Chlorine isn’t just for pools—it’s the same chemical used in treatment plants that make your drinking water safe. The most significant factor in keeping your pool water safe isn’t the filters in your pool, but the chemical treatment added to it. The CDC explains that the disinfection combination of chlorine and the right pH balance is instrumental in ensuring that you and anyone else getting in the pool won’t get sick because of microbes or other germs.
But chlorine, when mishandled, could also lead to health issues. City Wide Pool Service ensures that all the pools we manage for pool maintenance in Las Vegas are treated with the correct and safe amount of chlorine alongside the proper pH balance. However, some pool owners who attempt to treat their pools on their own may add too much of the chemicals inadvertently.
Pool treatment kits and pre-made solutions are handy for pool owners and convenient for DIY pool treatment. However, using these kits still requires the proper testing and attention to detail to ensure that the amount of chemicals put into the water won’t harm people.
If, after using chlorine, pool shock, and other pool treatment chemicals to the water, you notice any of the following side effects, keep everyone out of the pool until it’s corrected.
Side Effects to Look Out For
Red Eyes
This is symptomatic of high irritation. When chlorine comes into contact with organic matter, such as skin cells, body oil, and other substances, it creates a compound called chloramine, which people smell when they approach the pool.
However, too much chloramine will result in irritation in the body’s sensitive areas, such as the mucosa in the eyes. It also hangs heavily in the air, so even someone just approaching the pool will start feeling the irritation.
Lung irritation
Both chlorine and chloramine can irritate your lungs. The more you breathe in, the more likely it can trigger asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. If you or a family member has respiratory issues, they’ll have difficulty breathing after being in your pool for a while.
Look out for signs such as coughing, wheezing, and severe nasal irritation.
Dried out skin, nails, and hair
Too much chlorine can effectively strip the oils from your body, especially areas that need it most, such as your skin, hair, and nails. These areas will start turning brittle and dry, and your skin will experience irritation and flaking.
Look out for signs such as your hair turning dry with heavy breakage, turning a strange color (people with dyed blonde hair will find their hair turning a tint of green), or itching on your skin.
Burns
Chemical burns occur when there is a severe imbalance or overuse of chemicals in the water. If the pool shock kit is mishandled or improperly used on your pool, it could get someone getting chemical burns from how potent the ingredients are.
Children are especially susceptible, as their skin is more sensitive. Remember that pool chemical injuries have caused 4,500 people to go to an emergency room every year. If you strongly suspect that your pool is causing chemical burns, keep everyone out of it until the issue gets corrected.
Rely on Professional Handling of Pool Treatment
It’s always ideal to have professionals handle chemical pool treatments. They can perform the tests necessary to determine the pH balance of your pool and add the appropriate amount of chlorine, pool shock, and other sanitizing chemicals.
City Wide Pool Service has handled the treatment and maintenance of pools across Las Vegas for years. We treat and maintain the chemical components of residential and commercial pools, ensuring that they are the correct balance and safe to swim in. Contact us today for a consultation about correcting your pool treatment, or read about reverse osmosis, a safer method of recycling and cleaning your pool water.
