What Is Pool's Free Chlorine

If you prefer to learn visually, check out the video version of this article.

Free Chlorine is the chlorine that you usually test for in a pool. When testing for chlorine in a pool, the goal is to keep the chlorine between 3-5 parts per million in the summer, and 1-3 parts per million in the off season.

Chlorine is added to pool water to kill germs. Chlorine also kills microorganisms, bacteria, and algae.

Chlorine is added to a pool in three ways.

• Chlorine is added in a liquid form. This is usually in a white bottle that is bought from a wholesaler.
• Chlorine is added in the form of a tablet. Slow-dissolving tablets are put into a pool to keep the chlorine levels stable and consistent.
• Chlorine is added in the form of shock. There are several different types of shock, but it is a fast way to increase the amount of chlorine in a pool.

If a pool has too much chlorine in it a swimmer may experience itchy sensations in their eyes, nose and throat, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, lung irritation and skin rashes. Excessive chlorine can also cause damage to hair and swimwear. Chlorine also costs money, so putting too much in a pool is a waste of resources. Excessive chlorine can also smell bad and damage the pool equipment.

Too little chlorine in a pool will cause algae, microorganisms and bacteria to grow in the water.

If the pool you are treating is struggling to keep chlorine in it from week to week, please give the office a call and we can help walk you through the process.