Why do pools smell like chlorine

You'll find answers to many frequently asked questions in our blog. Start by clicking on one of the following categories or search through our existing answers by entering keywords into the box below. But in fact, this odour points to the opposite! Never heard of it? By now, you probably want to know how to remedy a pungent pool?

The answer to eradicating chloramines? Give them a shock! The term shock treatment refers to the process of adding an oxidiser to the water to destroy the organic contaminants that combine with chlorine to produce chloramines.

According to Michael Phelps everyone peels in the pool. But according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the most decorated Olympian of all time is very, very wrong. Yes, chlorine is added to water to prevent the spread of germs. But the CDC says it's still susceptible to what comes off of swimmers' bodies.

Think: urine, fecal matter, sweat, dirt, deodorant, and makeup. These contaminants can decrease the amount of chlorine that kills germs and create chloramines chemical irritants. Pools that don't have a strong chemical smell are mostly like healthy chlorinated pools. When chlorine is added to pool water, two active chemicals are released that kill bacteria — hypochlorous acid and hypochlorite ion.

Proper FAC levels in your pool water mean that the chlorine you added is able to effectively do its job. The problem arises when too many contaminants exist in the water, and FAC levels drop. When hypochlorous acid interacts with ammonia, which is a component of sweat and urine, chloramines are formed. Chloramines are less effective as a sanitizer and are the main cause of skin and eye irritation as well as the strong chlorine smell in pools.

After too much exposure, chloramines may even contribute to respiratory problems, such as asthma , so they are definitely something you want to minimize or eliminate in your pool water. Chloramines, not chlorine, are in fact the real culprits when it comes to a pool with a strong chlorine odor. By shocking the pool with extra chlorine once a week, you will destroy ammonia as well as contaminants in the pool and reach a higher FAC level.

This will reduce the level of chloramines in the pool, causing the odor and water quality to improve. There are various ways to oxidize and sanitize pool water beyond chlorine alone. Some people prefer non-chlorine pool treatment chemicals due to chlorine sensitivity or other reasons.

Think urine, perspiration, body oils and cosmetics. It is true that the more urine there is to combine with chlorine, the higher the level of unwanted, smelly chloramines in the pool. Ironically, the irritants actually responsible, chloramines, may be produced when there is not enough chlorine in the pool. The bottom line: Pool operators need to keep pool chemicals in appropriate ranges.

Swimmers need to clean up their act.