Product Safety

HANDLING AND USE OF POOL AND SPA CARE PRODUCTS

• Always read the product label and follow directions carefully. It contains important information on the proper application, handling and storage of the compound you're using. Used correctly, water maintenance products safeguard the health of your entire family. If they're mishandled, they can be hazardous.
   
• Always brace liquids so they won't tip while transporting them in your car. Don't allow chemicals to stay in the car for a long period of time. Make the pool store your last stop. Unpack them as soon as you get home.
   
• Always wear protective equipment (safety glasses, rubber gloves, etc.) as directed on the label of the product.
   
• Never allow children to handle, measure or dispense chemicals. When adding chemicals to the pool, be sure to keep containers out of reach of children and replace lids securely on containers promptly after removing product.
   
• Always open product containers in a well-ventilated area.
   
• Never inhale fumes or allow products to get in your eyes, nose or mouth. When opening a product, turn your face to one side or point the container away from you. In the event of accidental contact or if product is swallowed, follow emergency advice on the product label and call your doctor and/or your local Poison Control Center.
   
• Always use the exact dosage specified on the label by the manufacturer.
   
• Never overdose your pool or spa. Knowing your pool or spa's exact volume will help prevent over- or under-application.
   
• Always fill the bucket with water first when pre-dissolving or diluting granular or liquid products in a bucket. Add chemicals to the water.
   
• Never add water to chemicals; always add the chemical to large amounts of water.
   
• Always add different products to the pool or spa separately and in different areas.
   
• Never mix any product with another (granular, tablet or liquid) before adding to the pool. An uncontrolled reaction such as fuming, fire or explosion could occur.
   
• Always use care when broadcasting powdered products into the pool (especially on windy days) to prevent product from getting in eyes or mouth or onto skin.
   
• Never smoke around chemicals. Some chemical fumes can be highly flammable, and sanitizers or oxidizers can be ignited by a lit cigarette or match.
   
• Always use a separate, clean scoop for each product. Replace cap or lid securely on the proper container.
   
• Never interchange measuring scoops or place wet scoops back into any chemical container.
   
• Always brush off any excess and wash the area thoroughly if products come in contact with your skin or clothes.
   
• Always securely close containers with the original lid following use.
   
• Always clean up any spills as soon as they occur and dispose of the material in a safe manner. Small spills can be diluted by hosing off into the pool. Contact us for advice on cleaning larger spills. Never use a vacuum cleaner to clean spills. It's hazardous to throw chemicals into the trash or put spilled material back into the original container. Keep all spills away from lawns and landscaping to avoid damage. Dispose of all chemicals according to label directions.

STORAGE OF POOL AND SPA CARE PRODUCTS

• Always keep your water maintenance products in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area. If standing water is present, action must be taken to provide a dry location for any pool or spa chemicals. Avoid storing in areas that are subject to rain and excessive moisture, freezing temperatures or in direct sunlight.
   
• Always keep your pool or spa maintenance products away from other household or garden chemicals and petroleum products such as fertilizers, motor oil, grease or paint. Mixing these common items with some pool products can cause the release of hazardous gasses, fire, or even an explosion.
   
• Never store any liquid products directly over or directly next to dry pool products (1" and 3" tablets, granular chlorinators, shock products, pH adjusters); they may accidentally leak and contaminate other products.
   
• Always keep liquid acid (muriatic) and liquid chlorine products away from each other and away from all shock products, chlorine-based products and pH adjusters.
   
• Never store pool care and garden chemical products near calcium hypochlorite-based products. To determine if the product contains calcium hypochlorite, read the active ingredient section on the front of the product label.
   
• Always use lawn furniture, walls, plastic buckets, shovels, rakes, lumber, other inert items or empty space (at least 3 feet) as a buffer zone between products when separating your pool care products.
   
• Always keep pool products away from heat and open flame. Do not smoke in pool storage areas or when handling pool products.
   
• Never store pool sanitizers and oxidizers near metal products like bicycles, lawn mowers, cars, etc., because they may cause rust.
   
• Always store chemical products safely and out of the reach of small children.
   
• Always keep all pool care products tightly sealed in the original container. Large, open containers often collect water and present a potential drowning hazard in areas where children play.