If you want to enjoy a safe, sanitary, and sparkling clean swimming pool, you’ll need to take certain steps to provide proper pool care and maintenance. For example, it’s important to regularly “shock” your swimming pool, a process that involves adding chlorine or other chemicals to the water in order to destroy bacteria and other contaminants. This simple how-to guide will explain everything you need to know, like how often to shock your pool, what types of pool shock supplies you’ll need, and how to troubleshoot some common pool shocking issues.
Jump to Section: What is Pool Shock & What Does it Do? | How to Shock a Pool | How Often to Shock Your Pool | After Shocking Your Pool
What is Pool Shock & What Does it Do?
Pool owners frequently ask us, What does pool shock do, and what is it made of? “Pool shock” is an umbrella term for various chemical products that are designed to raise the levels of “free” chlorine in your swimming pool, meaning the chlorine that is available to kill algae, bacteria, and other contaminants. By increasing your swimming pool’s free chlorine, pool shock helps sanitize the water, making it safer (and far more pleasant) to swim.
Depending on the specific brand and formula, chlorine-based shock products typically contain active ingredients, like calcium hypochlorite (commonly known as “cal hypo”) or sodium dichloro-s-triazinetrione (commonly known as “di-chlor”). There are also chlorine-free alternatives like the oxidizer potassium monopersulfate, which are less powerful than chlorine-based shocks, but may be effective under the right conditions.
Chlorine-based and chlorine-free shock treatments each have unique advantages and drawbacks depending on your budget, needs, and pool setup. For optimum results, we recommend discussing your needs with a pool expert before making a decision about the best type of pool shock to purchase.
