Pool Skimmer Baskets and Chlorine Tablets

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J

Jax904

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Feb 17, 2014
2
Jacksonville, FL
Question about Emptying Skimmer Basket

Hello,

The house we rent has an in-ground pool that a pool company maintains once a week. Since we are considering buying the home, we try to maintain/improve the house and the yard regularly. My issue & question:

I have noticed the guys that come clean the pool simply empty the skimmer baskets onto the lawn, sometimes even using the shrubs to help shake out any excess debris in the basket. There are always remnants of the chlorine tablets in the baskets, sometimes half-dollar size (or bigger). I know that pool water will generally not harm the yard from sporadic splashes/etc BUT I am concerned about the tablets/other contents within the skimmer baskets.

Is this the "standard procedure" for pool companies? Am crazy/irrational for worrying about the grass/plants dying from the tablets? Even more alarming is that we have two dogs, who will get into anything their noses pick-up on. I can only imagine how dangerous ingesting a chlorine tablet would be...

I guess I am looking for insights/opinions. I have asked the company to empty the baskets into a garbage bag/can I put out near the pool- but they seem to completely ignore me.

I cannot find any solid information that I can throw in their face other than the fact they ignore what I ask and the danger to the dogs. I plan on contacting the rental company, but would like some info prior to calling.

Thanks to any and all replies.
 
The pool company hired by my rental company empties the skimmer baskets into the lawn/plants. They use chlorine tablets which are not fully dissolved when they come weekly. How bad are the tablets to my lawn? Am I right about the dangers to plants/pets? Any info about this? I've asked to use garbage can but they ignore me. They claim that emptying pool debris into the lawn/yard is normal, rather than removing them and taking them away.

Mod Edit: Threads merged. Please keep questions on the same topic together. -Smykowski
 
Re: Question about Emptying Skimmer Basket

Well, for starters, they shouldn't even be putting the pucks in the skimmer basket, because pucks are acidic and can damage equipment if it gets too concentrated, which it will when the pump is off but the pucks are still dissolving. Secondly, they must be toxic. At the least you'll end up with dog vomit that bleaches whatever it touches.

Since it's a rental, you probably can't just fire the pool service. Go buy a floater for the pucks. Waaaaay cheaper than a trip to the vets. Then they dump the contents of the skimmer basket wherever they feel and any undissolved pucks will stay in the pool until they dissolve completely.

http://spaandpooldepot.com/pentair-...al-dispenser?gclid=CMe1k9761LwCFUNffgodjVQASw
 
If they are dumping partial tabs in the yard, shrubs, garden, etc, that is no good. I would demand they stop, call the office and complain. A pet isn't likely to chew it,, but you never know. But a little kid should not have the chance to handle one period. I would call and express safety concerns for the kids.

Using pucks long term is going to cause problems with pool chemistry, but it may be a moot point since you seem to have little choice in the matter.

Welcome to TFP! :wave:
 
but it's rather clear than Chlorine is dangerous
Click to expand...
Well, I am uncomfortable reading that seeing no qualifiers added to it.

Used incorrectly, water is dangerous. Used in the incorrect quantity or frequency, everything in our lives is dangerous..

I sorta' know what you mean, mrcarcrazy, but we spend a lot of time on this forum refuting old wives tales and urban myths about a lot of the chemistry that goes into our pools.

Used correctly, chlorine is one of the most beneficial compounds on this planet and through sanitation and oxidation of harmful organics, has probably saved countless thousands of lives. I would be reluctant to call it dangerous and more apt to call it close to miraculous.
 
They definitely should not be dumping tabs in your yard. I wouldn't allow them to do so.

I would suggest that you get your own test kit and maintain the chemistry yourself. If you get a good test kit and follow the information found here, you can do a better job than someone relying strictly on tabs.

You can use liquid chlorine instead of tabs. I would inform the service that they are no longer to add any chemicals. I don't think the owner would have a problem as long as you can convince them that you can do a good job.
 
As a pool service professional I will chime in. Tablets should only be put in a feeder or a floater. Long term use of tablets in the skimmer eats away at the plastic skimmer and eventually you get a leak. The second issue of emptying the debris on the lawn is something he shouldn't do even if you didn't ask him not to. I put a scooping leaf net on my chemical caddy and put all the debris from the baskets and pool cleaner bags in that.

You might want to arm yourself with information about the bad practices this company is doing consistently and let the property managers know. Fixing a leak at the skimmer can cost over a $1000 easily if it needs to be replaced. The whole idea of the rental property is to make money for the owners not be an expense.
 

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If employees don't want to listen to you, then it can be helpful to call the owners of the company. If they won't listen, then call the property manager or property owner. It's ridiculous that they can't do this one minor thing you ask them to. Make it harder for them to deal with your calls than to just do what you ask.
 
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