Is Too Much Chlorine Bad for Your Pool?

Put too much chlorine in the pool? What are the dangers and is it really bad?

Too much chlorine can be dangerous, so it’s important to know why and what the causes of too much chlorine can be. Over exposure can bring on irritation to the skin and eyes, can also provoke asthma and irritate lungs. In fact, putting too much chlorine into pools can actually lead to a type of poisoning that can cause acute pain and discomfort for you and your kids. As long as you understand the warning signs and symptoms of chlorine poisoning, then you can keep yourself and your family safe.

Chlorine poisoning is very rare, however pay attention to possible symptoms of itchy eyes, difficulty breathing, skin redness, quick onset of nausea and vomiting, throat feels like it’s burning, and/or dull chest pain. Though these symptoms are not life threatening and will go away after 24 hours, for most cases, they can be very uncomfortable and cause a lot of pain.

Now that we know the causes of too much chlorine on our bodies, let’s learn about the damage it can cause your pool. High amounts of chlorine in your pool can lower the ph level of the water, making it acidic. This could damage pool equipment, concrete and even metal piping. If the ph level in your pool is 8 or higher, you more than likely have too much chlorine in your water. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a pH reading between 7.2 and 7.8 is ideal for an at-home swimming pool.

To keep on top of your chlorine levels at home, invest in a few testing strips so that you can check the chlorine levels in your pool. You can buy these at your local pool store or online here.

Keeping an eye on your chlorine levels help maintain a healthy and fun environment for you, your family and friends, so be sure to keep an eye on it or ask your pool maintenance professional to let you know when it’s getting high.