Is chlorine in the pool corroding my tools?

[Art_D]

Hi everybody! We moved to the Tampa/St Pete area about 5 years ago and bought a in-ground pool home there. This is the first time we have had a pool home. The pool is about 20' straight behind the three car garage, separated by the patio . The garage has a ventilation window in the back wall and there are soffit ventilation ducts in the roof area, and the ceiling in the garage is open, no attic. In other-words the garage has many vented openings that are open in close proximity to the pool.

I am a semi-retired mechanic....ok...I'm a car guy I have lots of tools and shop equipment as well as a couple of classic cars and two motorcycles. Since moving here, I am noticing increased rusting on just about everything in the shop. Tools, equipment, bumpers, you name it. Nasty, aggressive corrosion. I am quite sure that this is the result of the evaporation of chlorine from the pool that is causing this. We are almost the exact same distance from the ocean as we were when we lived in Ft Lauderdale so that's not it. It has to be something the pool is doing, and the only possible thing is the Chlorine in it....right?

So am I right, is it the Chlorine evaporating from the pool that is doing this? If so, what is the alternative? Is there a way to keep a pool clean and sanitary that does not use corrosive chemicals? Sealing up the shop is not really viable, it would entail the complete installation of an attic as well as an A/C system. Its doable as a last resort, but there must be a viable way to reduce the corrosion coming from the pool.....or am I wrong? I am a newbie here, but I know how much knowledge is around a forum like this, I am sure the answer(s) are here!
Thanks folks!!

 

[ping]

Do you store any of the chemicals in the garage?

 

[JasonLion]

Welcome to TFP!

You won't get enough corrosive gas off of the pool to have any effect. However, where do you store your pool chemicals? In the garage? Some of the concentrated chemicals will give off noticeable amounts of corrosive gas.

 

[Art_D]

Well....not exactly, but way too close for comfort! Everything pool related was stored outside the garage, but not far at all from it, and especially not far from one of the soffit vents. I have moved everything a ways away and hopefully that will solve the problem. Thanks!!

 

[weird_tolkienish_f]

Dehumidifier might help?

 

[BoDarville]

Welcome to the forum

If your bleach or muriatic acid bottles come inside a cardboard box, I would keep the box. Make sure the bottles are securely capped. Store the bottles in the box and close the box flaps - they don't have to be perfectly sealed. The box will absorb a majority of any off-gassing and reduce corrosion on other nearby surfaces. This is working for me.

 

[JamesW]

I have seen this happen many times when people store buckets of trichlor in encloded areas.

 

[257WbyMag]

The containers for tablets and acid are vented so anything nearby can corrode. I store my acid in a Rubbermaid bench storage box well away from anything metallic. Has to be that way.

 

[weird_tolkienish_f]

Hmph I had a pair of vice grips that turned to solid rust in the pool shed basically. This is why I like this forum, I'm always learning something new.

 

[FamilyGuy]

I understand your garage is vented but the high humidity in the St Pete/ Clearwater area are a contributing factor also. My father lives in St Petersburg doesnt have a pool and has similar rusting issues on his tools in his shed.