Q: How Much Does A Salt Water Pool Cost
Most salt water systems cost anywhere from $1,400 to $2,000 upfront.
And then, you have to factor in the cost to replace the cell every 3-6 years, which is about $800.
However, you also need to take into account the cost to maintain it.
Most of the time, you can operate a salt water system for less than $100 a year, as opposed to about $300-600 a year for chemicals for a traditional chlorine pool.
Why Would I Want A Saltwater Pool Anyway
So you havent had a chance to swim in a saltwater pool lately and feel the difference, huh? Dont worry, its simple: a saltwater pool has less irritating water. But these pools are a favorite of swimmers and pool owners alike, because theyre also easier to maintain and cut down costs over time.
Looking for the most affordable and reliable way to convert to a saltwater pool? The Salt Ways Eco-Friendy Salt Water Generator is the most cost-effective model on the market, comes with a lifetime warranty, and is self-regeneratingso no need to stock up on either chlorine or salt.
Introduction What Is Saltwater Pool Shocking
Saltwater pool shocking is one of the most important pool maintenance practices. This article discusses what shocking a saltwater pool means and how to shock a saltwater pool.
Most salt water pools can be shocked by using the boost function on the chlorine generator, dosing the pool with a measured amount of chlorine, or by purchasing specifically designed products.
The term shock refers to the process of hyper-chlorinating the pool in an attempt to clear out excess dirt, germs and even algae. In order to achieve the required concentrations, you will have to add three to five times the amount of salt you use depending on the size of the pool and the amount of dirt accumulation. Also depending on the type of salt water chlorinator you are using, you might have to turn up the power for faster and more efficient chlorination. Salt water pool shocking is done every once in a while to figuratively and literally shock the dirt and unwelcome biological guests and give the pool a nice fresh start.
Read on to learn a little bit about how to shock a saltwater pool.
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Will The Salt Rust Your Pool
There is, yes, some risk that the salt in the water will corrode your pool or pool elements. For above ground pools, you should not use a saltwater system with a steel or aluminum pool, as it will destroy the pool. A resin pool, however, should be fine. Vinyl pool liners are also good at resisting damage from salt. If you do use a saltwater system with an above ground pool, you should check and, if necessary, replace metal components regularly.
One vital way of reducing corrosion and rust damage is a sacrificial anode. This is a zinc part that hangs out next to the parts you need to protect and takes the damage for them. You replace the anode about every three years or so. Bear in mind that the anode has to be properly bonded and grounded, and thus you will need a licensed electrician to install it.
Easy To Maintain Water Chemistry
The pool water is much easier to balance and maintain with salt water chlorination. The variation in chlorine in your pool is what actually causes variations in pH and total alkalinity.
Salt chlorine generation is automated and continuously released into the pool in small doses resulting in smaller and fewer fluctuations in pH and total alkalinity levels. Overall, this is what makes the pool water much easier to manage.
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Why Do Salt Water Pools Turn Green
The green colour is algae, which contains the green pigment chlorphyll. The more algae in the water the greener your pool. Algae growth is normally prevented by a sanitiser, most commonly chlorine. For the most part, salt water chlorinators and bleach pump pools both add chlorine to the water at a constant rate.
Distinction From Traditional Pool Chlorination
The presence of chlorine in traditional swimming pools can be described as a combination of free available chlorine and combined available chlorine . While FAC is composed of the free chlorine that is available for disinfecting the water, the CAC includes chloramines, which are formed by the reaction of FAC with amines . Chloramines are responsible for the “chlorine smell” of pools, as well as skin and eye irritation. These problems are the result of insufficient levels of free available chlorine, and indicate a pool that must be “shocked” by the addition of 510 times the normal amount of chlorine. In saltwater pools, the generator uses electrolysis to continuously produce free chlorine. As such, a saltwater pool or hot tub is not actually chlorine-free it simply utilizes added salt and a chlorine generator instead of direct addition of chlorine. It also burns off chloramines in the same manner as traditional shock . As with traditionally chlorinated pools, saltwater pools must be monitored in order to maintain proper water chemistry. Low chlorine levels can be caused by insufficient salt, incorrect chlorine-generation setting on the SWG unit, higher-than-normal chlorine demand, low stabilizer, sun exposure, insufficient pump speed, or mechanical issues with the chlorine generator. Salt count can be lowered due to splash-out, backwashing, and dilution via rainwater.
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Converting Your Pool To Salt Water
If you do decide to convert your pool to a salt water system, there are some basic things that will help you out.
For example, choose your salt water generator based on cost and pool size. These babies can get expensive, so dont go overboard with the biggest one when a smaller model will serve your purposes.
Make the decision upfront as to whether you’ll be installing the system yourself or hiring a professional.
Read up on exactly how its done and decide whether or not you have the time, patience and willingness to learn to get the job done right.
If you think you need a professional, get estimates and include that in your financial decision.
Know that you’ll sometimes still have to use regular chlorine.
While salt chlorinators do usually have a super chlorinate function that will give it a boost, its not a substitute for pool shock.
Usually, your pool will still need to be shocked at least once a month to keep algae at bay.
Does A Saltwater Pool Hurt Your Eyes
Saltwater is a more natural approach and safer on skin, hair, and your eyes. Pools sanitized with chlorine are generally safe and bacteria free. Eye irritation will be greatly reduced by swimming in saltwater. Keep in mind that chlorinated pools are safe but may cause some people more irritation than others.
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Do You Use Chlorine In A Saltwater Pool
One of the myths about saltwater pools is that they dont use actual chemical chlorine. This is not true. While a saltwater pool uses a chlorinator to produce sodium hypochlorite from salt that is added to the system, it still requires actual chemical chlorine at times to operate correctly.
While the amount of chemical chlorine you need to use in a saltwater pool is relatively minimal, it still does need to be used at times.
Can You Add Liquid Or Powder Chlorine To A Salt Water Pool
You can and will add chlorine manually to a salt water pool. Liquid chlorine or shock powder is usually added in the spring as you are opening the pool and again as youre closing it to give it one final bump to keep algae at bay when you shut the system down for the winter.
Some salt water pool owners will additionally shock the pool throughout the hot summer months when pool usage is heavy and the sun is bright. Chlorine dies quickly due to the UV rays from direct sunlight and pool usage naturally uses up chlorine too as humans track body oils, sweat, lotions and other contaminants into the water.
If your dog swims in the water regularly, it tracks fur, dander, feces and other debris into the water, too.
Salt water pools still require chlorine to operate. The salt chlorinator system converts dissolved salt into chlorine using electrolysis by way of the salt cell. The resulting chlorine is softer on clothing, skin and eyes than chemical chlorine in liquid, powder or puck form but its still chlorine. Chlorine is the sanitizing agent used in both chlorine and salt water pools. The delivery of the chlorine is different however.
Whereas a salt water chlorinator produces chlorine from salt, a regularly chlorinated pool uses chemical chlorine that is added regularly to the water. A salt water pool uses salt but a regularly chlorinated pool does not.
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Saltwater Pools For Health
Swimming in a saltwater pool may be better for someone who has asthma or allergies. Thats especially true when it comes to indoor pools. You might notice a strong chlorine smell upon entering an indoor pool area. Thats because of the chloramines, the mix of chlorine and ammonia. In an outdoor pool, the smell quickly evaporates, whereas its contained indoors.
It usually is most strong around the surface of the pool, where swimmers take their breaths. If you have trouble breathing, you may find swimming in an indoor chlorinated pool irritating.
One 2003 study found that young children who swim regularly in an indoor chlorinated pool were at greater risk for lung inflammation and developing asthma. But more research is needed to determine if a saltwater pool is the best alternative.
Salt Water Chlorinators Vs Chlorine Pools Explained
Is there really a big difference in saltwater pools and chlorinated pools? Well, the answers might surprise you. In a nutshell, satwater pools are easily the best investment you can make for your home pool. A saltwater pool isn’t just dumping sacks of salt into your pool, it’s much more than that. We’ll go over the advantages of saltwater pools from traditional chlorinated pools, and why you should really consider converting your pool to one.
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Whats The Main Difference Between A Saltwater Pool And A Traditional Chlorinated Pool
In a traditional chlorine pool, chlorine is added directly to the pool. With a saltwater pool, salt is added to the water in which the levels are maintained by the chlorinator. In turn, the electrodes in the chlorinator will convert the saltwater into chlorine for clean, clear, and luxuriously soft water.
How To Shock A Salt Water Pool With Bleach
While you can use bleach to shock your pool, you have be careful about the dosing amount and also the strength of the bleach being used. Bleach is highly concentrated and will of course as the name would suggest bleach your liner if you pour it in concentrated form too close to the walls of the pool.
Ive never personally used actual bleach in a pool full stop and have only used concentrated powder shock and liquid chlorine.
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Salt Water Pool Vs Chlorine Pool: Whats The Difference In Terms Of Maintenance Cost And Practicality Find Out Here
Did you know that 10.4 million householdsin the US have pools in their backyards? Are you thinking of joining them?
If youre considering installing a pool, you will have some choices to make, like whether you want a saltwater pool vs. a chlorine pool. To learn the differences in terms of maintenance, cost, and practicality, keep reading. Well break it all down for you.
Which Chlorine Alternative Is Right For You
With multiple options for a chlorine-free swimming pool, the choice can be confusing.
Every situation is different, so youll have to carefully weigh the pros and cons of each chlorine alternative system.
Salt system pools are very popular, and the most common non-chlorine option, but their high installation cost and potential to damage pool equipment may make you think twice.
A mineral or ionator option seems to be more of what most people are looking for when it comes to chlorine alternatives. The smooth and silky feeling they offer is a big plus, as no one wants to come out of a pool feeling like they just bathed in harsh chemicals.
Meanwhile, you cant really go wrong with the actual chlorine-free options: bromine and biguanide.
Bromine works just as well as chlorine , and biguanide does an impeccable job as well. The only downside to these is their price tags.
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What Is A Salt Water Swimming Pool
A saltwater pool is not a chlorine-free pool. Salt chlorine generators offer an alternative method of sanitizing a pool by using salt to produce its own chlorine automatically. A saltwater pool works much the same way as any other swimming pool, but instead of adding chlorine tablets, you’ll add a fine-grain salt. If your salt pool is properly maintained, it shouldnt taste or smell salty at all.
Salt Pool Myths: Take Them With A Grain Of Salt
The most common myth regarding salt pools is that they are a better choice if you have sensitivities or allergies to chlorine. Salt pools are, in fact, sanitized using chlorine. A salt-chlorine generator separates the chlorine and sodium molecules in salt and reintroduces them into the pool water. It is still the chlorine that sanitizes your pool!
Another misconception is that salt pools do not require other chemicals. This is completely false and not using other chemicals could damage your pool or be potentially harmful. There is no magic inside a salt-chlorine generator that balances pool water. All parameters should be checked and balanced regularly. Additionally, salt pools need to be shocked on a regular basis and salt-chlorine generators typically do not have the ability to effectively shock your pool. All pools, no matter what the sanitizer, need to be shocked regularly preferably once per week during warm weather.
How Does A Salt-Chlorine Generator System Work?
How To Convert A Standard Pool To A Salt Water Pool
Why Do Pools Need Chlorine
We use chlorine because it is the most effective agent in the battle against any and all contaminants that lurk in your pool water such as bacteria, sweat, body oil, bird droppings, and anything else that makes its way into the pristine pride of your backyard.
Chlorine effectively removes the conglomeration of unwanted contaminants and surrounds them to mask the odor and harmful exposure to your swimmers who are unaware such things. It also combines with other unnatural contaminants, such as nitrogen and ammonia, now appropriately called combined chlorine.
Combined chlorine, also known as chloramines, build up in your pool and can create lots of pool water problems. These can easily be tested for with DPD Test Kits and Test Strips and removed with a good Shock Treatment of chlorine.
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The Benefits Of Using A Saltwater System
- No more purchasing, transportation or storage of chlorine.
- No more skin irritations and itchy red eyes.
- No more faded bathing suites.
- No more harsh chemicals in your swimming pool.
The saltwater chlorine generator takes care of the sanitation portion of the pools chemistry, but there are a few easily managed chemicals that are necessary to add as well. Controlling the pH and Alkalinity levels will continue to be important as well as controlling stabilizer levels, a.k.a. cyanuric acid. Salt levels should be maintained around 3500 ppm.
Check The Salt Cell Every Three Months
Most salt generators have automatic alerts that flash when the cells need to be changed, but even if they dont, you need to inspect them consistently.
You’ll be looking for buildup or debris that might have gotten past your filter.
If there’s anything in it, flush it thoroughly with a high-pressure hose.
You may even need to chip calcium buildup away with a plastic tool.
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How To Convert Into Saltwater System
You wont need to alter any device such as filter, pump, or heater in your current setup. All that you’ll need to do is to get and install a saltwater chlorine generator in the appropriate location and add some sodium chloride .
If you prefer a more complex SWCG system that needs lots of plumbing and electrical work, it is advisable to hire a specialist to install it for you.
The one I use, the Hayward AQR15 AquaRite Salt Chlorination System for in-ground pools, is very easy to install and use. Nearly anyone can follow directions and use it successfully.
The appropriate location to install the SWCG is always near the power source and after pool filters, pumps, and heaters to ensure that water that passes through it is clean and will not cause damage. Here is a step-by-step do-it-yourself guide for converting to salt.
What Is A Salt Water Pool
Most people think of the ocean when they think of salt water, but a salt water swimming pool is not the same thing.
In other words, when you get a mouth full of ocean water, you can taste the salt.
But in the world of swimming pools, a salt water pool is one that uses a salt chlorine generator instead of traditional chlorine for sanitizing. This means that the pool is still chlorinated, just with a different type of chlorine.
The way the salt generator works is by creating its own chlorine with an electrical reaction between the salt in the salt cell and the electrode in the generator.
So, instead of pouring chlorine into your pool or adding tablets, the generator is constantly creating it.
And if it’s working right, it will also monitor the levels you set it to in order to keep your sanitizer levels balanced.
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