Why Is The Cost Of Pool Chlorine Going Up
Other manufacturers can only produce chlorine at a finite rate, and while they are ramping up production, it will not make up for the loss. Trichlor prices have nearly doubled since August, and are expected to increase even more next year.
How often should I add chlorine to my inflatable pool?
For a small inflatable pool, it is best to use these 20 gram mini-chlorine tablets. You can add one of these per 3 m³ of water. It is important that you first let the previous chlorine tablets dissolve completely before adding new chlorine tablets.
Which is better for swimming pool, chlorine granules or tablets?
Chlorine tablets are better than chlorine granules because the tablets dissolve slowly and keep the chlorine value constant. Unfortunately, it is not easy to say how many chlorine tablets you should add to the swimming pool or how often you need to add them. The chlorine tablet dosage does not depend solely on the volume of the swimming pool.
Is the price of a swimming pool going up?
Heres Why. Pool Service Prices Will Increase in 2021. Heres Why. Swimming pool service companies have traditionally ignored and absorbed gradual price increases, because nobody likes raising prices on customers for the same services rendered. Due to COVID-19 and other unforeseen circumstances, that is no longer possible in 2021.
How are chlorine tablets used in swimming pools?
It Eats Up Valuable Yard Space
Do you need grass for pets or kids to romp? Consider whether youll have enough yard space for anything else once a pool is installed. In-ground pools begin around 10 by 20 feet, while the smallest above-ground pools are about 12 feet round. Youll also need to account for patio space or local rules requiring pools be a certain distance from homes and property lines.
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Why You Should Be Concerned About The Chlorine Shortage
Theres nothing better than jumping in the swimming pool to cool off on a hot summer day. But this summer, it isnt that easy.
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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.
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Pools need a regular addition of chlorine to kill algae spores, bacteria, small insects and other harmful microorganisms. Tablets offer a simple way to add chlorine because they are premeasured and dissolve over time.
But in August 2020, Hurricane Laura sparked a fire that destroyed BioLab, a chemical plant in Louisiana that produces much of the supply of chlorine tablets in the United States. While its being rebuilt, the plant isnt expected to reopen until 2022.
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The prices also have been driven up by increased demand, fueled by the coronavirus pandemic. A report from Goldman Sachs released in April 2021 said about 96,000 pools were built last year in the U.S., with an estimated 110,000 expected to be constructed this year.
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Why Is There A Chlorine Shortage Right Now
Blame two factors for the chlorine shortage, says CNBC. One, unsurprisingly, is COVID-19: Last summer, sales for swimming pools skyrocketed as people all over the planet stayed home during the pandemic, leading to an increased demand for prepared chlorine products.
But the other cause is more surprising: In August 2020, a chlorine plant just outside Lake Charles, Louisianaresponsible for making a bulk of the U.S.s chlorine tabletsburned down in the wake of Hurricane Laura, putting a huge dent in the production of chlorine tablets.
The BioLab facility will reopen in 2022, but in the meantime, its absence leaves just two domestic manufacturers of chlorine tablets: Occidental Petroleum and Clearon Corp. Even if both manufacturers increase production, theyd have to ramp up roughly 50 percent each to fill in the gap during the chlorine shortage.
Experts say the chlorine shortage will cause empty shelves in stores and extreme markups, which, because of the seasonal nature of pool usage, is about to come as a rude awakening to many outdoor pool owners. The financial services company IHS Markit says chlorine prices are expected to spike 70 percent this summer, compared to 2020.
If your average 50-pound bucket of chlorine used to cost $75 to $85, it now costs $140 and is expected to hit $158 in the near future, Scotty Heer, the owner of the Las Vegas-based Scottys Pool Service, told CNBC.
The Perfect Storm Of Chlorine Problems
Last summer, one of the largest chlorine manufacturers — KIK, which owns or licenses many of the most popular chlorine-based brands in the U.S. — went down in literal flames. A Louisiana facility operated by its BioLab chemical subsidiary got slammed by Hurricane Laura, which somehow caused a major fire that burned for nearly three days before it could be put out.
The BioLab plant was essentially destroyed by the hurricane and the fire. Rebuilding only began a month ago, and its expected to be another year before BioLabs chlorine plant is back in action.
Without BioLab cranking out chlorine for pool owners, the remaining chlorine manufacturers simply havent been able to keep up with demand. Reports weve seen have noted a 40% rise in chlorine prices from last spring, and some industry analysts expect chlorine prices to be 60% higher during 2021s summer pool season than they were in 2020.
This price spike doesnt fully capture the scale of the problem. Youll pay more for chlorine this year if you can even find it. Many pool supply stores are preparing for shortages, which means you might not be able to get chlorine tablets at any price.
As a pool owner, you have a few options for dealing with this chlorine shortage.
You could stock up now, and buy enough chlorine to treat your pool all summer long, provided you can find enough supply and are willing to pay current prices.
If youd rather look into alternatives
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Top 10 Rated Chlorine Sticks For Pool In 2021 Comparison Table
- Kills and prevents all types of pool algae
- Prevents corrosion, scale and stains
- Long-lasting sunlight protection
- 99% Trichloro pool chlorine tablet that maintains a healthy pool
- Kills harmful bacteria
- Skimmer, feeder or floater applications
- BENEFITS: Sanitizes and protects your pool water so you can enjoy swimming in clean and clear water all season long
- USE: Place a tab in pool skimmer, floater, or feeder for simple, DIY pool care 1 tablet treats 10,000 gallons of water for up to a week
- COMPATIBILITY: Vinyl-lined pools and saltwater systems
- FEATURES: Kills bacteria and algae Chlorinates for up to 1 week Clarifies water Sun protected for longer chlorine life
- INCLUDES: One 5-lb container of Super Chlorinating Tablets for swimming pools
- BENEFITS: Sanitizes and protects your pool water so you can enjoy swimming in clean and clear water all season long
- USE: Place sticks in pool skimmer, floater, or feeder for simple, DIY pool care 1 stick treats 5,000 gallons of water for up to two weeks
- COMPATIBILITY: Vinyl-lined pools and saltwater systems
- FEATURES: Built-in algae and bacteria protection Chlorinates for up to 2 weeks Clarifies water Slow dissolving for longer chlorine life
- INCLUDES: One 8-oz container of 1 Chlorinating Skimmer Stick for swimming pools
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Which Type Of Pool Is Safer
When it comes to health and safety, both saltwater and chlorine pools are safe as long as you properly maintain them, but there are a few added health benefits of a saltwater pool. Although its a misconception that saltwater pools dont use chlorine , the levels tend to be much lower. For anyone thats sensitive to chlorine, this might be reason enough to go with a saltwater pool. The chlorine level isnt usually enough to irritate your skin or eyes.
With a chlorine pool, frequent swimmers could be at a higher risk for certain eye infections, irritated skin, and even just faded and damaged swimsuits.
Not to mention, youll have to make sure the storage of your chlorine wont cause problems later on. If you dont store your chlorine in a dry, safe area, the chemicals could begin activating early on and render the entire supply useless. On top of keeping it away from your pool before youre ready to use it, you also want to make sure its far enough away that you and your family wont be breathing it in.
As a sanitizing product, chlorine isnt something you want to expose yourself to unless youre adding more to the pool water.
Immediate signs and symptoms that something might not be right with your chlorine supply include blurred vision, burning eyes, coughing, and even difficulty breathing.
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Why Is There A Trichlor Shortage
When Hurricane Laura swept through the Gulf Coast in August of 2020, the Bio-Lab Westlake plant in Louisiana caught on fire and burned for three days. This fire destroyed a huge amount of dry chemical used by the pool services industry, including a significant supply of trichlor. In fact, the domestic supply of trichlor was reduced by about a third due to this Bio-Lab plant fire, putting a squeeze on an already high-demand product. Currently, chemical distributors are rationing trichlor, and prices for the dry chemical in certain cases have nearly doubled.
The impact of this fire is magnified by the fact that US trichlor producers successfully lobbied to have significant tariffs levied on imported trichlor. Existing supplies of imported trichlor were exhausted in 2020, and even prior to the fire, the only three domestic producers of trichlor struggled to keep up with demand in 2020.
The end result is that there simply will not be enough trichlor for the 2021 pool season to supply all current users, a shortage which may continue through to 2022.
If your property is currently using trichlor as your main pool sanitization chemical, now is a good time to consider switching to liquid chlorine bleach a chemical that is also widely used to treat drinking water. And the recent supply issues are not the only reason that switching from tabs to bleach is a smart choice there are many other benefits to using bleach.
Trichlor Feeds Continuously With Poolsure Bleach Feeds Based On Demand
Trichlor feeds slowly into a pool through an erosion feeder, which means that it must erode based on water flow through a feeder. This also means that trichlor is fed continuously at the same pace. First, this makes it hard to respond in high bather load situations . Second, it means that trichlor feeds into your pool even whether your pool needs more chlorine or not.
A chemical controller automates pool sanitization by feeding bleach into the pool only when the chlorine levels are low. This automation allows chemical sanitization to be responsive, adding the exact amounts needed to accommodate whatever the bather load is during any given time.
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Why Is Chlorine Important
- Chlorine is used as a disinfectant to kill any germs and diseases that might be floating around in a pool, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- According to Rudy Stankowitz, CEO and President of Aquatic Facility Training and Consultants, it also can lead to turbid water that can increase the risk of drowning.
Why Is There A Chlorine Shortage
Covid-19 had its fair share of global supply chain victims, and chlorine is no exception. When people went into lockdown, they dove headfirst into whatever recreational activities they could muster up without leaving their homes. For those with the luxury, that meant diving right into a chlorine-filled pool.
In fact, pool construction jumped by approximately 20% from 2019 to 2020 resulting in the need for a whole lot of chlorine tablets.
Image source: Cape Analytics
Back in 2020, the worlds chlorine market was valued at around 99 million tons. Its projected to register a compound annual growth rate of over 3.5% between 2021 and 2026.The result? Demand for chlorine skyrocketed.
Labor shortages and transportation struggles as a result of the pandemic impeded production even further, resulting in a true chlorine shortage.
However, chlorine production took the biggest hit when a major chlorine plant caught fire back in 2020. At the mercy of Hurricane Laura, the Louisiana production plant was completely eradicated.
Dark smoke pumped chlorine gas into the sky, sparking health concerns and prompting the governor to insist citizens turn off their air conditioners, seal off their homes, and stay inside.
Image Source: Nola
Chlorine production was burned again in January 2022, when yet another fire damaged a pool supply plant in New Jersey.
Image Source: USA Today
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Pool Owners Facing Higher Chlorine Prices For A Second Year In A Row
Prices expected to keep going up
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Pool season is just around the corner and if you own a pool, brace yourself for higher chlorine prices in both liquid and tablet form.
Last year, prices jumped because a fire destroyed the plant in Louisiana that was main supplier of chlorine tablets in the U.S. In late 2021, a smaller chlorine plant in New Jersey also caught fire and is out of commission.
The bottom line, the valley needs to get our chlorine supplies from international markets. Those markets are China and Europe.
So, supply chain issues are expected to hit pool owners hard.
A 50 pound bucket of chlorine tablets in 2020 cost about $120. Right now Im 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.
Two gallons cost about $15.99 up 30% compared to last year, Saha said.
His best advice for pool owners: buy your supplies now before the rush. He expects prices to keep going up.
Were predicting a 50 pound bucket of chlorine tablets will cost as much as $300 later this year, Saha said.
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Latest News
Is The Louisiana Chlorine Plant Being Rebuilt
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.
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Why Is Swimming Pool Chlorine So Expensive There Are Alternatives To A Chlorine Shortage
The year has been difficult for pool owners and buyers. Pool owners and buyers have had a difficult year.
We recently discussed supply chain issues that affect the pool-building industry in a blog post. Click the link to learn more. We discussed the accessories and materials required to make and install fibreglass pools in that blog post. Since its publication, weve been aware of supply chain issues that affect some essential components pool owners need to maintain existing fibreglass pools .
Chlorine can be used as one example.
Many pool owners use chlorine tablets or granules to keep their pool water clear of unwanted pathogens like bacteria and algae. Chlorine, a proven method to kill microorganisms in your pool water, is also a very popular water treatment technique.
Will There Be A Chlorine Shortage In 2022
With Bio Lab out of action until 2022, and only two other chlorine plants operational, it is unlikely the chlorine shortage will end until next year. … Some areas have imposed quotas, which means you’re only able to buy a limited amount of chlorine. Expect to pay more , too nearly double the regular price per bucket.
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What Can You Do About The Pool Chlorine Shortage
Experts are asking pool owners to buy only as much as they need which in most cases will be one bucket of chlorine tablets, according to Rudy Stankowitz, CEO of Aquatic Facility Training & Consultants in Florida.
I think the severity of the shortage is going to be directly related to people buying in reasonable quantities, Stankowitz told USA TODAY. If you stock up, it will make it even harder to find.
BioLab shared ways for residential pool owners to keep their water clean and clear during this temporary situation in a press release.
It reads: BioLabs top recommendation is to use pool chlorinating liquid as a quick and convenient option to maintain the recommended chlorine residual of 1-4 ppm in the water.
David Rouse, BioLabs vice president of research and development, advised: One gallon of chlorinating liquid is equivalent to dosing your pool with two of the traditional 8-ounce chlorinating tablets. Just be sure to use chlorinating liquid intended for pool care, as it contains a higher concentration of the active ingredient, sodium hypochlorite, than common household bleach.
He added, Youll also need to be mindful that the pH will increase, requiring addition of other products to offset the pH drift from pool chlorinating liquid. You should also add a stabilizer to prevent liquid chlorine from quickly degrading in the sunlight.
Built To Last Outdoors
Imagine setting up a pool slide and watching it tear through the middle due to a bit of wind!
This happens with mediocre pool slides and those are not the ones you want to invest in. As a result, you are going to be left wondering why the price is so high on your pool slide. Well, it likely has to do with the materials used to protect the same slide youre investing in!
A slide that is well-built is going to use multiple layers of material that are waterproof and can handle inclement weather easily.
This is what you are going to be paying for at the end of the day.
If you are asking Why are pool slides so expensive? then it might be time to consider this factor. Do you really want something that breaks down?
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