Everybody knows the joys of having a swimming pool at home as well as the maintenance that comes with it. However, pools and their water can be a real nuisance in terms of the negative effect they may have on your skin, eyes, and throat. By some accounts, a bad chemical balance in your pool can lead to blonde hair turning green or even damaging your swimwear!
What if you could have a hassle-free pool with far less upkeep and is safe to swim in? This is not a fantasy, and you can work with what you already have. Saltwater pools have many advantages and some disadvantages too. We will run you through everything you need to know about them and hopefully answer any burning questions you may have.
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What on earth is a Saltwater Pool?
I’m sure you may be thinking that saltwater pools don’t contain chlorine, why is it even needed? The truth is, these pools use chlorine to function at optimal levels! Saltwater pools can produce chlorine as required with some human intervention.
What this means is that you will need to add a salt cell to your pool’s circulation system. This will result in the production of chlorine at low, stabilized concentrations without too many technicalities involved. It can be difficult to even notice the chemicals in the water, how great is that?
Why would I even consider having a Saltwater Pool?
Speak to any saltwater pool owner and they’ll rave about how easy it is to maintain their pools and to keep them running at optimal conditions. Even if you have not experienced the difference for yourself, many will vouch for the excellent water quality and how it has minimal impact on your eyes, skin, and hair.
The industry leader in affordable saltwater generators is the Salt Water Ways Eco-Friendly Generator. It’s a fantastic product with regenerating capabilities that avoids having to constantly add chlorine or salt to your pool. This cost-effective model also comes with a lifetime warranty!
Saltwater in your pool
When converting to a saltwater pool, you will no longer experience burning eyes, an irritated throat, or skin, but instead have a comfortable swimming experience – sounds great right?
The resultant water is known for having a similar salinity to your tears due to lower and more stable chlorine levels.
Due to the instability of free chlorine in pool water, it reacts with contaminants in the water to produce chloramine. Chloramines are the enemy of any pool water as they nullify the decontaminating effects of chlorine and can irritate your skin, eyes, and mouth. People often remedy this issue by shocking their pool, which is a vital method to know. In saltwater pools, however, problems related to chloramines are eliminated. This means no more shocks are needed!
Saltwater pools are easy to maintain once you get going
To avoid hours of tedious labor and frustration, saltwater pools are a pool owner’s knight in shining armor. By switching to saltwater, you’ll save yourself countless hours since you no longer need to balance chemical concentrations, perform backwashes, or shocking your pool. You still need to do a bit of maintenance of course, which includes simple tasks like cleaning your equipment, scrubbing the pool, and vacuuming it. Alternatively, you could invest in a robotic pool cleaner. In our opinion, the Dophin CC Plus is the best robotic ground pool cleaner.
You can neglect your pool for up to two weeks when you’ve made the switch to saltwater. The demand for chlorine level balancing and general chemical maintenance is far lower than that of a chlorine pool. Don’t neglect your pool entirely though!
Long term cost savings
A saltwater pool can be maintained at about $100 per year as opposed to the chlorine pool racking up a whopping $300-$800 per year. How is this even possible? Simple, the cost of salt is negligible compared to chlorine and the actual chlorine requirements are far less. The saltwater alternative is far more cost-effective in the long run.
Are there any negatives related to saltwater pools?
Every great story has a realistic flaw, and saltwater pools are no exception. You may need to call a pool specialist to assist with the technicalities involving the circulation system of saltwater pools. Potential issues that arise will not be a quick fix from your average Joe. Another negative is the roughly $50 annual bill you will accumulate from running a saltwater pool – unless you’re a proud owner of a pump with variable speeds. All these, however, are immaterial compared to the benefits we have previously mentioned.
The one factor which you are likely not looking forward to hearing is the start-up cost of saltwater pools. Installation of a saltwater generator can put a dent in your wallet, costing anywhere between $400 up to $1800 depending on your budget and requirements. In an attempt to avoid corrosion of your system, you could opt to have a sacrificial anode installed. We recommend that you hire a professional electrician for this step. That being said, these costs will eventually be recuperated in the long run and you still end up saving more as compared to owning a chlorine pool.
As mentioned earlier, the best way to tackle the transition to a saltwater pool is to do invest in the Salt Ways Generator – the Eco-Friendly Salt Chlorine Generator to be specific. It has a lifetime warranty and is the most affordable model on the shelf. One huge plus is its ability to regenerate, which saves you from having to purchase salt or chlorine in the future. Sounds great, doesn’t it?
Myth 1: There will be no traces of chlorine in the saltwater
As previously mentioned, the chlorine levels in saltwater pools are barely traceable. However, they remain at low, stable levels to keep the pool performing optimally. To avoid ever having to worry about how much chlorine your pool requires, installing a salt generator is your answer.
Myth 2: No pool filter is needed in saltwater pools
Imagine if that were true! Unfortunately, you will require a filter whether you own a saltwater or chlorine pool. Saltwater pools don’t kill water contaminants, but rather, stabilizes the chlorine levels in the water. To keep bacteria away from our skin, mouths, and hair, filters are needed to remove these microscopic contaminants that your vacuum is unable to suck up. A filter is the only method to assist in removing microscopic contaminants from pool water – don’t take it for granted.
Myth 3: Saltwater pools taste and smell like salt
Many people believe that a saltwater pool is akin to having a miniature ocean in your garden. Not to fear, it’s nothing like that at all. For most swimmers, this pool is convenient since there are no lingering effects on your body as you’d expect from swimming in the ocean. As a bonus, there’s no need to dust off the sand on your feet when you get out of the pool!
On a side note, the taste (although not recommended to consume) is not like salt at all. What applies to you also applies to your beloved pets – this isn’t meant to be a refreshing drink by any stretch of the imagination.
Remember the variable-speed pump we mentioned earlier? It greatly helps in reducing power consumption and ultimately, the maintenance costs of running the pool. Another great recommendation is the 1.5HP Blue Torrent Thunder Variable Speed In-ground Pump. Just like the Salt Ways Generator, you will receive a lifetime warranty. The initial expense is recouped within the first year of running your pool, not bad hey? One satisfied customer named Brian Turned stated that he was delighted with his purchase and also experienced world-class service.
Myth 4: My pool will get destroyed by switching to saltwater.
Initially, you may discover rust when transitioning, but destroying the pool? Unlikely. The best way to avoid this is to purchase a sacrificial anode. A sacrificial anode, as the name suggests, sacrifices itself to take on all the rust your pool would accumulate. Beware though, as the installation should only be performed by an electrician. You wouldn’t want to mess up electrical wiring when so close to water now would you?
If you have an above-ground pool, save up for a vinyl pool liner. If you have an in-ground pool, it would be wise to avoid steel, aluminum, or metal around it.
Myth 5: No maintenance is required for saltwater pools
As mentioned earlier in our discussion, far less time and effort are spent on maintaining saltwater pools when compared to chlorine pools. However, regular love and care are still required to keep the water looking crystal clear. You are gifted with fewer chlorine-related headaches, but need to ensure you maintain the appropriate levels such as:
– 7.2-7.8 pH level range
– 1-3 ppm level of free chlorine
-3,000-3,500 ppm level of salinity
– 70-80 ppm stabilizer level
– 200-400 ppm level for calcium
Compared to having recurring nightmares about your chlorine pool, having to inspect the chemical levels once every week or two is a dream scenario. I suggest you invest in it.
A grain of salt is recommended
You’ll never have to worry about unwanted hair color changes, itchy skin, red eyes, or damaged swimwear again. Saltwater pools are every swimmer’s preferred choice and should be yours too. They are not unrealistic options and I hope all doubts you had have been removed. Enjoy having an endless, smooth swimming experience long into the future.