I have been researching about free-chlorine systems for swimming pools and spa and found that Hydrogen Peroxide has been recommended as a sanitizer and disinfectant for these applications. However, I have found only few suppliers recommending this product.
Has anyone had experience using this product? What are the pros and cons of using it?
Thanks.
You need to be a member of Pool Genius Network™ to add comments!
If you are a member of the "pool industry" community, you have found your home.
This is a network of pool builders, service professionals, retailers, and pool sales reps,…
Swimming pools are often associated with luxury, relaxation, and endless summer fun. But there's more than just the allure of crystal-clear water that leads a…
The Journal of the Swimming Pool and Spa Industry is coming back! JSPSI, a peer-reviewed technical journal, began in 1995 as a subscription-supported print-based publication. It contained articles at a technical…
All pool plaster finishes should last 20 years or more. However, some last only 5 to 7 years, and some less than a year before the plaster surface deteriorates, discolors, and looks terrible.
Why the difference? Very often, plaster…
For 50 years, the pool industry has considered pool water within an LSI of -0.3 and +0.5 to be acceptable and balanced. But recently, and without providing any supporting science or research, the NPC is trying to convince the industry that any…
There are two important issues involved when trying to achieve quality colored pool plaster that will remain durable, attractive, and the proper shade for many years.
The first issue is to utilize superior workmanship practices to achieve…
Replies
There are only three EPA-approved disinfectants for use in pools: chlorine, bromine, Baquacil/biguanide/PHMB. For spas, Nature2 with MPS is also approved. That's it. So for commercial/public pools you generally can't use anything else since county/state regs pretty much all require an EPA-approved disinfectant. Hydrogen peroxide is approved in Australia by the APVMA as shown in this link for pools (note that it is the oxidizer used for Baquacil/biguanide/PHMB pools as it is in the U.S., but is also approved on its own for a couple of the products) and in this link for spas.
Hydrogen peroxide isn't protected from breakdown from sunlight so that's why it is more commonly found in spas or in some indoor pools (again, in Australia). For residential use in the U.S., it's in the same category as any other non-EPA-approved product. Basically, it does not have the same breadth of disinfecting capability as chlorine, but it's a heck of a lot better (faster and broader) than metal ions which is the other main "non-halogen" system. From a practical point of view, the level of hydrogen peroxide needed to disinfect is close to that at which it is irritating. Chlorine in a pool with CYA is generally less irritating since it is a more selective oxidizer at lower strength (again, when CYA is present).