Pool Maintenance: Are You Ready for Summer?
BY PAUL BERGERON
With spiking chlorine prices, maintenance teams must focus on pool water management.
A
dd chlorine to the list of apartment maintenance products that has seen its price soar in the past year. Just in time for summer, prices for pool chemicals (specifically chlorine tablets) are approximately 50% higher than they were one to two years ago. “If the cost of chlorine has not gone up again yet, it should soon,” experienced apartment maintenance professional and trainer, Mark Cukro, President, Plus One, says. A major fire at the BioLab chemical plant in Louisiana about a year ago has created a chlorine tablet shortage, he says. “However, the new factory is supposed to be bigger, have a higher capacity and is scheduled to open this spring or summer,” Cukro says. BioLab President Jon Viner said in published reports, “We are actively working to rebuild our plant — a $170
24
Apartment News
million investment slated to be completed in spring 2022 — and it will operate at 30 percent greater production capacity.”
Proper Dosing Goes a Long Way
Cukro recommends that pool operators increase their focus on chlorine consumption and dosing the pool correctly. “In other words, don’t overtreat the water,” he says. “Make sure the chemicals are in the ideal ranges, the circulation is working properly axnd filtration is functioning at its optimal levels. An effective way to stay on top of the readings is to test the water more frequently — three times a day — using a highquality test kit. A little extra attention can go a long way with reducing chemical consumptions.” One such example Cukro says is the Taylor Test kit — Taylor K2005 Swimming
www.aaoc.com
July 2022
Pool Chlorine Bromine Alkalinity Hardness pH DP Test Kit, priced from $55 to $80. He says that if apartment communities can “keep chlorine and Ph levels stable, hold contaminants as low as possible and make sure that mechanical systems are functioning properly, it should make a noticeable difference. And be sure to maintain the correct levels of stabilizer, too.” Always take into consideration the difference between liquid chlorine, granular chlorine and chlorine tablets. For example, one gallon of sodium hypochlorite/ liquid bleach is approximately equivalent to one 16-ounce tablet or two 8-ounce tablets. “Taking care of a swimming pool and maintaining it is a balancing act,” Cukro says. “When all areas are taken Pool Maintenance — continued on page 26
