Swimming pools have always had their fair share of popular myths. For example, people often blamed chlorine for causing red, swollen eyes after swimming in a public pool. According to the CDC, it’s human urine and not chlorine.
It’s common misconceptions like this that often give pools a bad name and enable many pool owners to develop the wrong maintenance habits. As residential pool services experts in Las Vegas, Clark County Pool & Lawn is here to shed light on some of the popular swimming pool myths.
Myth #1: If the water is clear, it’s a perfectly safe pool
This is perhaps the most popular misconception people have about pool maintenance. Just because the pool looks clean and clear, doesn’t mean it’s safe. For a pool to be considered clean, it has to pass three things:
- Cleanliness: There’s no visible debris or trash in the pool water.
- Water quality: Various types of germs, algae, and other organisms can be present even in crystal clear water.
- Chemical balance: A chemical imbalance can promote the growth of dangerous organisms. Too many chemicals and imbalanced acidity can be harmful to humans.
Myth #2: Strong chlorine smell means clean pool water
This is another popular pool maintenance misconception that many people share. It is said that the stronger the smell of chlorine, the higher the pool water’s purity is. This is not true.
A strong chlorine smell is most likely an indicator that there’s too little chlorine in the pool. If there’s not enough chlorine, they instead bind together with organic waste from swimmers into something called Chloramines.
Chloramines are most likely the ones causing the strong chlorine smell. Instead of being a sign of cleanliness, it means the pool is dirty.
Myth #3: Saltwater pools require zero maintenance
Saltwater pools are amazing in that they require significantly less maintenance than a standard pool. However, the belief that they are completely maintenance-free is simply untrue.
Saltwater pools are capable of converting the salt in the water into a form of natural chlorine that effectively helps clear the pool of germs and other organisms. However, you still have to skim the pool of trash or debris regularly. On top of that, you will still have to make sure the PH levels are properly balanced.
Myth #4: It’s safe to swallow some pool water after it’s been treated
While properly treated pool water significantly decreases your chances of contracting illness, one must not be too confident enough to drink it. There’s still a lot of factors out there that can contaminate the pool such as pets and other swimmers.
Bacteria like Cryptosporidium or crypto are known to survive for days in perfectly treated water and can be very dangerous when swallowed. Lower your chances of getting sick by regular pool maintenance and avoiding drinking the water.
Myth #5: Household products can be used to clean the pool
This is an extremely popular myth circulating in many groups aimed at saving money. According to the myth, household products like borax, bleach, and baking soda are great pool cleaning alternatives. This is not true.
These household products can damage your pool and even throw off the water’s chemical balance. While the idea of saving money can be tempting, these chemicals are often ineffective at best and damaging at worst.
By opening your eyes to the truth about pool maintenance, it should now be easier for you to assess if you’re doing the right thing for your pool. If you are still unsure about a few things regarding pool maintenance, be sure to ask your trusted professional for more reliable advice.
Clark County Pool & Lawn offers award-winning residential pool maintenance and repair services. If you have more questions about properly maintaining your pool, contact us today. Our team would be happy to provide you with reliable answers.
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