body oils and more. Shocking breaks these down to keep the water clear and fresh.
Remove Chloramine Build Up:
Contaminants are the byproducts of chlorine reacting with matter, which is organic matter. They can cause the unpleasant chlorine.
And we all hate it. Shocking gets rid of them, keeping your pool’s chemistry balanced.
So, How Often Should You Shock Your Inground Pool?
Now, onto the main question: How often, man, how often?
Weekly or Biweekly- The Standard Routine
For most pool owners, shocking your pool once a week or every two weeks is a solid role of thumb.
This routine ensures that the water stays clean, clear and safe for swimming. We call it the weekly shock.
If your pool sees a lot of action, say you’ve got kids splashing around daily or you host frequent pool parties then a weekly shock is our best bet.
The more bodies in the water, the more contaminants you’ll need to deal with.
After Heavy Use or Events-The Party Shock
Had a big pool party with all your friends and neighbors? Or maybe the kids had a few friends over for a swim marathon?
Whenever your pool experiences heavy use, it’s a good idea to give it an extra shock, even if it’s outside your normal routine.
Why it’s important
More people in the pool means more organic matter, sweat and sunscreen, which can quickly overwhelm your regular chlorine levels.
An extra shock after a heavy use day helps to rest the water and keep it sparkling.
How to do it
Simply follow your normal shocking procedure the evening after the event. By the next day, your pool should be good as new.
After a Storm-The Weather Shock
Mother Nature can wreak havoc on your pool water.
Rain, wind and storms can introduce all sorts of debris, dirt and contaminants into your pool.
After a storm, it’s often necessary to shock your pool to restore its balance.
And why it’s important
Stormwater can dilute your pool chemicals and bring in unwanted contaminants.
Shocking helps to restore the chlorine levels and ensure that your pool remains safe and clean.
How to do it
Once the storm passes and you’ve cleaned out any debris, go ahead and shock the pool as part of your post-storm clean up routine.
When The Water’s Cloudy
Is your pool looking a little less than crystal clear? Cloudy water is a sign that something’s off with your pool chemistry and shocking is often the quickest way to clear things up.
It is important for cloudy water, which can be caused by a variety of issues.
Shocking the pool helps to oxidize and clear out whatever’s causing the cloudiness.
In order to do it, before shocking make sure your pool’s PH and chlorine levels are in the correct range.
Then, perform a shock treatment to restore clarity. If cloudiness persists, you might need to consider additional filtration or chemical adjustments.
After Algae growth- The Algae Sock
Algae can be a pool owner’s worst nightmare. Whether it’s green, yellow or black algae, it can quickly turn your beautiful pool into something you’d rather avoid.
Shocking is one of the most effective ways to kill algae and prevent its return.
It is important because algae not only looks bad but it can also make your pool unsafe for swimming, Plus, once it takes hold, it can be tough to get rid of without a strong shock treatment.
In order to do it for minor algae outbreaks, a single shock might do the trick.
For more severe cases, you may need to double or triple shock the pool. Just be sure to brush the walls. That’s all.
Some Amazing Tips For Your Inground Pool
Let’s talk about the important tips that can be used to shock your inground pool. It is used for clarity, cleanliness and overall health.
There are few tips that can make his process more effective and ensure you’re getting the most out of your efforts.
Choose The Right Time
Timing is important. Almost everything has to be on time. And when it comes to shocking your pool, we’d recommend you go for a night.
Why? Because sunlight can degrade chlorine, reducing effectiveness of your shock treatment.
By shocking at night, you give the chlorine time to work without interference from the sun.
Pre Dissolve Shock in Water
Some pool shock products need to be dissolved in water before adding them to the pool.
This step helps to evenly distribute the chlorine and prevent damage to your pool liner or surface. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the best results.
Run Your Pump
After shocking, be sure to run your pool pump for at least 8 hours.
This ensures that the shock is properly circulated throughout the entire pool, reaching every corner and crevice where contaminants might be hiding.
Monitor pH Levels
Shocking can temporarily raise the pH level of your pool water, so it’s important to keep an eye on it afterward.
Aim for a pH level between 7.2 and 7.6 for optimal chlorine efficiency and comfort.
Use The Right Amount of Shock
Here focus is not about quantity. It is about quality. Using too much shock can lead to over chlorination, which can irritate swimmer’s skin and eyes and pool equipment.
Stick to the recommended dosage based on your pool’s size and condition. Stick to the recommended dosage based on your pool’s size and condition
Brush and Vacuum
After shocking, brushing the walls and floor of your pool helps to loosen any algae or debris, allowing chlorine to work more effectively.
Follow up with vacuuming to remove anything that’s been dislodged.
Check Chlorine Levels Before Swimming
Always test your pool’s chlorine levels before jumping in after a shock treatment. The levels should be back to normal, typically between 1 and 3 ppm, before anyone swims.
It’s Time To Wrap and Dive in The Pool
The above mentioned techniques are used to regularly shock an inground pool.
By following guidelines above and staying on top of pool care routine, you’ll ensure that your pool remains a sparkling oasis, ready for you and your family to enjoy at any time.
So, whether it’s the weekly shock, the post party shock or the weather shock, knowing when and how to shock your pool will keep you ahead of any potential problems.
Dive in with confidence and enjoy the crystal clear waters of your perfectly maintained ground pool.
Last but the least, if you’re in Kentucky and you have figured out how to shock your inground pool and look for a credible contractor then hire dream pools spas.
These are different as they say they are. They don’t give fancy numbers and based on the aforementioned techniques, they’ve hands-on experience.
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