Why are 3 inch chlorine tablets so expensive this year?

Author: Lamar Bailey  |  Last update: Sunday, April 20, 2025

Because the supply and demand don't match, the prices remained higher than in the last quarter. There was also a pandemic-driven boom in the construction of pools. Pool owners and maintenance businesses expect to have to go from using tablets to powdered chlorine.

Why is there a shortage of 3 inch chlorine tablets?

A combo of pandemic-related increased demand, and the tragic destruction of a key chlorine manufacturer have led to 2022's swimming pool chlorine shortage.

Why are pool chlorine tablets so expensive now?

Global supply chain issues affected the delivery of raw materials and chemical components needed for chlorine production. Pandemic-related labor shortages, transportation delays, and increased shipping costs made it more difficult for manufacturers to keep up with demand, which in turn drove prices higher.

Why is there a chlorine shortage?

Why is there a pool chlorine shortage? In August 2020, the chlorine shortage arose when Hurricane Laura struck the largest trichlor chemical plant in Louisiana. From 2019 to 2020, construction of new pool builds went up 20 percent – causing chlorine demand to soar.

How to save money on chlorine tablets?

These seven tips show you exactly how to save money on pool chemicals, so you can spend your savings on something else.
  1. Keep Your Water Properly Balanced. ...
  2. Use a Solar Cover to Protect Your Pool From UV Rays. ...
  3. Shock the Pool at Night. ...
  4. Use a Chlorine Stabilizer. ...
  5. Make Sure the Filtration System is Working Properly.

Why are chlorine tablets so expensive?

What is a substitute for chlorine tablets?

Bromine: the less irritant little brother of chlorine

Bromine has the same oxidizing, disinfecting and algicidal properties of chlorine and comes from the same family (halogens). It is relatively similar to chlorine.

Do 3 inch chlorine tabs go bad?

Remember, however, that if the tablets get too hot they will start to degrade. Also, if exposed directly to water chlorine tablets will dissolve, though humidity in the air will not affect them adversely. Generally, depending on how and where chlorine tablets are stored, they should last 3-5 years.

Why is bleach suddenly so expensive?

With the reemergence of covid-19 and strict precautionary restrictions, factories' output suffered causing the prices of liquid bleach to rise drastically amid the increasing demand.

Are we running out of chlorine?

There's no shortage of some types of chlorine. However, the shortage of trichlor, the most common type of chlorine used in residential pools, is painfully real due to two major events. One, 2020's COVID-19 mandates forced Americans to stay at home, where they used their pools – a lot. Many bought new pools.

How much does chlorine cost for a pool?

A saltwater pool requires less than $100 a year in salt and chemicals if it is consistently maintained. A chlorine pool, on the other hand, will cost between $300 and $800 per year in maintenance chemicals.

Is it cheaper to use liquid chlorine or tablets?

Because of the added stabilizer, chlorine tablets are often a little pricier than liquid. Chlorine tablets come in one-inch and three-inch sizes. For most pools, a three-inch tablet is recommended. They're more straightforward to apply and can sanitize 5,000 gallons per tablet.

Do you really need chlorine tablets for a pool?

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. Without tabs, the chlorine shock will dissipate quickly out of the water; without shock, the chlorine level will not get high enough to fully sanitize the water.

Is pool salt cheaper than chlorine?

Pool-grade salt also costs a lot less than chlorine and other chemicals that are needed for chlorine pools. So when it comes to day-to-day maintenance, saltwater systems are both easier and cheaper to maintain.

How often do you put 3-inch chlorine tablets in pool?

Under normal conditions, you should add a chlorine tablet every 3-7 days. However, several factors can influence how often you need to add chlorine: Frequency of use: A heavily used pool will require more frequent chlorination. Sunlight: Sunlight breaks down chlorine, so you'll need to add it more often on sunny days.

How many 3-inch chlorine tablets equal 1 gallon of liquid chlorine?

*1 gallon of chlorinating liquid delivers the same amount of chlorine as 2 chlorinating tablets.

What is the best chlorine for an above ground pool?

Cal-Hypo is the favored type because of costs and the ease of use. The last type of shock is a Non-Chlorine pool Shock. This contains no chlorine and is able to be used in chlorine and bromine above ground pools. This product burns off used and dead chlorines to allow free chlorine to function.

What eats chlorine in a pool?

Bacteria, algae and microscopic contaminants, such as urine, sweat, sunscreen and beauty products, take a toll on your swimming pool's water chemistry. These substances, when present in your pool water, accelerate chlorine demand and can affect your chlorine's ability to maintain properly sanitized water.

How to raise chlorine level in pool quickly?

Raising pool chlorine can be much easier than trying to lower chlorine levels. Simply adding chlorine in the form of chlorine tablets, granular chlorine, liquid shock or powder shock will increase the total amount of chlorine within the pool.

Can you swim in a pool with low chlorine?

FALSE. It doesn't matter how much time and effort you put into skimming, brushing, vacuuming, circulating, and filtering your pool. If there's not enough chlorine in the water, your pool's not actually clean, and the water's not safe.

Why are 3 inch chlorine tablets so expensive?

The cost of transportation, especially if the manufacturing plant is far from distribution points, contributes to the overall expense. Additionally, proper storage conditions are crucial to maintain the integrity of the tablets, adding logistical challenges and costs.

Why was bleach discontinued?

Close to its end, the Bleach manga was starting to decline in popularity, a trend that evidently did not reverse itself which accelerated the end of the series. The manga and anime alike had both gone past their golden age, which convinced Shonen Jump leadership to end the series sooner.

Why is there so much Mexican stuff in bleach?

Author Tite Kubo often used his personal tastes as inspiration for Bleach's design, from the main characters wearing trendy clothes in bonus art to the use of Spanish. Kubo once explained that to him, Spanish has a "mellow, bewitching sound," so he used it for his mysterious, bizarre Arrancar villains.

Can you put too many chlorine tablets in a pool?

Too much chlorine in your pool can cause skin and eye irritation as well as damaging your pool equipment and affecting your water's pH levels.

How many 3 chlorine tabs for a 10,000 gallon pool?

How much chlorine to add depends on the type you're using. But since tablets are the most common, we can say that the rule of thumb for how much chlorine to add is two 3-inch tablets per 10,000 gallons, or one 3-inch tablet per 5,000 gallons.

Are all 3 chlorine tabs the same?

The short answer is no! While chlorine tablets may look the same across the board, there is usually a big difference in terms of quality and ingredients.

Previous article
What are the symptoms of microwave radiation poisoning?
Next article
Will plants freeze at 31?