How Long Do You Need to Wait to Swim After Filling Your Pool?

How Long Do You Need to Wait to Swim After Filling Your Pool?

Your pool has been filled and it’s a nice, warm San Diego day, so it’s time to grab your swimsuit and take a dip. But not so fast—there are a few things to consider before you start swimming in a freshly filled pool. Take a moment to dive into this topic a bit more to learn what you should keep in mind before swimming after filling a pool.

How Was Your Pool Filled?

If you call on a local company that offers pool water delivery or changing services, you may be able to enjoy your pool pretty much right away. Such companies often balance chemicals so the water is ready for safe swimming once it’s delivered and put into a pool. The only delay may involve double-checking chemical/pH levels again to ensure everything is balanced and within a safe level. If you have a standard gunite pool in San Diego, you probably use the typical kinds of chemicals that need to be checked.

What’s on Your Pool-Prep Checklist?

Whether you’re just getting your pool filled up for the first time or changing out the water seasonally, it’s a good idea to run through a pool-prep checklist to make sure everything is set up and working properly before you swim. This process typically includes:

• Checking the filter
• Inspecting hoses and other important parts
• Vacuuming the pool bottom
• Adjusting/balancing pool chemicals (see below)

What’s the Waiting Time for Your Pool’s Chemicals?

The pool chemical process will ultimately determine when you can safely swim after filling a pool. Specific waiting time recommendations vary based on what you’ll need to add. Here’s a quick rundown of some of the common pool chemicals and the wait time recommended for each one:

• Balancing chemicals – These are the chemicals used to adjust pH and alkalinity. Pool clarifiers are normally used for this purpose as well. Wait about 20 minutes after adding balancing chemicals to your newly filled pool, and you should be good to swim.

• Calcium chloride – If you have hard water issues, it’s advised to wait about 2-4 hours before swimming after adding calcium chloride to soften your pool’s water—or until one filter cycle has been completed.

• Chlorine/non-chlorine chemicals – When adding chlorine or non-chlorine chemicals to “shock” your pool after a fill-up, wait about 24 hours or until levels are approximately 5 ppm. If you’ll only be adding liquid chlorine, it’s generally safe to swim after about 4 hours or until levels are 5 ppm or lower.

• Muriatic acid – If you need to remove rust stains or clean pool surfaces, you might add some of this acid to your pool after it’s filled. If you do, wait about half an hour before swimming to avoid skin burns.

• Algaecides – These chemicals are added to prevent algae accumulation. It’s advised to wait about 15–30 minutes after they’re added before swimming.

• Flocculant (pool floc) – Pool floc is used to clean a pool that can’t be cleaned well with other methods for one reason or another. If you use this chemical cleaner, wait until clumps have settled to the bottom and you’ve vacuumed them up with a pool vac.

Whether they need expert advice on maintaining their pools or they’re looking for a premier in-ground pool contractor, San Diego residents should reach out to the team at San Diego Pools. We’ve been designing and building pools for almost half a century, and we pride ourselves on our innovation and outstanding craftsmanship. To get started on your new pool, give us a call today at 888-707-7786.

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