I drove all over San Jose, California today to run a price survey of supplies off the shelf at:
a) Leslie's Swimming Pool Supply
b) Home Depot,
c) Lowes
d) Costco (seasonal item only)
e) Hasa (two different suppliers, 3 different prices)
Armed with the
"chem geek" calculations I was able to compare the 6% & 12%
(nominal, see "chem geek" details here) liquids with the solids dichlor, trichlor, & calcium-hypo given real Silicon Valley prices (pre tax, and rounded to the dollar when within a couple of pennies of the dollar):
1. Household bleach
Costco = $9/182 fl oz x 3 bottles, nominal 6% =
$2.11/gallon
Safeway = $3.89/1.42 gallons, nominal 6% =
$2.74/gallon
2. Pool bleach
Hasa = $21.44/8 gallons =
$2.68/gallon (See note C)
Hasa = $11.72/case (where a case is 4 gallons) with a minimum sale of 36 cases delivered COD, nominal 12% =
$2.93/gallon (See note D)
Home Depot = $6.86/2 gallons, nominal 12% =
$3.43/gallon
Lowes = $6.90/2 gallons, nominal 12% =
$3.45/gallon
Hasa = $18.40/4 gallons =
$4.60/gallon (See note C)
Leslie = $10.49/2 gallons, nominal 12% =
$5.25/gallon
3. Dichlor
Costco = $55/24 one-pound packets, see note A =
$2.29/pound
Leslies = $122/40 pounds, 55% available Cl =
$3.05/pound
Lowes = $70/22.5 pounds, 99% dichlor, 56% available Cl =
$3.11/pound
Home Depot = $80/22.5 pounds, 99% dichlor, 56% available Cl, See Note B =
3.56/pound
4. Trichlor
Home Depot = $75/37.5 pounds, 99% trichlor, 90% available Cl =
$2.00/pound
Costco = $84.79/40 pounds, 94.05% trichlor, 84.65% available Cl =
$2.12/pound
Lowes $75/35 pounds, 95% trichlor, 85% available Cl =
$2.14/pound
Leslies = $80/35 pounds, 90% available Cl =
$2.29/pound
5. Calcium hypochlorite
Leslies = $107.19/25 pounds, 73% available Cl =
$4.29/pound
Here are the
"chem geek" calculations for available chlorine per pound:
1. Household bleach
Costco = $9/546oz * 128oz/gal * 1gal/9.0pounds * 100pounds/5.7pounds =
$4.11/pound of available Cl
Safeway = $3.89/1.42 gallons * 1gal/9.0pounds * 100pounds/5.7pounds =
$5.34/pound of available Cl
2. Pool bleach
Hasa $21.44/8 gallons x 1 gallon/9.7 pounds x 100/10.8 =
$2.56/pound of available chlorine (see note C)
Hasa = $11.72/case * 1 case/4 gallons * 1gal/9.7 pounds * 100pounds/10.8 pounds =
$2.80/pound of available Cl (see note D)
Home Depot = $6.86/2 gallons * 1gal/9.7 pounds * 100pounds/10.8 pounds =
$3.27/pound of available Cl
Lowes = $6.90/2 gallons * 1gal/9.7 pounds * 100pounds/10.8 pounds =
$3.29/pound of available Cl
Hasa = $18.40/4 gallons x 1 gallon/9.7 pounds x 100/10.8 =
$4.39/pound of available chlorine (see note C)
Leslie = $10.49/2 gallons * 1gal/9.7 pounds * 100pounds/10.8 pounds =
$5.01/pound of available Cl
3. Dichlor
Leslies = $122/40 pounds * 100/55 pounds =
$5.55/pound of available Cl
Lowes = $70/22.5 pounds * 100/56 pounds =
$5.56/pound of available Cl
Home Depot = $80/22.5 pounds * 100/56 pounds =
$6.35/pound of available Cl
Costco = $55/24 pounds * 100/36 =
$6.37/pound of available Cl
[EDIT: See posts below for calculation of Costco 4-in-1 intimating $6.09/pound of available Cl
$55/24 pounds x 100/55 x 85/58.2 = $6.09/pound of available Cl [/EDIT]
4. Trichlor
Home Depot = $75/37.5 pounds * 100/90 pounds =
$2.22/pound of available Cl
Costco = 84.79/40 pounds * 100/84.65 pounds =
$2.50/pound of available Cl
Lowes $75/35 pounds * 100/85 pounds =
$2.52/pound of available Cl[/b]
Leslies = $80/35 pounds * 100/90 pounds =
$2.54/pound of available Cl
5. Calcium hypochlorite
Leslies = $107.19/25 pounds * 100/73 pounds =
$5.87/pound of available Cl
Note: While I was there, I researched the comparison prices of the following:
6. Muriatic Acid:
Leslies = $14/2 gallons of 29% HCl = $3.50/gallon of 14.5% equivalent
Lowes = $10/2 gallons of 14.5% HCl = $5.00/gallon of 14.5% equivalent
Home Depot = $11/2 gallons of 14.5% HCl = $5.50/gallon of 14.5% equivalent
7. Cyanuric acid:
Home Depot = $20/5 pounds = $4/pound
Leslies = $24/4 pounds = $6/pound
8. Soda ash:
Leslies = $66/50 pounds = $1.32/pound
Home Depot = $8/6 pounds = $1.33/pound
9. Calcium Chloride:
Leslies Hardness Plus (unlabeled but store said it's Calcium Chloride) = $45/25 pounds = $1.80/pound
Home Depot = $11/5 pounds = $2.20 pound
Note A: Costco item #175121, "aqua chem Shock Plus 4 in 1 pool shock 24 pack, EPA REG No 67262-27 telephone 800-252-7665 (
see this thread for how we arrived at the the 36% available chlorine)
Note B: Home Depot DiChlor Pooltime.com 800-252-7665 (they said the available chlorine was 56% but I suspected it's 36% based on what we learned from aqua chem which is the same company. However, calling PoolTime back (which incidentally, is the same number as aqua chem - it's just a different option), Anita tells me that product number 22891PTM 'is' 57%!). So you never know if they don't tell you.
Note C: Update: 408-252-6280 888-POOL-GUY at 12361 South Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road, Saratoga California, 95070 with a $6.00 deposit has a normal price of $18.40/4 gallons for Hasa liquid chlorine ($4.60/gallon) but they often run a 2-for-1 special (you only pay the tax on the original amount for the second case ($21.44/8 gallons) at
http://www.yourpoolguys.com/specials.html which then turns out to be 2.68/gallon.
Note D: Hasa (hasapool.com) doesn't sell to the public so I called the Hasa Northern CA office at 925-432-3866 who told me to call Redwood City 650-365-0441 who will deliver 36 cases of 12.5% at 4 gallons per case at $11.72/case COD including shipping.
Q: Can we get better prices than this?