What Are The Costs Associated With Having A Salt Water Pool In Sarasota
According to HomeAdvisor.com, the average monthly cost to maintain a traditional chlorine pool is $235 between the cost of chemicals, and using electricity to run the pool filtration system. Salt water pool costs can be up to $700 less per year that chemical pools, as you dont need to take trips to the pool supply store to purchase and add jugs of chlorine.
The additional cost of a salt water pool is that the salt cell or salt generator must be replaced every 3 to 5 years. These generators typically average around $500 $700.
Your Premier Manatee Sarasota Pool Contractor
Mismanaged Ph Can Be Costly
Its not unusual for pool owners to fall behind on checking the pH and alkalinity balance of their pools. A saltwater pool has a higher pH than a traditional chlorine pool.
When the pH gets out of balance in a saltwater pool:
Imbalanced pH levels can also destroy a saltwater generator cell in less than 90 days. The cells warranty does not cover this type of damage, and cells can cost $500-$800 to replace.
Other Factors That Can Impact Your Salt Water Pool Cost
Ground Preparation
Depending on the necessary preparation, a contractor might charge you more for your project. The cost to prepare the ground alone can easily go up to $20,000. One way to lower your saltwater pool costs is to level the ground before getting a quote from a contractor.
Costs can quickly add up if your contractor needs to build retaining walls, remove trees, or level the ground.
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What Materials Are Needed To Convert To A Saltwater Pool
As neat as it would be to just add table salt to your water, to convert your pool to saltwater, first you’ll need a few necessary components . You’ll need the following:
You’ll also need to be sure to have proper electricity available to power the system.
Choosing the Right Salt Chlorinator System for Your Pool
The main component of a saltwater pool system is the chlorinator. A salt chlorinator system consists of two major parts: the salt cell and the control board. The salt cell is where the electrolysis takes place that converts the salt in your pool’s water to chlorine. The control board controls how much chlorine is generated.
Which system you choose is largely a matter of preference and budget, as some systems come with considerably more features than others. But what is most important is that you choose a salt system that is rated for your pool’s water volume. The most common ratings are 15,000 gallons, 25,000 gallons, and 40,000 gallons. You’ll just want to choose a system that meets or exceeds your pool’s water volume, and you should be in good shape.
The Importance of a Sacrificial Anode
The anode is added to your plumbing and connects via a wire to whatever piece of metal equipment you’d like to protect. The corrosion is then redirected to an inexpensive zinc anode, which can be easily replaced every few years. This will help keep your pool rust-free.
Don’t Forget the Salt!
BONUS: You know what goes really well with salt? PEPPER!
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 youre looking to make your household safer and you prefer a natural approach, youre a prime candidate for a salt water pool.
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Which Is Better A Saltwater Pool Or Chlorine
Pros of Saltwater Pools Theres less chlorine and less of the heavy chemical scent and content. Theyre gentler on the skin, with less irritation to the eyes, hair and swimsuits. The water has a softer, silkier feel to it compared to chlorine water. They have lower maintenance costs than chlorine pools.
The Difference Between Saltwater And Chlorine Pools
The water in traditional chlorine pools must be sampled and balanced with liquid or tablet chlorine. Alkalinity, pH and calcium hardness must be adjusted as well. Saltwater pools require the same chemicals except chlorine, although you may need to shock a saltwater pool once in a while.
Instead of relying on store-bought chlorine, saltwater pools create their own through electrolysis. You add pool grade salt to a chlorine generator. Then the generator runs salty water through two electrically charged plates, converting it to chlorine. The pool water is still sanitized with chlorine, but the process differs from that of a traditional chlorine pool.
Although each style of pool is sanitized with the same substance, the chlorine in a saltwater pool may be different than what youre used to experiencing. According to In the Swim, saltwater chlorine generation results in fewer chloramines, which are the real culprit of the feeling and smell often associated with traditional chlorine pools.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains, chloramines are a type of combined chlorine that form in water and emit gas into the surrounding air. They cause the well-known chlorine smell, eye redness and, sometimes, respiratory irritation.
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Salt Water Pool Conversion
Pros
- No Chlorine Smell: Salt water pools don’t have the same chlorine smell that is present in traditional pools.
- Gentler on the Body: Salt water pools won’t irritate your skin or eyes like a chlorine pool.
- Cheaper To Maintain Over Time: The annual cost of maintaining a salt water pool is often less than maintaining a traditional chlorine pool. Plus, without having to manually add chemicals and constantly check pH levels, the maintenance process is much easier.
Cons
- Salt Water Causes Corrosion: If you have a pool with metal parts, a salt system can cause corrosion, which can lead to serious damage.
- Higher Initial Cost: The initial cost of converting to salt water pool can be a lot for some to swallow.
Crank Up The Salt Water Generator
Check your pools chemistry again. The ideal levels for your salt water pool are:
- pH: 7.4 7.6
- Chlorine: 1.0 3.0 ppm
- Salt: 3,000 3,500 ppm
Before starting the generator, its a good idea to go ahead and shock your pool with another type of pool shock, like cal-hypo, and then wait for your chlorine to return to its ideal level.
This is especially a good idea if you cant get your pool chemistry to balance, and should help stabilize all the levels.
Once the chlorine has returned to around 1.0 3.0 ppm, you can turn on your salt chlorinator system.
You can choose the amount of chlorine production you want for your pool, but if youve just shocked it and all the levels are in normal range, 50% production is a good starting point.
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Benefits Of Converting A Chlorine Pool To Salt Water Pool
Vice President of Business Development at Crystal Clear Building Services
Benefits of Converting a Chlorine Pool to Salt Water Pool
- Salt water is better for your skin and eyes .
- Skin is softer and not dried out by the harsh chlorine chemicals.
- Eliminate that chlorine smell on your skin, hair and bathing suit.
- No longer have to add chlorine to your pool as the chlorinator converts the salt to chlorine.
Step 1:
Drain your pool using a submersible pump. These pumps can be rented from your local Home Depot which includes sufficient hose to complete the drain. NOTE: Keep in mind that local municipalities may require that water is drained directly to a sewer as opposed to the street.
Step 2:
Once pool is empty, fill with clean water. The refill process can take a long time especially if you are using the hose in the backyard. Consider buying a Rola-chem M-3000 Pool Sentry. Since no one wants to baby sit a hose all weekend, take my word for it and buy this product. Worth its weight in gold. This device shuts the hose OFF automatically once pool water level reaches the top.
Step 3:
Step 4:
Add pool salt sold at your local pool store. Refer to article, How much salt should I add to my Salt Water Pool. This is a very popular question amongst our readers worldwide. Pool salt is more refined and dissolves faster. Do not attempt to add salt for a water softener system or table salt as these will not provide accurate results.
Step 5:
PROFESSIONAL TIP:
How To Convert A Chlorine Pool To A Saltwater Pool
Perhaps you have a swimming pool, and it already uses a traditional chlorine sanitizing system to keep your pool water clean which is fine and all… but you’ve heard of all the benefits of saltwater pool systems and want to change over to the salty side.
Luckily, it turns out converting a chlorine pool to a saltwater pool is not only a fairly simple process, but relatively inexpensive as well! In this article, we’ll cover the basics of switching to saltwater and how you can easily do it yourself .
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How To Make The Switch From Salt Water To Chlorine
Many people find switching from salt water to chlorine is much easier than switching from chlorine to salt water. The main issue is to get the salt water out as much as you can.
In order to get remnants of the salt water out, many experts advise draining the pool and refilling it. But, it is not advised that you simply drain the water out into your yard. Draining salt water pools like that can hurt the ecosystem because salt breaks down into various components that can be harmful to the environment. Thats why a truck needs to be brought in to suck the water out. As you can imagine, this can become costly depending on the size of your pool and layout of your yard.
Even when you do this, there may some salt residue, but it should be extremely low. Basically by draining your salt water pool when you want to make the switch to chlorine, you are starting from scratch. You obviously no longer need salt for your pool. This is going to be replaced with chlorine tablets.
To Drain Or Not To Drain
The good news is, you dont have to drain your pool. However , if you currently use an antibacterial agent in your pool, draining the pool may be a good idea.
The active ingredient in this type of pool sanitizer is polyhexamethylene biguanide, a chemical that is not compatible with chlorine. Because your salt water pool will contain chlorine, if this agent is not first removed from the water, your pool water will not be properly balanced, and the chlorine will be less effective at keeping your water clean.
You have two options in this casedrain your pool and start from scratch with new water, or burn the antibacterial agent out of the water with a high dose of chlorine.
This option will turn your pool water white, and it will take several days to dissipate. Once it does, you can begin the salt water conversion process.
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Labor Cost To Install Saltwater Pool
The labor cost of a saltwater pool installation runs from $8,000 to $30,000. The lowest price doesnt include the excavation, but it does include all installation work. Excavation costs about $9.22 per cubic yard to a 6-foot depth, so it would cost about $920 to dig a hole big enough for a 15 x 20 pool and $1,230 for a 20 x 30 pool. The highest cost is usually all-inclusive and includes the patio, fencing, plumbing, and electrical work.
Above-ground pool salt systems are much easier to set up, and can sometimes be installed in less than an hour, or have it installed professionally for $300 $500.
Saltwater Equipment And Maintenance Costs
When people argue that a saltwater pool will save you money, theyre usually not talking about installation and construction costs. Initially, a saltwater pool can cost you $30,000 or more just to build in your backyard.
Instead, these people are typically referring to long-term maintenance and equipment costs. In comparison to a traditional chlorine pool, maintaining your saltwater pool from month to month tends to be cheaper.
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A Salt Water Chlorinator
The first thing youll need is a great salt water chlorinator! As we mentioned earlier, well be basing this guide on the Water TechniX Atomic Salt Water Chlorinator, but this guide is suitable for almost any brand out there.
The reason why we picked the Water TechniX Atomic is simple, its robust, designed and assembled right here in Australia, and it has the longest warranty period of all the salt water systems out there. It also has the best price-to-performance ratio that we know of, making it one of the best, if not THE best, salt water chlorination system out there.
The Atomic features analog timers and an analog control panel. Now you might be asking why analog when were already living in the digital age. The answer is simple: salt water doesnt play well with electronic components. There was a point in time where salt systems used high end LCD screens to show every sort of conceivable data about the functioning of the chlorinator, but in the long run, it only served as another point of failure which could lead to hundreds of dollars in repair costs. And to be honest, we dont really spend a lot of time sitting down and staring at the control panel of the chlorinator.
Pick A Salt Chlorinator
There are many ways to pick a saltwater chlorination system. The best system is large enough to work with your pool, reliable enough not to need replacing for a long time, and reasonably affordable on your budget.
If youre hiring people to install your saltwater chlorination system, as most people do, they may be able to recommend specific manufacturers or systems to you. I am not going to do that myself because I have no stake in which system you buy. Instead, I strongly encourage you to evaluate your own options and needs, read reviews, and make your own decision there.
You should know that chlorinators vary in their features. Almost any system will let you change how much chlorine they produce, which makes it easy to adjust your pool, but advanced systems can also offer automatic cleaning, freeze protection, flow control, digital readouts, and other helpful information.
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Making Salt Water Pool Maintenance Simple
Even though keeping the water clean in a salt water swimming pool is easier than a traditional pool, maintenance is still critical! Youll need to test your water regularly to make sure its balanced and adjust the chemistry as needed.
We recommend testing your pool water about once a week to check the chlorine and pH levels. Every month or so, test the salt level. Some salt systems have displays that indicate the salinity, but a test strip will give you the most accurate reading.
Additionally, keep your filter, pump, and other pool equipment clean, just like you would with a chlorinated pool. Lastly, the chlorinator cell should be cleaned several times a year to prevent salt buildup and corrosion. A zinc anode can also help to minimize corrosion in a salt water pool.
You dont have to be a chemist to own a salt water pool! Pool Calculator will do the math for you. Just track your water test results, and well tell you exactly how much of each pool chemical additive you need. Keeping your water clear, balanced, and healthy has never been easier. Download our friendly mobile app for desktop, Android, or iOS mobile device to get started now.
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How To Convert Your Pool To Salt Water
Although salt water pools have been around since the 1970s, their popularity has grown rapidly in recent years. This is due in large part to their reduced cost in upkeep. Theyre also easier on your skin, hair, and eyes, and youve probably heard salt water is healthier than chlorine, too.
Maybe youve been thinking about salt water pool conversion to take advantage of all those benefits. But what a hassle that change would be, right? Actually, the conversion process is fairly simple, so if youre thinking of doing it yourself, youre in luck.
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What Are The Benefits Of Having A Salt Water Pool In Sarasota
The most immediate benefit that we can note is the lack of harsh chemicals that need to be added to the water. While chlorine is still present in saltwater pools, it is often less harsh and is regulated by a Salt Cell or Salt Generator. Essentially, this piece electrically charges the salt in the water, which forces the bond within NaCl to split, forming chlorine. The salt generator will have a control board which will regulate the amount of chlorine that needs to be released into the water.
The result is a much silkier, softer texture to the water, as there is not nearly as much chlorine in the pool at any given time. This results mean less chlorine smell, and none of that nagging itching or burning sensations that can be present in a pool that recently had chlorine added to the water.
One of the largest benefits of the self-regulating nature of a salt water pool, especially in Sarasota, is dealing with summer rainshowers. Summer rain can often dilute a traditional pools chemical balance. When it rains every afternoon, it can be difficult to keep algae from growing in the pool. A salt water chlorine generator will automatically regulate this process, which cuts down on trips to the pool supply store!
