Chlorine Shortage In 2021
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The 2021 swimming season is going to bring some nasty surprises for swimming pool owners. Throughout the 2020 pool season the entire swimming pool industry was overwhelmed with work orders and requests to bid. Being that travel plans of every kind were cancelled due to the pandemic all of the money usually spent on travel and other luxuries was funneled into the pool. Suddenly having a backyard pool was the single best thing you could own for recreation purposes and this sentiment very likely has carried over into the 2021 season.
Already pool workers are talking about record amounts of interest from pool owners and perspective pool owners. The 2020 pool season saw home owners waiting weeks or even months for contact back from local professionals. Large construction projects and renovations are booking years in advance for the more established companies. Now looking towards the 2021 swimming season it is clear that these Covid related hurdles have not been solved. In fact the word on the street is that things are going to get a lot worse before they get better...as far as swimming pool supplies and service goes anyway.
During the spring of 2020, around May and June when pools are open but largely too cold to swim it was next to impossible to buy a pool heater. Every manufacturer was listing permanent backorder for every make, model and size of heater on the market. While supply lines caught up somewhat towards the end of the season it was still hit and miss for finding major equipment like pool heaters. It takes time to manufacturer these units, and then more time to ship them into the area. When there is an unexpected increase in sales that increases sales volume by five fold this results in unexpected waiting times for new supply orders. When you add to this the fact that most manufacturing environments are experiencing delays or shutdowns still due to Covid you can start to see why supplies are so hard to come by.
Pool heater shortage in 2021 - 2020 saw runs on stock for almost every brand, model and size of pool heater on the market, sometimes lasting months on end. It is very likely that spring 2021 will be similar. If you plan to buy a pool heater this spring you should be very proactive in sourcing out a supplier and communicating to them that you want to guarantee the availability of your heater in the spring. If this means you need to pay in advance or put down a deposit then I would not hesitate to do this. If getting a heater for your pool is important to you then you had better get started early.
Pool parts shortage in 2021 - In addition to heaters there will very likely be delays and backorders for various pool equipment parts and pieces in 2021. The volume of equipment sales and orders in 2020 was larger than any other pool season on record. This puts strain on the supply side and continuing global shipping container shortages is very likely to be a contributing factor in 2021 supply delays. Expect to see stock runs on pool pumps, filters, salt systems and various integral components like steel kits (vinyl pool walls). Steel has experienced two major 10% price increases in late 2020 and early 2021 due to increases in manufacturing costs. You can expect to see these price increases reflected in new pool construction costs in 2021 and onwards.
Pool liner shortage in 2021 - There is some rumor that pool liners will be in short supply for the 2021 pool season. While inground pool liners are custom made to order it is the off-the-shelf above ground pool liners which are typically manufactured during the offseason. Current stock levels would seem to indicate that a run on above ground pool liners is imminent again. This also happened in 2014/2015 where above ground liners were in short supply. If you intend to get a new liner for your above ground pool this year then you should be shopping right now to make sure you get one before they are gone.
Pool chlorine shortage in 2021 - Of everything in this article that may be short or backordered for the 2021 swimming pool season it is the announcement from major manufacturers and suppliers that chlorine will be in short demand this year that has many people worried. Without chlorine you simply can not maintain a safe and swimmable pool, at least without considerable knowledge and effort. If chlorine supplies dry up mid season this will leave pool owners scrambling for a new solution. One of the first items that will sell out are salt water systems since these have the ability to generate their own chlorine. AOP, UV and ozone systems would probably sell out next followed by mineral based copper and silver systems as these are all forms of keeping pool water clean. If chloirne supplies run out this is going to be a huge problem for pool owners, and very likely to cause a lot of secondary problems with illness and chemical reactions from people trying to find a different solution.
There are a lot of different kinds of chlorine products on the market like liquid chlorine (sodium hypochlorite), or chlorine pucks / granular chlorine (dichlor / trichlor) which pool owners might end up using once their regular supply of chlorine runs out. It is incredibly important for pool owners to know and understand that you must never mix pool chemicals, including mixing different types of chlorine. If you have an erosion feeder or tablet feeder then you should not use a different kind of chlorine than normal. If you change the type of chlorine you are using then you will also need to change the way you are adding the chlorine to the pool. Never use the same bucket or even the same scoop between different chemicals or kinds of chlorine. The wrong combination can cause a chemical explosion!
Chlorine is needed to maintain a residual value in pool water. There are many other chemiclas and products that exist that can improve the quality of water, but none to the extent that chlorine is able to. Specifically the ability for chlorine to hold a residual value in the water is unique. In the event that there is a shortage of chlorine then what I would probably do is add salt water (if available) or a UV light, ozone system or AOP system. All of these will improve the quality of the water and do most of the heavy lifting that the chlorine used to do. With these devices you will use substantially less chlorine than you would operating a pool without these peripheral devices. You can also help to reduce on the amount of chlorine you need by regularly shocking with an oxidizer like potassium monopersulphate.
There is no replacement for chlorine in swimming pools and a run on chlorine for the 2021 pool season could be very bad for a lot of pool owners. Be sure to plan ahead and be proactive. Chlorine can be stored for a few years time if you keep it 100% dry and away from direct sunlight or extreme temperatures. If you need to find other solutions rather than chlorine then non-chlorine shock as well as peripheral devices like ozone, UV and AOP are probably your best bet.
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Swimming Pool Steve is an award winning, second generation swimming pool specialist from Ontario Canada and one of the most trusted voices in the swimming pool industry. With over 20,000,000 views on the Swimming Pool Steve YouTube Channel, winner of the Pleatco Pool & Spa Industry Leadership award and author of hundreds of pool and spa articles both online and in print. Steve is committed to helping pool and spa owners as well as pool and spa industry workers learn more about the technical side of building, renovating, repairing and maintaining all types of swimming pools and spas. Follow Swimming Pool Steve on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
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