Clearing Up Pool Misconceptions

There is a lot of information about pools available on the internet, but as with anything there is a lot of misinformation surrounding them too. We are going to debunk a few of the fictitious things you may have heard about pools.

If my pool water is clear, it is clean

Although the color, or lack thereof, can be a good indicator of if your pool is healthy or not, a clear pool does not always mean a clean pool.

Microorganisms can still be present, and it is important to use all of your senses to decide if a pool is clean or not, from the smell of the pool, to the look of the surrounding area and tiles, to how does the water feel on your hand.

Chlorine kills all illness spreading germs immediately

Pool cleaning chemicals like Chlorine do kill the germs that cause illness in your pool but it is not instant, although it can eliminate most within 15 minutes, certain germs can survive for longer if your pool is not properly treated on a regular basis.

You don’t need to shower before entering the pool

Everyone should shower prior to entering the pool, because naturally our body have contaminants that will enter the pool if we do not shower first - from body oil, perspiration and skincare/haircare products can all negatively affect the pool.

You can’t get ill from swimming

Swimming is an enjoyable activity, is good for recovery and a great way to stay in shape, but there is risk of getting sick if the pool is not treated properly. It is vital to make sure the pool you are swimming in is looked after.

If you can smell chemicals the pool is clean

Contrary to popular belief, the ‘chemical smell’ actually isn’t the smell from chlorine, it is the chlorine mixing with other contaminants that enter the pool, this could be anything from makeup to hair products, to oil from your skin, despite this, a properly maintained pool has a little odor.

Red eyes means too much Chlorine

If your swimmers are getting itchy skin or red eyes, this is actually normally caused by high contaminant levels or improper pH balance, and surprisingly this can often be rectified by additional chlorine treatment being added to the pool to sanitize the water.

Looking after a pool does not have to be a difficult task and there are many tools to aid you in keeping your pool healthy and safe for you and your swimmers.

Here at Swim Controls, we know pools. We’ve owned pools, we’ve serviced pools, and we’ve been immersed in the pool industry for most of our careers.

That is why we knew that a product like the HeaterReader™ didn’t exist and why we knew it was needed.

The HeaterReader™ is a smart wireless automation device that gives you control over your swimming pool's heater and pump, from anywhere in the world, using our IOS or Android mobile app or from your computer.