Buying chlorine tablets or liquid chlorine is the most cost-effective option. Liquid chlorine costs $7 to $10 per two-gallon jug. Chlorine tablets cost between $60 and $70 for a 25-pound bag.
A shortage of chlorine — in particular chlorine tablets — is raising the prices for homeowners who must maintain their pools. And in some communities, local pools are being forced to close, at least intermittently, due to the lack of supplies.
“A 50 pound bucket of chlorine tablets in 2020 cost about $120. Right now I'm selling it for $250,” said Sam Saha, owner of Pacific Pools Supplies. He said the higher prices for chlorine tablets created a new and stronger market for liquid chlorine last year. Those prices are also up.
A standard bucket of chlorine tablets weighs 50 pounds and will last the average pool owner one season. Typically, those buckets cost approximately $75 to $85, but many across the country have seen those prices double in 2021.
Pandemic-related supply issues have contributed to a chlorine shortage. Destruction of a chlorine manufacturing plant has had the greatest effect. Completion of the rebuilt plant in 2022/2023 should ease supply issues. Chlorine tablet alternatives include liquid chlorine, bleach, and bromine.
The reason why trichlor tablets are so expensive and why they are sold out at many pool supply stores is because of the national trichlor supply shortage.
The shortage started last August, when a fire sparked by Hurricane Laura destroyed the Louisiana chemical plant that makes most of the country's chlorine tablets. The pandemic-fueled increase in backyard pools has exacerbated the situation by spiking demand. Some cities delayed planned openings.
BioLab Fire
It not only brought the threat of high winds, fallen power lines and deadly waters, but also the potential for hazardous air conditions caused by chemical breaches in the nearby chemical plant. The loss of this plant will result in a nationwide chlorine shortage that will be felt through the 2021 season.
Increased demand.
As COVID concerns curtailed vacations, more American homeowners put their money in their backyards. Swimming pool construction surged during the pandemic, with many contractors reporting order backlogs well into 2022. More pools mean more demand for chlorine.
The shortage is due to increased demand for pool supplies during the pandemic and a chemical fire at a BioLab facility in Louisiana after Hurricane Laura that knocked out one of the country's three main chlorine manufacturers.
There are alternatives to chlorine including bromine, ionizers, and ozonators, though with each you'll still need to use some chlorine. A fourth alternative is PHMB, which doesn't require the use of any chlorine.
What can you use instead? Bromine — considered a safe substitute for chlorine. Looks for BCDMH tablets, which are typically 66% bromine and 27% chlorine. If unable to find, you can use just bromine but it may leave the water a dull green color.
Chlorine Shortage 2022: The Nation's Chlorine Supply Takes Yet Another Potential Hit. *Update: Fortunately, it does not appear that this factory fire has resulted in any major chlorine loss and will not contribute to the expected ongoing chlorine shortage in 2022.
About 40 percent of respondents reported using calcium hypochlorite. This area pays an average price of about $3.38 per pound of available chlorine for calcium hypochlorite. The cost of liquid chlorine was reported to be $2.88 per gallon.
Reports we've seen have noted a 40% rise in chlorine prices from last spring, and some industry analysts expect chlorine prices to be 60% higher during 2021's summer pool season than they were in 2020. This price spike doesn't fully capture the scale of the problem.
Shock is chlorine, in a high dose, meant to shock your pool and raise the chlorine level quickly. Chlorine tabs (placed in a chlorinator, floater, or skimmer basket) maintain a chlorine residual in the water. You do need to use both tabs and shock.
You can swim with chlorine tablets in the pool if the chlorine tablets are in a container. Getting in touch with those tablets can cause rashes, irritation and eye problems. However, to be in a safe zone it will be better if you wait for 3 to 5 hours till the chlorine levels touch 4 to 6 ppm.
Liquid chlorine is preferred over chlorine tablets by pool professionals however home swimming pools will benefit too. Liquid chlorine quickly raises or maintains chlorine levels without raising stabilizer. Chlorine tablets maintain chlorine levels and add stabilizer to the pool water.
According to experts, there is a chlorine shortage due to a swimming pool boom and a fire at a chemical plant in Louisiana. This shortage will make it more expensive to keep pools clean.
plant is currently being rebuilt almost a year after it was damaged by a terrible fire. At a ceremony attended by Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards and work crews broke ground on the facility in late June. A fire caused by Hurricane Laura rendered the plant completely inoperable in August of 2020.
Short answer: yes. Longer answer: it depends on the formulation. The label on every bleach bottle should tell you the ratio of sodium hypochlorite (and available chlorine) in the bottle to everything else. A higher percentage is generally better, as you'll need to use less bleach to treat your pool.
Pros of Saltwater Pools
There's less chlorine and less of the heavy chemical scent and content. They're gentler on the skin, with less irritation to the eyes, hair and swimsuits. The water has a softer, silkier feel to it compared to chlorine water. They have lower maintenance costs than chlorine pools.
A rule of thumb is 1.5 lbs. of baking soda per 10,000 gallons of water will raise alkalinity by about 10 ppm. If your pool's pH tested below 7.2, add 3-4 pounds of baking soda. If you're new to adding pool chemicals, start by adding only one-half or three-fourths of the recommended amount.
Mineral Swim is the only system of it's kind combining Australian made ozone water purification technology with 100% natural Dead Sea minerals to make it the safest, healthiest swimming pool about.