Salt water pools seemed trendy when they were new. Many people opted for salt water pools over traditional chlorinated pools after hearing about the purported benefits of making the switch. Salt water pools come with a distinct set of advantages and disadvantages that are vastly different from a chlorinated pool. Before you make the switch, be sure you know what you’re getting yourself into.
The Pros of a Salt Water Pool
For many homeowners, the pros of a salt water pool make conversion a quick sell. Salt water pools solve many of the issues that homeowners have with their traditional chlorinated pools, so it’s easy to enthusiastically move forward.
- No more stinging eyes, dry hair, and irritated skin
- Minimal use of harsh chemicals
- Less maintenance is required
- Costs less over time
How Salt Water Pools are Easier on Your Hair, Skin, and Eyes
If you have a chlorinated pool, chances are high that your kids have picked up a few pairs of swimming googles over the years. Opening your eyes underwater in a chlorinated pool is painful – after all, you’re allowing chemicals to come into contact with some of the most sensitive tissue in your body. Salt water is saline, and saline is the main ingredient in eyedrops and contact solution. Salt water pools are a lot gentler on your eyes, skin, and hair because they’re naturally biocompatible.
Less Chemicals Around the House
Modern families are careful about the chemicals they keep around the house. This is especially true for families with curious children who tend to crawl under cabinets or knock things over. Pool chemicals are strong and dangerous to ingest. If you’re looking to make your household safer and you prefer a natural approach, you’re a prime candidate for a salt water pool.
Maintenance is a Breeze
To an extent, salt water pools maintain themselves. A salt chlorine generator will gently clean the water by breaking the salt into sanitizing agents. This process is ongoing. Your pool is always cleaning itself in the background, and it requires no downtime. You won’t need to retool water and chemical levels constantly because the pool equipment is able to manage it on its own.
You’ll Save Money
The only chemical you need for a salt water pool is salt. That’s it. The water stays sanitary and the balance is less finnicky. You’ll undoubtedly incur some startup costs from converting to a salt water pool, but after that, the money you save an chemical and maintenance means that the conversion will eventually pay for itself.
The Cons of a Salt Water Pool
Salt water pool conversion does come with a few drawbacks. Most homeowners feel that these drawbacks are so mild that they aren’t enough to change their minds. If you’re willing to deal with a bit of a startup costs and some changes to your maintenance plan, it’s simple enough.
- Startup costs
- The cost of repairs
- Specialized outside help
The Cost of Conversion
Your pool is already built for a chlorine system. All the existing equipment won’t be compatible with a salt water pool. New equipment needs to be installed for your salt water pool to work. Many homeowners find that the cost of conversion isn’t as much as they had anticipated. In the long run, most homeowners find that it’s cheaper to maintain their salt water pools. They think of it the same way they’d think of installing solar panels – it’s an investment in the future that will, sooner or later, become less expensive than their previous system.
Repairs on a Salt Water Pool
Most chlorine pools have a lot of metal components. Salt corrosion is the enemy of metal. Over time, you may notice that your metal components begin to rust. When possible, metal components can be replaced with other materials that are better equipped to handle salt exposure. If you choose to keep your metal components, they may need to be replaced periodically.
You May Need a New “Pool Guy”
Most pool companies exclusively service chlorine pools. Salt water pools are an entirely different process that require specialized knowledge for maintenance. If you’re going to convert your pool to a salt water pool and you use a company for pool maintenance, it helps to choose a conversion company that also offers maintenance services. Pioneer Pools has you covered.
The Salt Water Pool Conversion Process
Converting a chlorine pool to a salt water pool requires three very important things – a salt chlorinator system, something called a sacrificial anode, and pool salt. The salt chlorinator system is the system that will replace your traditional chlorine system. It’s prepared with the pool salt to produce salt chlorine as necessary.
The sacrificial anode is a device that will help to mitigate corrosion. Since salt is a corrosive substance, operating a salt water pool without a sacrificial anode will lead to rust buildup The anode acts as a little snack for the salt in your pool. It will begin to corrode the anode first, which is easy and inexpensive to replace. These anodes can last several years and preserve the integrity of your pool.
Maintaining a Salt Water Pool
Maintaining a salt water pool is similar to maintaining a traditional chlorinated pool in many ways. Pumps and filters must be regularly checked and cleaned to assure they remain in proper working order. The pool needs to be skimmed to remove surface debris on a regular basis. Water chemistry strips can be used to test the balance of the water to assure that it’s clean, and salt is added as needed. Alternatively, you always have the option of hiring a pool company to stay on top of the maintenance of your behalf.
Ready to Make the Switch?
Pioneer Pools is one of the longest standing family owned businesses in all of Tucson. We’re salt water pool conversion experts. If you’re ready to make the switch or if you have more questions, feel free to give us a call at 520-881-7031 to schedule an appointment or speak with one of our pool experts.