How Soon Can I Vacuum Pools After Adding Chemicals
Maybe not for everyone, but pools are every bit a part of recreational activities, especially during summer. Talk about making a hot day seem cool. They help us relax and when the weather is hot and you need something to keep your skin cool, definitely a time in the pool comes to mind, and you know it will do the magic. This is a great way to relax, but I doubt if this will be as attractive and relaxing as it should be if the pool is dirty or full of algae. That is why you have to run proper maintenance regularly to keep the pool clean, and this includes vacuuming and adding certain chemicals which will help to keep the pool clean. The process can be unavoidably tedious, but it does have a lot of advantages. At least you have a cleaner and healthier pool when you do it. Now, many people already know that they should vacuum and add chemicals to their pools but, the issue is that they don’t know how to go about it or which one should come first. If you’re also one of the people asking, “can I vacuum pools after adding chemicals?” then, read on to find out.
What To Know About Adding Chemicals To My Pool
Adding chemicals to pools is also known as shocking. It is a process that should be done as often as possible. It involves adding chemicals such as chlorine to the water as this helps to reduce the number of chloramines in the water. These chloramines are the reason for the chemical smell often associated with pools. So adding chlorine will help to reduce their number and subsequently the smell. These chloramines can also irritate the eyes, nose, and skin of swimmers, which is very discomforting. Although, how often you shock a pool depends on how often you use it, you should also shock it when there has been a heavy downpour, when the water becomes dirty, or even when it has been opened or closed. When adding chemicals to your pool, you have to keep in mind that the pH should be maintained throughout to make sure that the water is safe. When adding chemicals, it is best to do so in the evening, because the breakdown of chlorine is rapid under the sun which might not be the best for the pool.
Can I Vacuum My Pools Right After Adding Chemicals
While vacuuming and adding chemicals to pools are very much a part of the maintenance process a pool goes through, the answer is, no, you should not vacuum your pool right after chemicals have been added. When adding chemicals, the best time to vacuum your pool is before you add the chemicals. That’s because dirt in the pool will not allow the chemicals to work effectively and you might have to use more than the required amount if you will get any results. So if you want the best result, thoroughly remove the dirt and debris first. Vacuuming the pool right after adding chemicals will not allow the chemicals to circulate and work properly, the recently added chemicals will simply be removed even before they act. Mostly the pool needs time to fully take in the effect of the chemicals. So, in a bid to keep your pool clean, don’t go ahead and worsen it all. Give it time, you can vacuum later.
When Can I Vacuum My Pool After Adding Chemicals
It is advised that you vacuum your pool 24 hours after adding chemicals to it if you must. This will give the chemicals enough time to be circulated in the pool and the peak effect will be gotten. During that 24 hours of water, what you should consider doing is to run the pump and filtration system to help remove all the dirt. After that period, you can then go ahead and vacuum, because, by that time, the pool must have taken in all the chemicals. When you’re vacuuming, do it gently and slowly to avoid raising dirt so that the pool does not become cloudy.
How Long Should I Wait To Swim In My Pool After Adding Chemicals
It is not safe to swim in your pool right after you add chemicals to it. Since there are different types of chemicals used for maintaining a pool, how long you have to wait to swim in the pool depends on how the type of chemical you used. For some chemicals, the pH will go back to normal in twenty minutes, while some will take up to four hours or even more. Generally, it is best if you wait for about 12- 24 hours before getting in your pool. Or, to make it easier, you can just test the pH of the pool to see if it is good enough. Most pools should have a pH of 7.2 to be safe for you and your family.
Conclusion
The best way to keep your pool refreshing is by proper maintenance which includes vacuuming and adding chemicals to your pool. If you want the best results, you should vacuum your pool before adding chemicals because that debris and dirt is contributing to the nuisance in the pool. After vacuuming, you can then add the chemicals. But, if for some reason, you couldn’t vacuum before adding the chemicals or there’s still some dirt to be removed from the pool, you have to wait for about 24 hours to make sure the chemicals are fully circulated and you give them the highest possible chance at being effective. During that 24 hours, you can run the pump and filtration system to enable the water to stay as clean as possible. What you shouldn’t do is vacuum the water right after the shocking. In that case, most of the chemicals will be removed and they wouldn’t have served their purpose.
