Is Your Pool Safe for Asthmatics?
In honor of Asthma Awareness Month, we will shed light on asthma and swimming pools. Anyone with asthma will tell you how disruptive the illness can be to their lives, especially when it comes to staying active.
Asthma patients, struggle to find ways to stay active and healthy. One of the reasons that they found this challenging is that exercise can trigger asthma symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath.
The good news is the experts agree that swimming is the best form of exercise for asthma patients.
The Benefits of Swimming for Asthmatics
Summing is the ideal exercise for asthmatics because the warm, humid environment in and around the pool helps keep the airways open.
Here are a few more benefits of swimming:
Improved Cardio-Respiratory Fitness
Increased Muscle Strength
Improved Flexibility
Reduces Stress, Anxiety, and Tension
Stress and anxiety are well-known asthma triggers, so being able to decrease these is very important. Additionally, being fit can help reduce the severity of asthma symptoms making it easier to manage the disease.
What About Chlorine?
Chlorine is needed to maintain the water in your pool clean and free of harmful bacteria and germs. However, improper chlorine concentrations can trigger asthma symptoms. Having a professional maintain a proper chlorine balance is particularly important for asthmatics.
Most pool owners don’t know that their water pumping system is a factor in how much chlorine is needed to keep their pool disinfected.
Pumping systems help “refresh” the water in your pool. However, it takes time for all the water in the pool to refresh, so there needs to be a certain level of chlorine in the water to kill any new bacteria. This is what is known as a “residual disinfectant” in our industry.
The faster your pumping system is, the less residual disinfectant is required. Each pool is different and requires a unique chemical combination to keep it sanitized. Things like pool size, the location (indoor or outdoor), and the water pumping system installed are all factors to consider before adding the water chemicals.
If you are unsure of how much chlorine is safe to use in your pool, give us a call at (409) 210-7378. We will be happy to help!
When the Chlorine Smell is Offensive
The thing that most asthma patients worry about is the smell of chlorine in and around the pool.
So, let’s address the elephant in the pool.
A poorly maintained pool can irritate the eyes, nose, and lungs which is a terrible thing for anyone with asthma.
The condition of the water in your pool is affected by various things including:
PH levels of the water
Chlorine levels
The Hygiene Habits of Bathers
The strong smell you often sense around pools is not from the chlorine itself.
Instead, it’s due to a chemical reaction between the chlorine and body proteins such as sweat and urine which forms various chloramines, especially one called nitrogen trichloride.
Nitrogen trichloride is believed to cause asthma symptoms, eye irritation and rhinitis (inflammation of the mucous membrane inside the nose).
If your pool has a strong chlorine smell, it is a clear sign it needs cleaning, and you should not spend too much time in or around it until it has been cleaned by a professional.
Swimming is an ideal activity for children and adults with asthma, but to avoid triggering attacks it needs to be appropriately maintained by experts. Give us a call today for a free estimate; we look forward to helping you enjoy your pool safely and healthily. If you have any doubts on what to do about making your pool safer, make sure to call Crocodile Pools, we are the experts in keeping your Pool Safe & Clean.
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Quality Pool Maintenance Solutions that ARE Affordable!
A lot of homeowners are concerned with the cost of properly maintaining a pool, but they really shouldn’t be. At Crocodile Pools, we can provide you with superb pool cleaning and maintenance services at a reasonable price. Contact Us to schedule a free evaluation and to set up weekly maintenance so your pool is always safe, beautiful and ready for your family and friends to enjoy!
Join our many other happy customers that now enjoy a beautiful safe, clean pool year-round. Best of all, we’ll save you money!
Crocodile Pools provides Southeast Texas with the highest quality pool maintenance services at the best prices.