What If Free Chlorine Is Too High?

What to do if total chlorine is higher than free chlorine?

If your total chlorine level is high, you will use a non-chlorine shock; if it is low, you will use a chlorinated shock.

As a rule, you will need to raise free chlorine to 10 times your combined chlorine to hit what is known as “break point.” Therefore, it is good to deal with combined chlorine while it is still small..

Does too much chlorine make your pool cloudy?


What is the highest chlorine level safe to swim in?

The Association of Pool and Spa Professionals recommends free chlorine levels be kept between 2.0 and 4.0 ppm. The Center for Disease Control recommends free chlorine stay above 1 ppm in pools and 3 ppm in hot tubs. The easiest way to check your chlorine levels is with test strips.

How do I lower the free chlorine in my pool?

Tips to Lower the Chlorine Level in Your PoolStop Adding Chlorine and Start Swimming. … Use the Sunshine. … Heat the Pool Water. … Dilute the Pool. … Use Hydrogen Peroxide. … Use a Chlorine Neutralizing Product. … Try Sodium Thiosulfate.

What happens if chlorine levels are too high?

Exposure to high levels of chlorine can cause lung irritation, skin and eye damage, and provoke asthma. Not only is it bad for your health, but it can be bad for your pool due to the increase in chlorine. High chlorine levels decrease the pH of your pool’s water, making it more acidic.

What does free chlorine mean on a test strip?

Free Chlorine is the amount of chlorine that has not yet combined with chlorinated water to sanitize contaminants. … The easiest way to check your chlorine levels is with test strips. However, ideal free chlorine levels are dependent on cyanuric acid levels.

How do you tell if there is too much chlorine in a pool?

3 Signs There’s Too Much Chlorine In Your PoolThe pH Level in Your Pool is 8 or Higher.You Notice Signs of Eye or Skin Irritation.Your Hair Feels Dry and Straw-Like.

How much free chlorine is too much?

In general, the free chlorine level should remain between 1.5 and 2.5 parts per million. Combined chlorine levels should not be above 0.5 parts per million, and swimmers are likely to be more comfortable if the level is below 0.2 parts per million.

How do I bring my chlorine level down?

HOW TO REDUCE CHLORINE LEVELS IN POOLS?Add Sodium Thiosulfate, aka Chlorine Neutralizer for instant reduction.Add Ascorbic Acid, aka Vitamin C to remove chlorine.Add Hydrogen Peroxide, aka H2O2, to breakdown chlorine.Remove chlorine naturally with sunlight, aeration and agitation of the water.

What is the difference between total chlorine and free chlorine?

Total chlorine is the total amount of chlorine in the water. When chlorine binds up with contaminants it forms a compound called “chloramines” that are still part of the total but no longer effective. The chlorine that is still active to remove contaminants is known as free.

Is 20 ppm chlorine dangerous?

Commercial pools should run their chlorine levels at 3 -5 ppm as their bather load is usually much higher. Anything between 5-10 ppm is still safe to swim, but you are risking damage to equipment and certainly complaints from swimmers. Some experts recommend no swimming unless the chlorine is 8 ppm or less.

Does high chlorine cause high pH?

Saltwater pools often use salt chlorinators which can promote a high pH if not carefully monitored. The pH in chlorine pools can increase naturally over time or as a result of too many pool chemicals. High pH can also be caused by regularly using calcium or lithium hypochlorite chlorine products in the water.

What does it mean when total chlorine is higher than free chlorine?

If total and free chlorine levels are the same, there’s no combined chlorine in your water, meaning none of it has been used up yet. If the total chlorine level is higher than the free chlorine level, the difference of the two is the combined chlorine level.

How long does it take for chlorine levels to go down?

about two hoursOn a cloudless sunny day, 90% of the chlorine level in a pool can be destroyed in about two hours.

Does ORP measure chlorine?

ORP measures oxidative disinfection power not the concentration of free residual chlorine. Free chlorine measures the concentrations of hypochlorous acid (HOCl) and the hypochlorite ion (OCl-) not the oxidation disinfection power. Free chlorine is a variable component of ORP.