4 Signs Your Pool Is Over Chlorinated

4 Signs Your Pool Is Over Chlorinated – In the heat of the warm days, there is perhaps no greater joy than access to our own pools. They give us a place to cool off, a place to enjoy the sun, they can be the centerpiece of a party, or simply a convenient way of getting high-quality and low-impact exercise.

Chlorinating your pool is an essential step to ensuring that it remains sanitary and hygienic for you and your guests. Chlorine does this by attacking and dissolving biological materials such as bacteria and fungi.

However, there is some biological material in pools we do not want to be harmed, the swimmers! Because of this, maintaining the correct chlorination level is a delicate balance, and over-chlorination is a common issue in the home and public pools.

The symptoms listed below may be a sign that your pool is over-chlorinated.

Chlorine Poisoning

It is important to remember that chlorine is a dangerous chemical; In extreme cases of over-chlorination, exposure can cause chlorine poisoning, which is potentially deadly. if you experience any of the following symptoms while using your pool, you should immediately seek medical assistance:

• A persistent cough.
• Disorientation.
• Difficulty breathing or shallow breathing.
• Tightness in the chest.

Discolored Swimwear

As well as maintaining safe and healthy pools, chlorine is also found in bleach. As we know, bleach has many useful household applications, though it often used for recoloring anything from hair and clothes, and even teeth!

This same effect can occur in our pools if they have too much chlorine in them, and, if you find your favorite swimsuit changing color, or worse, your freshly dyed hair changing shade, it could be a sign that your pool is over-chlorinated.

Eye irritation and soreness

After prolonged exposure to chlorinated water, it is normal to experience some degree of irritation and soreness in the eyes; those of us who swim without goggles in public pools, which typically have a higher chlorine content, will be particularly familiar with this.

However, if you find your eyes getting sore and ‘bloodshot’, even after short swim sessions, it may be a signal that there is too much chlorine in the pool.

Worsening of Asthma or other respiratory illnesses

Though we often think of it in the context of pools and water, In its pure form, chlorine is actually a gas at normal temperatures and pressures. As a result, a small amount of chlorine gas is always diffusing out of your pool water into the surrounding area.

Because of this effect, it is important to keep enclosed pools well ventilated so that the chlorine gas can be safely removed. However, if the pool is over chlorinated, more gas than normal can build up around the pool. This can irritate the lungs and cause difficulty breathing in people with existing respiratory illnesses such as asthma.

Skin Irritation

As with other sensitive body parts, the skin can also be particularly vulnerable to harsh treatment and conditions. Prolonged exposure to chlorinated pool water can often cause dry skin in those that are prone to it.

However, others, who do not normally have sensitive skin, may experience these symptoms if a pool is over-chlorinated.

In more extreme cases, over-chlorination may cause rashes with raised, itchy bumps and flaking skin, this is known as irritant dermatitis, and this should be taken as a clear sign of over-chlorination.

4 Signs Your Pool Is Over Chlorinated – A final word

Chlorination is a vital feature of a hygienic, sanitary and safe pool. Chlorine can be our ally and guardian destroying germs that could make us sick, but it should be remembered that it is a hazardous chemical that can just as easily become a danger itself.

Chlorine should always be handled with extreme caution and professional advice and oversight should always be sought wherever possible.

Thankfully, since its negative effects are first seen in the body’s most sensitive parts, over-chlorination is easy to spot and potentially easily resolved. For example, UV light from the sun breaks down chlorine, so reducing chlorine levels may be as easy as leaving it in the sun for a few days.