Almost a decade ago our pool experts busted common myths around pool parts, and in honor of over ten years of blog posting, we’re donning our busting berets again to bust even more pool maintenance related myths. Some myths are harmless urban legends, more fiction than fact, but as with all good stories, some myths have hidden helpful tips that can save you money, help you understand your pool better, and keep your pool healthy for another ten years to come.
Showering Before Getting in the Pool Is a Waste of Time
As a kid you were told to shower before getting into the pool, and you rolled your eyes. You fully blew past the posted metal sign at the community pool. You’re a rebel. A legend. You’re riding high on summer vibes and ice cream, and no one can bring you down. Now as an adult, your summer legend vibes may have slightly waned over the years but you still think the whole thing makes no sense. Actually, wrong!
Taking a quick shower before entering the pool can remove dirt, sweat, cosmetics, lotions, and other organic contaminants and keep them out of your pool. Over time, these contaminants can build up, put stress on your pool’s equipment and chemicals by having them work harder, and require more cleanings on your part. Aside from keeping your pool healthy, it may also keep you and your family healthy. Rinsing before getting in the pool not only washes away dirt but also washes away many bacteria that can potentially lead to infection and reduces the spreading of waterborne illnesses.
My Eyes Burn After Swimming Because There’s Too Much Chlorine
Red, irritated eyes. Dry, itchy skin. It’s the classic aftermath of a day at the pool and is normal after swimming in all that chlorine, right? Well, probably not. There are two far more common culprits that may be causing you discomfort and are worth investigating if you find yourself reaching for the eye drops after a pool day.
The primary cause of red, burning eyes is likely a pH imbalance in the water. The pH of healthy tears is 7.5. Naturally, the further away from that number your pool levels are, the higher your risk for uncomfortable irritation. Try to stay within the 7.2 to 7.8 range to help your chlorine function as effectively as possible and avoid eye burn.
The second likely possibility of eye irritation and dry skin is due to high levels of chloramines in your pool. In short, chloramines are the chemical compound your pool makes when chlorine interacts with the contaminants we mentioned earlier, such as dirt, germs, bacteria, etc. Chloramine ties up your pool’s chlorine, interfering with its ability to work effectively and allowing bacteria and algae to grow more freely, which can cause eye and skin irritation. You may need to test and balance your water, as you may need to shock your pool to increase chlorine levels and remove chloramines in the water.
Keep these in mind the next time you want to point the finger at pool ‘ol chlorine
The Stronger the Pool Smells of Chlorine, the Higher the Amount of Chlorine in It
You might be surprised to find out that, in fact, the opposite is true. Remember that pesky chloramine we mentioned earlier? That’s the same one that causes the “pool smell” or “chlorine smell” you’re thinking of! Essentially, it’s an indicator that the chlorine in your pool was working overtime fighting pollutants in the pool and is basically not able to function properly any longer. You likely have too little chlorine in the water now and need to test your water levels and shock your pool.
You Can Ignore Your Pool Maintenance in the Off-Season
Even though your area may experience colder weather not typically associated with fun times at the pool, it doesn’t mean you can neglect it until next summer. Making sure you properly winterize your pool by covering it, maintaining good balance with chemicals, and maintaining the equipment keeps your pool in good shape will ensure it will be ready to use when you need it. Not taking care of this may result in high costs to remove and clean excessive algae growth, staining, and may even damage your pool’s pricy equipment. Do your future self a favor and take small steps in the winter to make sure your pool is ready for the summer.
As a bonus tip, take advantage of your pool year-round with the use of solar covers, pool heaters, or heat pumps. These will help keep the water at a nice temperature so you can have fun in the sun and keep your pool healthy all year long.
All Water Samples Are the Same
Believe it or not, there are best practices for collecting a water sample from your pool. A water sample is a reflection of the health of your pool’s water chemistry, but certain factors may affect the accuracy and reliability of your results.
A good spot to pull your water from is right where your pool floor starts to slope into the deep end. Make sure you don’t go too far into the deep end, though. Ideally, turn your sample tubes upside down and collect water at least 18 inches below the surface. The first few inches of water may be compromised due to sunlight, wind, dust, and debris so try to go a little deeper.
Taking a sample from the return line should be avoided as there may be concentrated amounts of chemicals that can give an erroneous result. If it has just rained, wait to take a sample. Rain does make a difference to your pool’s balance, especially if it’s a downpour, since it will dilute the regular surface water in the pool. Hold off and circulate the water after a storm before testing for best results.
Check out our article on Pool Water Testing for Dummies for more information and helpful tips to ensure accurate results every time you test your water.
Bonus – Urine-Indicator Dye Turns Your Pee Blue in the Water
This is more of a fun fact since it gets debunked regularly, and still so many believe it to be true. There is no such additive that you can add to your water to turn pee blue nor does urine combine with chlorine to turn a bright blue color! The popular old wive’s tale serves as a good deterrent for young swimmers but if you’re hoping to buy super secret chemicals to prank your friends at your next pool party, you’re sadly out of luck.
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