What is Chlorine Demand and How do I treat it?

Chlorine demand is the consistent inability to maintain a chlorine residual in a pool.  It is caused by a build up of contaminants, which creates an "overload" on the sanitizing system.  Quite simply, it means that more sanitizer is required than is being provided to the water.  This is a common problem with late pool openings or during times of frequent rain storms.
 

There are two ways to treat chlorine demand.  The first is to add the appropriate amount of chlorine.  The quickest way to find out what that amount is would be to have Sweetwater Pool and Spa Center run a chlorine demand test on the Accu-Demand₃₀®.  This special test takes just a short 30 minutes but can safe days of guess work. The second way to treat chlorine demand is to drain some of the water and replace with fresh water.  While this will not completely take care of the demand, it can help lower the amount of product needed. For more information bring your water sample to our retail stores, where our pool care specialists are waiting to solve your pool care needs.