Do Saltwater Pools Really Need to be Shocked?

SHORT ANSWER: yes. But not as often as some think…

If you’ve ever Googled “Should I shock my saltwater pool?” you’ve probably closed your browser more confused than when you started. Some corners of the internet swear you should never shock a saltwater pool. Others insist you should do it monthly. Weekly, even. Naturally, they all sound very confident about it.

Here’s the truth: most pool professionals agree that saltwater pools should be shocked occasionally — the debate is really about how often, not whether.

What is “Shock” Anyway?

While your pool always maintains a good level of bacteria-busting chemicals, some algae and other contaminents are more resilient that others. They may not thrive in your pool, but they may not be completely destroyed, either. In pool service, “shocking” a pool means adding a super-concentrated dose of a chemical sanitizer - usually chlorine - to the water. This rapid elevation in sanitizer quickly wipes out any nasties that are managing to tolerate the pool’s ecosystem. We shock “traditional” chlorine pools regularly, but saltwater pools sometimes need it, too.

Why Saltwater Pools Still Need Shocking

Saltwater pools are awesome, and while many people prefer the skin-feel, it’s important to remember that saltwater pools aren’t chlorine-free pools. They use a salt chlorine generator (SCG) to create chlorine from salt, which does a great job of keeping everyday contaminants in check. When your Poolsyder services a saltwater pool, they’re checking that the chlorine levels are consistent, week-on-week. Compare that to a non-salt pool, in which we’re intentionally raising chlorine levels each week, then letting them burn off before topping up.

Over time, contaminents still build up in a saltwater pool:

• Chloramines (used-up chlorine that causes odor and irritation)

• Organic waste like sunscreen, sweat, and leaves

• Invisible algae spores that haven’t bloomed… yet

• Other contaminents from your water supply and the weather

A shock treatment gives the pool a reset. It burns off those contaminants, refreshes sanitizer effectiveness, and helps prevent bigger problems down the line — especially right before heavy swim use.

Think of it like your dishwasher. Day by day it’s literally self-cleaning, flushing itself with soap and water every time you run it. But from time-to-time it still needs a more thorough clean, before things get funky.

Shocking a saltwater pool is a proactive way to keep everything in check.

Reactive or Proactive?

Back to the dishwasher. Do you wait until you see or smell the tell-tale signs that a deep-clean is needed (reactive), or do you routinely make like Cinderella and get scrubbing before things start looking suss (proactive)?

At Poolsyde, we prefer to be proactive (about pretty much everything, tbh), but we don’t need to shock saltwater pools constantly. We take a pragmatic approach, with a hint of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.

A little like if you deep-cleaned your dishwasher too much you’d be exposing it to more stress than needed, over-shocking a pool can:

• Stress pool chemistry

• Shorten equipment lifespan

• Cost you more than necessary

That’s why we don’t shock saltwater pools on a rigid schedule just because a calendar says so.

The Poolsyde Approach

Our general intention is simple and intentional:

👉 We always shock saltwater pools once per year, usually in late winter or early spring.

Why then?

• Swim season is just around the corner

• Organic buildup from the cooler months gets cleared out

• Pools start the season fresh, clean, and ready for heavy use

Outside of that annual reset, we’ll only shock a saltwater pool if it actually needs it — for example, if we see early algae signs, persistently weird chemistry, or water quality that just isn’t responding as it should.

No unnecessary chemicals. No “because we always do.” Just smart, pragmatic pool care.

Bottom Line

An occasional shock:

• Keeps water healthier

• Helps your chlorine work better

• Prevents problems instead of reacting to them

Once a year, done at the right time, is usually plenty - but some pools need it a little more, especially if they’re used a lot.

And as always, we’ll treat your pool the same way we’d treat our own: only fixing what needs fixing, and doing it properly.

Clear water. Clear thinking. That’s the Poolsyde way. 💦