Stretching customers’ chlorine dollar: Routine maintenance is key to getting most value

by Dave Flaherty | February 24, 2021 11:04 am

By John Bokor

All pool professionals are aware balanced pool water is the best way
to ensure chlorine can keep the water sanitized.

Pool construction is experiencing exponential growth, and owners are using their pools more than ever. The demand to purchase chlorine and the need for its affect in pool water are both at an all-time high. Therefore, it is imperative chlorine be used prudently and effectively as a sanitizer. To ensure there is enough chlorine for all, there are several maintenance tips for pool owners that will allow them to extend their swimming season. Pool professionals need to work with their customers to do everything possible to limit the demands on chlorine in pool water and to reduce chlorine consumption.

To prevent the need for excessive quantities of chlorine, there are a few steps that can be taken to quickly reduce chlorine demand. Some basic maintenance tips will ensure chlorine consumption remains under control and the amount being used keeps the water sanitized.

Brush regularly

What one’s dentist says about their teeth also applies to the pool. Although it can be time consuming, regular brushing and cleaning of the pool is the easiest way to control chlorine consumption. By brushing pool surfaces, contaminants clinging to the surfaces can be removed by the pool’s filter, so chlorine can do the job of sanitizing rather than having to work to combat algae, mould, or other bacteria.

Regular brushing, skimming, and vacuuming will keep the pool water clear and make it easier to keep it balanced.

There are many large, commercial brushes available that make the job easier as well as automatic pool cleaners and even battery-powered, hand-held vacuums for use by both service professionals and consumers. Automatic pool cleaners even have the added benefit of helping circulate and filter the water—which also contributes to make it cleaner and clearer. These brushes and cleaning tools will make the job of keeping surfaces clean faster and easier, so pool water needs less chlorine to maintain the proper residual sanitizer.

Clean the filter

Keeping filters clean allows the filter to operate properly and remove contaminants from the water so chlorine is not tied up with floating debris.

Water clarity is only as good as the filter will allow it to be. Chemicals can resolve many different water quality problems, but if the filter is not working properly, neither will the water treatment program.

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Many service technicians respond to cloudy water by adding a clarifier; however, it will not clear up the pool if the filter is gummed up and not able to perform properly. The COVID-19 pandemic has kept people at home and those who own pools were using them quite often. As a result, filters have been working overtime, so they need even more frequent cleaning.

As some children remained home this past fall rather than return to school, many customers kept their pools open and extended their swimming season much longer than usual—so techs must be sure their customer’s filters are clean before adding more chlorine.

Balance the water

All pool professionals are aware balanced pool water is the best way to ensure chlorine can keep the water sanitized. To avoid customers from having to continuously add chlorine to their pools, retailers and service techs should suggest they invest in test strips to monitor the sanitizer levels in their pools.

When it comes to service professionals, many techs find they can use less chlorine and keep water balanced by adding borates to the water. Borates have a buffering ability that allows pool water to remain at a more stable pH level for a longer period. In turn, borates allow chlorine to be more efficient and effective at sanitizing the water.

Adjust for salt chlorine generators

Salt chlorine generators remain one of the most popular additions to pools. These devices also help to reduce chlorine consumption simply by generating chlorine on-site using salt. However, to ensure pool owners understand the full extent of this equipment, it is important to educate consumers their salt chlorine generators will not solve all their water maintenance needs, and that this equipment has its own specific maintenance requirements that should be followed.

Inherent in the way salt chlorine generators work are side effects that can adversely impact the successful operation and appearance of the pool—namely corrosion and scale. To overcome these side effects, many service professionals are turning to borates as these add an anti-corrosion effect that fights against rust on equipment, accessories, and fixtures around the pool.

Calcium scale is also compounded by high pH, so having borates in the water will also keep the levels from creeping upward to help prevent scaling. Borates are added to the water once a year and pair nicely with salt chlorine generators to help maintain balanced water.

Remove phosphates

Removing phosphates and maintaining proper levels can be very beneficial as it will improve the overall quality of the water. In many cases, high levels of phosphates can cause calcium phosphate scale, which forms when phosphates in the water fuse together with calcium. The carbonate often falls out of solution and can feel ‘gritty’ to the touch. It tends to build up on salt generator cells and heat exchangers.

When it comes to calcium phosphate scale, prevention is the best solution. If a pool already has the scale, techs should remove it and then do a phosphate treatment to reduce the likelihood of reoccurrence. Maintaining a phosphate residual of less than 125 parts per
billion (ppb) is the key to preventing phosphate-related issues. Removing phosphates helps limit the formation
of calcium phosphate and ensures
the efficient operation of chlorine generators which, in turn, ensures optimal chlorine generation.

Oxidize with non-chlorine shock

In keeping with the goal of reducing the use of chlorine, routinely oxidizing pool water with a non-chlorine shock can be beneficial to controlling contaminants so chlorine works more effectively. Disinfection—also referred to as sanitizing—is the effective killing of germs. Oxidation is the destruction of non-living waste materials like skin, urea, and hair follicles.

Chlorine demand is much higher when organic contaminants are present. Therefore, it takes longer to remove demand and create an effective free-chlorine residual. This is also why oxidizing with a non-chlorinated shock is so important.

Non-chlorine oxidizers can scour and destroy more contaminants in the water than chlorine shock. That said, service techs must keep in mind that after chlorine has effectively done its job to sanitize, it will react with excess contaminants present in pool water.

Because non-chlorine shock does not contain chlorines, it will not combine with chlorine to create unwanted disinfection byproducts—such as combined chlorine or chloramines. The odour from combined chlorine or chloramines is carcinogenic and causes eye and lung irritation. Airborne chloramines can also cause severe lung and asthma-type symptoms, while in the water chloramines are absorbed through the skin and can also cause other health issues.

Bather load and time spent in the water can lead to a higher demand and more sanitizer consumption. So, it is important for service techs to regularly oxidize this non-organic waste to free up chlorine to sanitize.

Consider automatic pool covers

In addition to a soaring demand for pools, the popularity of automatic covers is also skyrocketing. As consumers use their pools more and want to extend their swimming season, an automatic cover is a necessity.

Automatic covers can also help reduce the use of chlorine because closing a pool daily—when not in use—keeps airborne contaminants out, keeping the water and pool surfaces cleaner. That said, it is important to realize while automatic covers keep water cleaner, they also reduce evaporation and can lead to buildup of gas under the cover.

While regular oxidation is important to remove non-living contaminants, it is also important to leave the cover off the pool for at least 30 minutes after non-chlorine oxidizer has been applied. Service techs should instruct owners to let their pool ‘gas off’ periodically so these gases do not get trapped under their cover. In fact, this is especially important with pools that have both a salt chlorine generator and an automatic cover. With a salt system running continuously, it is easy for the chlorine level to get very high quickly with the cover closed. Therefore, chlorine levels should be checked regularly, and the pool should be allowed to breathe to avoid the buildup of gases.

The good news is pool owners with automatic covers can put their salt system on the lowest output setting as they need to generate far less chlorine than if the pool was uncovered.

Use enzymes

Like oxidation, another helpful additive to lessen the demand for chlorine is the use of enzymes. As a part of regular maintenance, using a high-quality, broad spectrum enzyme every week will help break down the organics swimmers bring into the water—which will even help oxidizers work more efficiently. Enzymes naturally break down contaminants, making them easier for filters and chlorine to remove from the water.

Conclusion

The pandemic created an unexpected boom in the pool industry in 2020—especially a renewed interest in residential pools which has naturally spilled over into 2021 and, for some builders, even 2022 an onward.

With the number of families who stayed home and continued using their pools, not to mention the number of new pools installed last summer, chlorine usage has skyrocketed. To ensure there is enough chlorine available to go around, the industry needs to get back to basics and do what it takes to maximize the utility of chlorine and keep pool water sanitized.

Regular brushing, cleaning filters, removing phosphates, oxidizing, and using enzymes will all help to keep the customer’s pool water balanced and their chlorine usage in check.

[2]John Bokor is the host of Haviland Pool and Spa Products’ “Legendary Pools and Spas,” a web series that promotes the fun of owning a pool or hot tub. He is also the company’s director of sales and has more than 25 years of experience in the pool retail industry. Bokor, a certified pool operator (CPO), regularly speaks to professional dealers and pool owners within his territory about water chemistry and maintenance. He can be reached via email at jbokor@havilandusa.com[3].

Source URL: https://www.poolspamarketing.com/trade/stretching-customers-chlorine-dollar-routine-maintenance-is-key-to-getting-most-value/

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