Super-chlorination! It sounds like your swimming pool is a super hero, right? Super-chlorination is the same as shocking the pool water. When the pool water is shocked, the pool contractor will add copious amounts of chlorine to, in essence, strip out all contaminants from the water and give it a fresh start. Does the swimming pool water need to be shocked? Your swimming pool contractor from Best Pro Pool Service in Atwater, California will let you know when, and why, your pool requires a shocking treatment.
At the bottom line, the pool water is shocked to:
Boost low chlorine levels
Clear out stubborn contaminants
There are some swimming pool owners who will shock their pools once or twice a month as part of their routine maintenance. Doing this will certainly help keep algae and bacteria at bay.
Does the swimming pool water need to be shocked?
Whether you have your pool super-chlorinated as a general course of pool maintenance, or not, you will want to have the pool water shocked at these times:
When the swimming pool is opened for spring. Shocking the water is the quickest way to boost the chlorine in the water.
When the swimming pool is closed for the season. Your pool contractor will thoroughly clean the pool and will also shock the water to keep algae and bacteria from taking hold during the season.
If your pool has weathered a recent storm. A lot of rain, or wind or even times of extreme heat can lead to bacteria growth and a shock will boost the chlorine levels.
If the pool suffers an algae break out.
When you have had a higher than usual swimmer load — after a party, for example. Super-chlorinating will kill off organic materials that can play havoc with the pool chemistry levels.
When the pool water is shocked the additional chlorine will burn off or oxidize the contaminants from the water. Shocking the water also helps boost the chlorine’s ability to keep the water safe for swimming. One of the negative impacts of shocking the water is that you typically cannot use the pool for several hours until the chlorine is circulated through.