Sanitizing products that will keep your water safe

If you want to enjoy worry-free pool and spa time, make water cleanliness your top priority. No one likes a pool that looks or smells bad. This could mean dangerous bacteria is growing in your pool or hot tub, which could be hazardous to your health. The solution is chemicals so you can keep the water and pool/spa systems clean quite easily. These cleansers are also known as sanitizers.

At the simplest, a sanitizer ensures that the pool/spa is safe for swimming. The primary function is to eliminate harmful pathogens that can cause illness. As an add-on, it also keeps algae at bay.

Chlorine is the most familiar water sanitizer. Also known as hypochlorous acid, chlorine inactivates and kills pathogens, including E.Coli. Chlorine is sold in four formats:

Pool suppliers like Deckside sell the first two.

Many are turning to bromine pools and spas because they are gentler on skin and clothing. Did you know that these turn salt into chlorine? Bromine works like chlorine, but its smell is not as strong. Bromine is popular for hot tubs because it has more stability than chlorine in warmer water. Note that bromine changes to chlorine, and so it is not an ideal alternative for those having a chlorine allergy.

Add a salt mixture into your pool/spa and leave the rest to the chlorinator. Note that saltwater systems are not suitable for vinyl pools with metal as the salt corrodes the metal. Also, salt tends to be abrasive to the plaster finish in concrete pools. If you are contemplating using saltwater chlorinators, do so with fibreglass pools.

An ionizer releases metal ions such as copper and silver into the pool water to kill the bacteria and algae. However, it is slow-acting and cannot function as a standalone sanitizer. For real results, you will need to use this with other chemicals and agents, including chlorine.

Yet another solution is hydrogen peroxide. It is an excellent alternative to chlorine. Hydrogen peroxide is best suited for outdoor pools as it requires sunlight or artificial UV light for destroying bacteria. It is ideal for those allergic to chlorine. One drawback to using hydrogen peroxide is it has less disinfecting power than chlorine.

Deckside Pool & Spa sells and services pool and spa equipment in the South Okanagan. We’re open all winter so come in and discuss your pool plans with us! Our services include installation, repairs and supplies. We are also open for checking your hot tub water!