We’ve all heard the old wives tale: you have to wait 30 minutes or one hour after eating before you swim. The exact amount of time may vary based on the version of the story you were told. The truth is, it doesn’t matter how long you wait after eating to swim. In fact, many of us probably don’t wait at all. But, no one has ever really asked the question, “How long should I wait to swim after adding chemicals?” Does it really matter, or is it like the old eating tale? Let’s find out.
While many pool chemicals are considered “swim-safe,” you do need to wait a bit of time after adding them to your pool. This gives the chemicals a chance to start working so that your water is balanced and truly safe for you to swim in.
The amount of time you need to wait depends on what chemicals you’re adding to the pool. The fastest one is algaecide; you typically only have to wait about 15 minutes before jumping in the pool after treating it with algaecide.
There are a lot of chemicals used in your pool, so you may worry about keeping track. Luckily, most of them are about the same. After adding water-balancing chemicals, you only need to wait about 20-30 minutes. However, sometimes you may need to wait up to an hour, depending on the amount you add. If you’re in doubt, just check your water balance again before taking a swim.
Chlorine is a little more complicated, though. Since it’s more concentrated, you have to wait a little longer. If you’re just adding chlorine, you’ll want to wait a few hours (up to 4) before getting in the pool. If you’re shocking it, you’ll want to wait a full 24 hours. So, you’ll want to stay on top of checking the balance of your pool water. This way, you won’t be surprised by having to wait a full day to take a swim.
Now that you know how long you should wait to swim after adding chemicals, you know that it’s important to keep your water balanced. There is nothing worse than getting ready to swim and having to wait because your water is unbalanced. At Mastercraft Pool & Spa, we can help you make sure that doesn’t happen. With our routine maintenance service, we’ll service your pool once a week, every other week, or every month. This way you know when your pool will be out of commission, so you don’t get excited to swim just to be disappointed. Or, if you’re content with maintaining your pool yourself, you can sign up for our chemical and supply delivery so you never run out of the necessities. Whichever you choose, you should still stay on top of checking your water balance a few times a week to make sure it’s safe to swim.
Whatever your needs may be, Mastercraft Pool & Spa has you covered. Contact us today to see how we can help you.
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