Pool owners- where do you store your pool chemicals?

[luvflorida]

I want to keep our pool chemicals in a place that is easy to access from the pool area. I was thinking of purchasing one of those big, plastic, bench-like containers and putting it inside the pool fence. The containers/bins are airtight and waterproof and could hold the big buckets of chemicals.

Another option is a shed that is outside of the pool area. I'm just not sure where a good place would be to keep all the pool supplies, and I want to be sure that wherever we put them that it's a safe place, where fumes, combustion, etc. won't be a problem.

So, where do you store your chemicals?

 

[monarchsfan16]

We have a shed that is within the pool area (the fence stops at one edge of the shed and starts again at the opposite end if that makes sense). That's where the pool pump is and is where we store pool chemicals, during the summer. When the pool is closed, we keep the chemicals in the basement. Not sure that that's the safest place for them, however we no longer use the chlorine chemicals. We use that Baquicil junk (it's peroxide based), so I really don't know anything about safety of that storage. I think when we were using the chlorine (before stepdad moved in) chemicals were stored in the shed that conects to the garage during the offseason. During the pool season even with the chlorine those chemicals were always kept in the pool shed. I don't know whether chemical storage changed because of chemicals changing, or because of people in charge of chemicals changing

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Well not sure. We are getting a salt water pool in a couple of weeks!!!

We are having them put down a concrete pad on each side of the house to put a small shed on.

 

[mrsmom]

We use the big bins it worked out great , No problems
Kim

 

[phorsenuf]

Well not sure. We are getting a salt water pool in a couple of weeks!!!

We are having them put down a concrete pad on each side of the house to put a small shed on.

A salt water pool? Is that another way of saying you are moving to the coast? LOL
I've never heard of a salt water pool except on cruise ships.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

A salt water pool? Is that another way of saying you are moving to the coast? LOL
I've never heard of a salt water pool except on cruise ships.

It is a salt water system, very common now. Don't have the pool in yet, but you add salt instead of chlorine.
Haven't been to "pool school" so I will find out all the details.

 

[Pop Daddy]

Just put it all in the pool and be done with it

 

[makinorlando]

Another reason I have a pool service! I don't have to keep chemicals and stuff around the house!!!!

 

[luvflorida]

Just put it all in the pool and be done with it

HaHa! I wish it were that easy!! BTW, nice to see you back on the boards. It seems like I haven't seen you around lately. As always, your answers to posts crack me up!

 

[luvflorida]

Another reason I have a pool service! I don't have to keep chemicals and stuff around the house!!!!

Actually, this sounds like a good idea. We have the pool company open and close our pool for us, so maybe I should ask about weekly services. Do you mind me asking how much you pay to have someone else maintain your pool?

 

[makinorlando]

Actually, this sounds like a good idea. We have the pool company open and close our pool for us, so maybe I should ask about weekly services. Do you mind me asking how much you pay to have someone else maintain your pool?

I pay $52/month - this is for chemical service. I definitely think it is worth it, I don't have to worry about what chemicals I have on hand, or what to do if something is not quite right. The only additional charge is for stablizer which they do every few months and I think $11? I have never had an issue with my water being "out of whack"!! It's just one less thing that I need to deal with around my house (since I am a single mom, sometimes paying someone takes the load off of me for other things!)

I have a Baracuda auto cleaner that runs in the pool and with the lanai screened in my pool requires very little other maintenance with the exception of a little brushing. Next to Elmer the pool guy, this is my best friend!


If I ever had a problem they are here almost immediately (I needed a new pump this spring, and they were here within two days to install - I have seen neighbors who do not use a pool service wait a week or more until they could be fit into someones schedule!) I had a broken pipe (thanks to the lawn service last year, and they fixed that quickly as well).

I chuckle at some of my neighbors who are constantly battling with the balance of their pools!

 

[luvflorida]

I pay $52/month - this is for chemical service. I definitely think it is worth it, I don't have to worry about what chemicals I have on hand, or what to do if something is not quite right. The only additional charge is for stablizer which they do every few months and I think $11? I have never had an issue with my water being "out of whack"!! It's just one less thing that I need to deal with around my house (since I am a single mom, sometimes paying someone takes the load off of me for other things!)

I have a Baracuda auto cleaner that runs in the pool and with the lanai screened in my pool requires very little other maintenance with the exception of a little brushing. Next to Elmer the pool guy, this is my best friend!


If I ever had a problem they are here almost immediately (I needed a new pump this spring, and they were here within two days to install - I have seen neighbors who do not use a pool service wait a week or more until they could be fit into someones schedule!) I had a broken pipe (thanks to the lawn service last year, and they fixed that quickly as well).

I chuckle at some of my neighbors who are constantly battling with the balance of their pools!

How often do they come out to check your pool water? And is the Baracuda cleaner truly automatic? I mean, is it the kind that you put in the water and just leave it to do the work?

 

[DJR]

I work for a local public health agency and inspect pools as a part of my job. Pool chemicals need to be stored in a cool, dry place so they don't deteriorate and don't get wet. I'm not sure putting them in a box (if it's sunny) is a good idea.

The salt pool works by adding salt to the water, which then passes through an electronic device that breaks the salt molecule into sodium and chlorine ions (salt's basic elements). Works OK if you like the slightly salty taste of the pool water.

Dave

 

[makinorlando]

How often do they come out to check your pool water? And is the Baracuda cleaner truly automatic? I mean, is it the kind that you put in the water and just leave it to do the work?

My water is checked weekly (only week of the year they do not is between Christmas and NY!).

The pool vac is truly automatic. The hose plugs into one of the returns on the wall of the pool and works on suction, it just moves around the pool and up the sides attached to the hose while the filter is running. If you don't want it in the pool you just pull the hose out up the sides too. I had a friend visiting last weekend, and she just got a hoot out of it (after a few adult beverages, I guess anything is funny!)

This is my pool - nothing fancy (it came with the house LOL), but we love it!!!!

 

[JayCT]

Not to steal someone else's thread but what chemicals do you use on your pool. For years I used chlorine, but we just got a new liner and I have switched to Baquacil. Anyone else use it or have any experience. our local pool place recommends it but probably because it is expensive and they want the money (I do not necessarily trust them). If you don't mind, please let me know. Thanks, Jay

 

[makinorlando]

Not to steal someone else's thread but what chemicals do you use on your pool. For years I used chlorine, but we just got a new liner and I have switched to Baquacil. Anyone else use it or have any experience. our local pool place recommends it but probably because it is expensive and they want the money (I do not necessarily trust them). If you don't mind, please let me know. Thanks, Jay

My sister has had a pool for several years now with a liner and they have used Baquacil for most of that time I believe (I could not have told you the name until you mentioned it, but I knew it was not chlorine.) They seem to be happy with it and once the pool is opened and cleaned for the season I don't recall them every having any water quality problems.

 

[cryssi]

I have no idea...haven't even thought of it yet. I don't even know what we will have to store if anything b/c we have a salt system that will probably be started today.

btw, we decided on the salt after swimming in my cousin's salt pool and loving it!

I think we're going to get a shed of some sorts to store pool stuff in on the side of the house...

 

[monarchsfan16]

Not to steal someone else's thread but what chemicals do you use on your pool. For years I used chlorine, but we just got a new liner and I have switched to Baquacil. Anyone else use it or have any experience. our local pool place recommends it but probably because it is expensive and they want the money (I do not necessarily trust them). If you don't mind, please let me know. Thanks, Jay

We used to use chlorine; we switched to Baquacil a few years ago. The pool's balance is managed more easily with Baquacil. With the Chlorine system, sunlight takes a toll on pH balances and whatnot very quickly. With Baquacil, it is not nearly as easily affected. That is the plus.
I have noticed that Baquacil has effects on me that were less severe/more manageable with chlorine. We all know chlorine makes a mess out of hair; I have found shampoo that will take the chlorine out and leave my hair decent. There is nothing that does the same with Baquacil. Baquacil leaves my hair extremely dry and nasty. I don't know if this is just me personally, or lots of people, since my friends' pools all run on chlorine, but the Baquacil water also leaves me itchy all over, and REALLY bothers my eyes, even with goggles. The pool water also tastes a lot worse than it did with chlorine. You get an accidental mouthful of Baquacil water and you automatically gag; it doesn't matter whether you've swallowed or not. That never happened with chlorine. But Baquacil is easier to maintain. The pool also looks better when you open it up in the spring. We opened ours yesterday and it was barely green, and today it's just cloudy, no green at all. We should be able to swim by Monday. With chlorine it generally took 2 weeks to get the pool swimmable at the start of the season
Like anything Baquacil has its plusses and minuses. We have had a much easier time dealing with the pool, and get more swimmable days each summer because the pool doesn't turn swamp like from a chemical imbalance midway through the summer like we did with chlorine

 

[JayCT]

Thanks everyone. Our pool is up and running and seems to be pretty good. A little cloudy, but hopefully that will clear. Anyway, have a good summer and thanks again. Jay

 

[Lynn CC]

We have a pool shed that is right next to the pool. I store the chemicals up high on the shelves. I also store other pool supplies and parts, pool furniture in the winter etc.