A census-designated place in York County, Maine, Kittery Point is part of the town of Kittery and has a population of about 1,100. Located just beside the Atlantic Ocean, Kittery Point is also part of the Portland-South Portland-Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area.
With its proximity to the ocean, it comes as no surprise that most Kittery Point residents have a love affair with the water. When the weather gets too hot, many would rather cool off by swimming than just sit in an air conditioned room. Because of this, many residents have their own above ground pool to cool off in anytime they want.
While significantly easier to maintain than inground pools, above ground pools still needs a degree of maintenance to keep them safe and healthy. One of the more frequently asked questions by above ground pool owners though is with regards to proper pool chlorination. Specifically, Free Available Chlorine or FAC.
First off, what is FAC? In a nutshell, it is the amount of active chlorinator in the water. What a chlorinator does is kill bacteria, control algae, and eliminate organic contaminants to achieve healthy pool water.
The correct amount of FAC in a pool should be in the 1.0 – 4.0 ppm range. If the level is below 1.0 ppm, algae problems, cloudy water, swimmer rashes, and bacteria problems can occur. To raise the ppm, chlorinator should be added or shock treatment done until the desired FAC level is achieved.
To ensure proper FAC levels, above ground pool owners should test the water at least twice a week during the summer season, though daily is best.
To find out more about FAC and above ground pool maintenance, feel free to contact Ambassador Pools and its pool experts. Whether you are an above ground pool owner, or planning to become one, Ambassador Pools can help you with all your above ground pool needs.