Have you been hearing a lot about saltwater pools lately and are wondering whether you should make the switch?
Let’s take a dip and find out ;)
A saltwater pool converts dissolved salt into chlorine by using a salt-chlorine generator attached to your filtration system. The saltwater enters the generator and comes out as chlorinated water. The chlorine obtained serves as a sanitizing agent just as regular chlorine liquid or tablets from the shop.
Saltwater pools have gained a lot of traction over the last few years as pool owners enjoy the many benefits of switching to a saltwater alternative.
What are the benefits, you ask?
To help you make an informed decision, we’ve decided to highlight four major benefits of switching to a saltwater pool below.
Reduced Pool Maintenance
Maintaining a chlorine pool can be a lot of work. You need to replenish your chlorine liquid or tablet supply, monitor your chlorine and pH levels twice a week, check total alkalinity and salinity levels every week, monitor calcium hardness, remove leaves, grass, and rubbish every day, brush your walls, and ladder, vacuum the floor, regularly run your filter and pump to help with water circulation, etc.
Now, one of the main benefits to switching to a saltwater pool is that it will significantly reduce the need for pool maintenance. That’s because the automated salt-generator system works every day autonomously to keep your pool crystal clear. Indeed, a saltwater pool ensures optimum pH, salinity, and chlorine levels at all times, reducing the frequency in which you need to check the water balance. In fact, the latest systems can keep your pool clean without any intervention for up to two weeks.
Also, because all you need to do to sanitize your pool is add salt to your water and maintain your levels, you’ll save time on having to regularly add algaecide and shock to your water. With a saltwater pool, these steps only need to be taken after heavy storms or rain while they should be performed weekly with a traditional chlorine pool.
Finally, not having to use chlorine liquid or tablets, shock and algaecide means that you’ll avoid many tedious last-minute trips to the shop.
Lower Cost
As mentioned before, saltwater pools don’t require you to regularly stock up on chlorine, shock, and algaecide. The only product you’ll need to sanitize your pool is salt, which is way less expensive than chlorine. Besides, you will only need to add extra salt to your pool if the water needs to be replenished (in case of a heavy storm for instance). As a result, a standard chlorine pool will cost you on average between $50 to $60 to maintain every month as opposed to $30 for a saltwater pool. It might not seem like much but over time this will add up, leading to substantial savings.
No Harsh Chlorine Smell
Ever jumped in a crystal clear pool on a warm sunny day only to end up smelling of chlorine hours later even after taking a shower? This unpleasant pungent and bleach-like odor can deter even the most eager of your guests from dipping into your amazing pool! One of the main benefits of a saltwater pool is that the chlorine is naturally produced making your pool chemical-free and therefore preventing the smell of chlorine in your water.
Safer for You and Your Family
Recent research suggests that saltwater pools could be safer for you than chlorinated pools. The first reason is that chlorinated pools require you to store chemicals, which can pose a threat to kids and pets. Besides, long-term exposure to chlorine has been linked to health problems such as respiratory, and dental issues as well as allergies.
Also, ever noticed how your skin and hair feel dry and your eyes burn after swimming for a while in a chlorinated pool?
That’s because chlorine is a harsh chemical designed to kill germs. When it contacts water, chlorine forms an acid, which acts as a natural skin and hair irritant and strips the skin, nails, and hair of their oil and moisture. Chlorine can also dehydrate your eyes and remove the tear film, leading to conjunctivitis and other bacteria-related conditions.
And saltwater pools are not only gentler on your skin, but also on your clothing. Indeed, for the same reasons it can damage your skin, chlorine can also ruin your favorite swimsuit.
We hope this article has provided you with some useful information about the benefits of switching to a saltwater pool. Thinking about making the switch? If that’s the case, we’d love to hear about your experience in the comment section below!
