Wednesday, March 20, 2024
HomeExclusiveIs Salt Water Pool Easier To Maintain

Is Salt Water Pool Easier To Maintain

- Advertisment -

Myth : Saltwater Pools Need No Maintenance

How To Choose The Right Salt Water Chlorinator | Pool Advice | Mr Pool Man

Oh, boy. Saltwater pools need less maintenance for sure, and they require maintenance less frequently, but they absolutely need consistent care. And when you have a saltwater pool, you might have less chemicals to worry about. But you still need to make sure your:

– pH levels are between 7.2 and 7.8

– Free chlorine is between 1 and 3 parts per million

– Salinity level is between 3,000 and 3,500 ppm

– Stabilizer is between 70 and 80 ppm

– Calcium is between 200 and 400 ppm

Its not a lot, but it certainly does take some time. Make sure to check your levels every other week. Still sound like a lot? Compare that to the frequency of maintaining a chlorinated pool… thats half!

What Is Better Salt Or Mineral Pool

Both salt and mineral work well to sanitise the water, they kill bacteria and prevent algae from harbouring and multiplying. Whilst the water clarity of both systems is much alike, the water quality of a mineral pool is far superior. Mineral pools use less chlorine to sanitise the water than a saltwater system does.

Gentler Softer Water For A Smooth Swim

Although saltwater pools use the same type of chlorine that youd find in any chlorine pool, the fact that theres less of it, that its super stable, and that its complemented by salt all work together to make the water similar to the salinity of the human tear duct. The result? No stinging eyes, skin, nose, or throat.

Want to dive even deeper? When chlorine is unstable, it creates what is called a chloramine when it attacks a contaminant in your pool . After the contaminants themselves, chloramines are the bad guys of your pool. Theyre super irritant to your body, they smell like chemicals, and they work to limit how much work chlorine can do. Thats why pool shock is so important. But unlike a chlorine pool, the stable chlorine of a saltwater pool helps to prevent the creation of chloramines. So thats one step effectively skipped. Nice!

Don’t Miss: Mandalay Bay Pool Dates

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 youll 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.

Are Traditional Chlorine Pools Better

How to Test the Pool Salt Level by Using any Methods

Traditional pool water can be less expensive to install and maintain, but they also require regular maintenance, such as adding chlorine and balancing agents. A saltwater pools maintenance requirements are much lower than those of a chlorine pool. But the biggest difference is in the cost. A traditional pool can cost up to $1,100 per year, and balancing agents can cost hundreds of dollars. Not to mention the time it takes to maintain and repair a traditional pool.

The initial costs of installing and maintaining a saltwater pool are higher, but the long-term costs are worth it. You will not have to spend countless hours weekly dealing with chlorine-related maintenance issues. Saltwater systems also require less maintenance and dont require special storage. These features make them much more attractive to future buyers. Saltwater pools are more expensive than traditional ones, but the upfront and ongoing operational costs are far less.

Also Check: How To Heat Above Ground Pool Quickly

Inspecting The Salt Cell Generator

Minerals like calcium tend to build up on salt cells over time, so youll need to examine the cell visually and use cleaners as required. As with your chemicals, the exact process to follow may vary slightly based on the system you have. That said, most salt cell generators are compatible with these instructions.

Saltwater Swimming Pool Maintenance Routine

So, if your custom swimming pool with salt water will need maintenance, what will your pool maintenance routine look like? Much of what will be required to maintain a healthy swimming environment will depend on a number of variables including: your pool usage, how well your pool system is functioning and other environmental factors.

The basics of keeping your custom saltwater pool functioning properly and the water healthy include the following steps. You will need to monitor salt levels and test your pool water pH level. Much like chlorine swimming pool water, you will need to test chlorine levels, total alkalinity, calcium hardness and cyanuric acid levels. You will also need to keep an eye on your salt water swimming pool filter to ensure it is operating properly. And finally, you must clean the salt cell.

Have any further questions about saltwater swimming pools or any other luxury swimming pool questions? Were here to help. Contact us with any of your questions or to learn how we can design and build a custom concrete swimming pool for your home.

You May Like: Using Iron Out In Swimming Pool

Monthly Task For Salt Water Pool Maintenance

There are 4 things to check for monthly tasks: salinity, alkalinity, stabilizer, and calcium.

The salinity of your pool needs to be between 2700 and 4500 ppm. Check with your owners manual to ensure that there may be slight variations depending on your pool model. If your generator does not have on ,you can use a salt meter.

As far as alkalinity is concerned, the most appropriate levels are 80 and 120 ppm. Reamarking, that you can use baking soda to raise it or muriatic acid to lower it.

Cyanuric acid, or CYA, is considered the ideal stabilizer for saltwater pools and should be between 70 and 80 ppm. On the other hand, calcium hardness should be between 200 and 400 ppm of calcium to prevent scaling and corrosion.

Saltwater Swimming Pool Maintenance Basics Explained For Homeowners Considering A Saltwater Pool

Why Your POOL Needs AIR #shorts

Saltwater swimming pool maintenance is a topic that often comes up when our custom swimming pool customers in Bluffton, Hilton Head, Beaufort County and the surrounding areas of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida are weighing the benefits of saltwater swimming pools versus chlorine swimming pools. While most homeowners considering a swimming pool with salt water understand that these pools are gentler on skin and eyes and better for swimmers with allergies than chlorinated swimming pools, they are often unsure on how saltwater pool maintenance stacks up against pools with chlorine.

Read Also: Build Your Own In Ground Swimming Pool

Disadvantages Of Saltwater Pools

  • Saltwater pools require a higher initial investment, making them more expensive than traditional pools.
  • More complex than traditional pools, they often require experienced technicians even for minor problems.
  • Salt can cause damage to some materials, so you may have to avoid using specific types of heaters, fixtures, underwater lighting, liners, and even some types of masonry work.

Myth : With A Saltwater Pool I Wont Need A Pool Filter

If only! As with any other type of pool, youll still need to have the right pool filter for you. This is because while a saltwater pool keeps chlorine super stable, it doesnt magically vanish contaminants. Once bacteria is neutralized , it still has to exit your pool somehow. Plus, theres also microscopic bits of contaminants and debris throughout your water that your pool vacuum will missespecially if they float up from the pool floor. Its just better to keep them far, far away from you and your fellow swimmers.

Read Also: Pool Hours Mandalay Bay

Benefits Of A Salt Water Pool

So, if its not maintenance-free, then why the heck would you even want a salt water pool in the first place?

Actually, there are some other benefits to salt water pools that may make you want to convert.

  • Water in salt water pools feels much softer than water in traditional chlorine pools.
  • Even though your salt water pool will be generating its own chlorine, most people consider it gentler on the pool and the swimmer .
  • Salt water pools do not produce those nasty chloramines that traditional chlorine pools produce because they burn them off during their generating process .
  • Since the salt water cell produces its own chlorine, you dont have to handle and store dangerous chemicals.
  • When the settings are properly adjusted, salt water pools produce the right amount of chlorine instead of the pool-owner having to add it.

Saltwater Pools For Health

Salt Water or Chlorine Swimming Pool, What is the Maintenance &  Cost?

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.

Also Check: Can I Leave My Dolphin Pool Cleaner In The Pool

Can Salt Water Pools Be Heated

Saltwater pools can definitely be heated just like freshwater pools. The saltwater chlorinator does not affect heating units, so you will not have to worry about this when installing a heater in your swimming pool. The heating units will also be set up and installed in the same way as in chlorine pools.

Saltwater Systems Vs Traditional Chlorinated Pools

If you dont know much about saltwater filters and pools, the facts may surprise you. First, they arent anywhere close to being as salty as seawater. They have only about one-tenth the salinity. Second, they arent chlorine-free. Instead, the system uses a process called electrolysis to create chlorine, which disinfects the water.

You May Like: Can Lice Drown In A Pool

Why Maintaining A Saltwater Pool Is Different From A Traditional Chlorine Pool

Chlorine is the chemical of choice for sterilizing swimming pools, primarily because of its cleanliness, oxidation levels, and low price point. Regular chlorine pools ask you to add chlorine as needed to maintain a more-or-less constant level within the pool.

Saltwater pools also use chlorine, but rather than dumping chemicals in, they pass water through a unique system known as a salt chlorine generator. When you add electricity to the water and salt, the chemicals change into hydrogen gas and hypochlorous acid. The acid sanitizes the pool while the hydrogen bubbles out of the water and into the air.

Related reading:How to convert your pool to salt water

Unlike traditional chlorine pools, which require frequent chemical adjustments, saltwater pools require minimal maintenance and can work for extended periods without modification. This means significantly less time spent maintaining your pool.

However, its not all positives because salt is fundamentally corrosive. Its not harmful to pool equipment in normal concentrations, but if something goes wrong and salt starts to exceed 6000 parts per million, it can start breaking down everything from railings to your pool liner . Thats a high cost, and one pool owners must actively work to limit.

Read our chlorine vs. saltwater pool comparison guide for a more in-depth look at the pros and cons of each.

The Proper Maintenance For Salt Water Pool Maintenance

Make Traditional LIVE Pickled Radishes Quick and Easy with just Radishes, Water and Salt!

In a standard pool, chlorine is poured directly into the pool water. A simpler and safer alternative has been created. Salt chlorination is a natural and more convenient method of sanitation. Dilute the salt in the pool. The system converts it into just the right amount of chlorine for cleaner, clearer, and luxuriously soft water.

Cleaning a salty pool will require daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning tasks.

Read Also: Swimming Pool Tile Sealer

Myth : Switching To Saltwater Will Wreck My Pool

This one is a partial mythunless you take some precautions, converting your pool to saltwater might introduce rust. My recommendation is to get a sacrificial anode, which is a zinc cell that takes on the damage that would otherwise hit the parts around it. Youll want a professional electrician for thisas you probably know by now, electricity and water arent recommended for a novices first try. Yowch.

Its also best to avoid all steel, aluminum, or metal inside and nearby your pool, and invest in a vinyl pool liner if you have an above-ground pool.

Complete Guide For A Salt Water Pool Maintenance

You might think that salt water pool maintenance is a challenging task. With this complete, safe, and fast cleaning guide, you will have instant cleaning without putting to much effort.

If you love to cool off, swim and spend time in the water, you may have suffered the inevitable effects of chlorine used to disinfect. Irritated eyes, as well as dry skin and hair are the most common.

In addition, if you have your own pool, youre probably also fed up with storing and handling large drums of this product, the handling of which carries certain risks.

So if this year you want to save yourself the hassle without giving up the advantages of having a pool, we offer you a perfect solution to avoid it: convert yours into a saltwater pool. With this article we will provide you the best tips and tricks to take a perfect care of it.

Read Also: Metal In Pool Water

Are Saltwater Pools Easier To Maintain

For pool owners or purchasers, one of the biggest questions is whether to get a saltwater pool or a traditional pool. They both come with certain pros and cons, but the question many people ask is: are saltwater pools easier to maintain? If you find yourself asking this question, and you are planning on making your pool purchase decision based on the answer, below is some information to keep in mind when making your investment.

When most people think about saltwater pools, a bunch of different benefits typically come to mind. Lower chlorine levels, water that is gentler on the skin, and water that can even be good for the skin. What is less well known is how much maintenance is required to keep and own a saltwater pool.

Saltwater Pools Have Less Maintenance

Saltwater pools generally require less maintenance than a traditional chlorine pool. While some of the basic cleaning duties are the same, such as skimming debris off the top of the water, applying a vacuum to the bottom, and cleaning the sides at the water line, the maintenance of the water is rather simple, simply add the required salt at the prescribed times.

Drawbacks of Saltwater Pools

While the maintenance requirements are definitely less with a saltwater pool than a traditional pool, there are some other things to keep in mind. Saltwater pools are generally more expensive to install than traditional pools.

Should You Convert Your Inground Pool To Saltwater

Is It Easier To Maintain Salt Water Pool?

The benefits of converting your pool to a salt system are clear, but it might cause you more problems in the end if your pool is incompatible.

It might not be a good idea to switch to a salt system if your inground pool has any metal parts in the structure or if you have metal accessories. You might also choose to steer clear of salt if you have a plaster surface.

However, in most cases, unless your pool has metal walls that can corrode, a saltwater pool can make pool maintenance much easier and give you a better swimming experience overall.

Still thinking about your options when it comes to inground pools, and whether or not you’d like to use a salt system to keep it clean? Take our Pool Type Quiz, which includes a question about saltwater to help you figure out which type of pool best suits your needs:

If you’d like to learn more about salt systems, feel free to check out our guides below. Happy swimming!

Also Check: Clean Concrete Pool

Clean Debris From The Pool On A Daily Basis

Especially, when the pool is outdoors. It is convenient to remove, on a daily basis, leaves and insects that have fallen into the water, or in the skimmers.

To help you and have a more professional and fast cleaning, you may use a vacuum cleaner to clean effectively.

This process of cleaning a saltwater pool should be done at least about twice a week. To do this, you can connect a handheld vacuum cleaner to the skimmer and get a suction machine.

Also, you can use a mechanized suction machine, which cleans the debris and dirt from the pool automatically.

Salt Water Pool Maintenance

Salt water pool maintenance is actually quite simple with the technology available in todays chlorine generators and testing equipment. Youll spend less money and time monitoring the chemistry of your pool and spend a lot more time enjoying all the benefits. You should never have to purchase, transport or add harsh chlorine to the water and since salt water is a lot more stable by nature, it will require less chemicals than a regular pool.

At the start of the season its important to ensure that you get your salt water pool started on the right track. If you are just getting it up and running for the season we have an excellent step by step guide that will help you with opening your salt water pool in the spring. As the pool season progresses there will be some simple weekly and monthly maintenance that can be done by a handy pool owner. Its important to always follow the manufacturers instructions for your specific chlorine generator cell because the requirements can vary slightly.

You May Like: Ideas To Hide Pool Pump

RELATED ARTICLES
- Advertisment -

Most Popular

- Advertisment -