The Pros And Cons Of Saltwater Pools
Hazardous to handle and store, chlorine can irritate the skin and the eyes. Its no wonder, then, that many people opt for saltwater pools, which offer some advantages over traditionally chlorinated swimming pools. Saltwater pools do have some downsides you need to consider before purchasing one, however. To decide which type of pool might be right for you, consider the pros and cons of each.
Salt Water Chlorine Generator
A salt water chlorine generator connects to your pool system and creates natural chlorine using table salt. Through electrolysis, the generator produces a gas form of chlorine which circulates into the water.
Here are a few facts:
- Chlorine generators produce softer water
- Theyre low maintenance
- They dont make your water taste salty
Now, technically, this alternative may not count since its still a form of chlorine. But it should be noted that chlorine generators use a type of chlorine thats less harsh, and much easier on the skin than traditional chlorine.
You can learn more about saltwater chlorine generators in this post: Understanding Salt Water Chlorination Systems
How Does A Salt Water Chlorine Generator Work
Saltwater chlorination uses food-grade saltthe same salt youd put on your burger and fries. It is referred to as pool salt. Salt molecules are passed through a cell and exposed to a specific electrical charge that converts salt molecules into chlorine molecules. An equivalent of 1 tsp per gallon of wateror between 3,000 to 3,500 parts per million of saltis added to the pool.To compare, the ocean contains 35,000 ppm of salt. When the salt converts into chlorine gradually, the result is softer, more comfortable water.
For some swimmers who are sensitive to chlorine, they experience less irritation of the skin and eyes because chlorine is produced at a lower level than if you were to add it to the pool manually. For those with skin conditions, saltwater systems create water that is less abrasive and less likely to irritate their condition.
Read Also: How Much Are Pool Sticks
How Does Ozone Work In Swimming Pools
Ozone produced by a pool ozonator has a very short shelf life and only survives for around 20 seconds after it is created before it turns back into oxygen. So when the ozone is created inside the system, it treats the surrounding water which is then returned to the pool for swimming. But there is no residual ozone floating around the pool waiting to sanitize contaminants that enter the pool from swimming and external sources such as rain, sun, organic matter and the like.
Thats the difference between chlorine and ozone and why an ozone-based generator cannot work on its own without some assistance from manually added chlorine or bromine: Chlorine and bromine survives in the pool water for a period of time and waits to be used as needed whereas ozone cant survive as long.
So when you jump into the pool and introduce sweat, oil, lotion, dead skin, urine and other contaminants into the water, the free chlorine that is available will treat it. Ozone cannot do this since it only survives long enough to treat the water as it passes through the system and then quickly reverts back to O2. Your pool needs something to act as a residual sanitizer when needed.
Lets now look at specific options for ozone generation in your pool.
Should I Get A Salt Water Generator For My Pool
As a current pool owner or someone who is looking to purchase a pool, somewhere along the way, you may have asked yourself, what’s the difference between a salt water pool and a chlorine pool? Which is better? Should I get a salt water generator for my swimming pool?
The truth is, a salt water swimming pool basically is a chlorine pool.
A salt water generator electronically converts the salt into chlorine, thus keeping your swimming pool clean. However, the chlorine level in a salt water pool is much lower, proving better for your skin and swimsuits.
For those readers who are already enjoying the wonders of salt, please feel free to go back to doing whatever you were doing.
Also Check: How Do I Remove Algae From My Pool
The Downsides Of Saltwater Pools
While upkeep is inexpensive, startup costs can be rather pricey. Saltwater pools have an initial cost of $800 to $1,000 for the chlorine generator alone. Salt cells need to be replaced every 3 to 8 years and each cell costs $300 to $600.
Starting up a saltwater pool requires many hundreds of pounds of salt to get the water to its correct levels. Bulk salt, too, requires a lot of storage space, so you’ll need a shed and a cart to move it around.
Salt cells must be cleaned frequently , using either a cell cleaning stand or a bucket. Cells are cleaned in muriatic acid, a hazardous chemical.
Saltwater does not work with all types of pools or pool equipment. Salt will corrode vinyl pools that have metal wall panels. It will also corrode some handrails and ladder bolts.
In cold climates, the chlorine generator may not be able to produce enough chlorine to winterize the pool. So, you may still need to resort to traditional chlorine additives during the winter.
Maintaining A Salt Water Pool
There is very little difference in the day to day maintenance between salt pools and chlorine-tablet pools. The biggest difference is that youre not opening a smelly chlorine bucket every week to fill the chemical feeder or floater. You still need to test and adjust your water balance and chlorine levels, you still need to use chlorine stabilizer, and may need other helper chemicals to maintain water quality.
There are some additional tasks that come with a salt water pool however. The energized plates of the salt cell attract calcium scale, which deposit upon the metal surfaces, reducing chlorine output, and eventually damaging the cell. Salt cells need to be cleaned regularly in a mild acid solution, to dissolve the scale. Advanced inground salt systems are self-cleaning, accomplished by reversing the polarity to the salt cell, and sloughing off the scale, which is carried away by the water.
In addition to testing your chlorine, pH, alkalinity, calcium and cyanuric acid levels regularly, salt water pools should be tested with salt test strips throughout the pool season. Salt does not evaporate, but is diluted by rain and fill water added to the pool, or when lowering the water level for winterization.
Read Also: How To Clear Cloudy Swimming Pool Water
Saltwater Is Better Than Chlorine Water
This really depends on who you ask. For most people, swimming in a salt water pool is better on their skin because the way the chlorine is put into the pool is less harsh.
Some people also say that their hair feels more manageable after swimming in a salt water pool. You also have less of a chance of experiencing redness or irritation in your eyes.
However, for some swimmers, their skin can still become irritated and dry. Their hair may still feel matted and gross because they are still technically swimming in chlorine.
It is really up to your personal preference. Before you decide which pool you want to install in your backyard, try swimming in a chlorine pool and then a saltwater pool to see which one feels better for you.
What Happens When You Put Too Much Salt In A Pool
The only way to lower the salt level in your pool when its too high is to:
- Drain some water and then refill it with clean unsalted water ie. water from your garden hose.
- Wait for the salt level to naturally go down through splashing, filter backwashing, etc.
- Wait for a heavy rainfall to dilute the pool water.
If your salt level is slightly above the desired range of 3,400 ppm and your chlorinator isnt giving you a high salt warning, you might choose to do nothing and wait it out because salt level does drop over time with regular pool usage and as evaporated pool water is replaced.
Don’t Miss: How To Lower Calcium Hardness In Pool
Schedule Your Salt Generator Installation Today
Hometown Pools is the leading salt generator installer in New Jersey. We are licensed and insured professionals with 30+ years of experience in servicing, repairing, and maintaining salt generators in Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, & Mercer County.
We provide a thorough installation service that is competitive in price while using top brands like Hayward. Please call us in Old Bridge: 732-607-1700 & Jackson: 732-833-7946 or contact us today to learn about our saltwater generator installation services!
Problem With The Salt Cell Or Chlorinator Itself
Salt water pool owners often discover that there is a problem with the salt cell or the chlorinator system itself .
But unless youre testing chlorine regularly, you might not notice until the water starts getting cloudy and algae is forming. By then its likely youre already at 0 chlorine especially if youre seeing sunny weather and have been using the pool frequently.
A modern chlorinator system has alerts that will let you know if the salt cell needs servicing or is no longer working, if salt levels are too low or high, etc.
Solution: Test water regularly particularly for chlorine. Test strips are pretty cheap and quick and easy to use. If your chlorinator has warnings and alerts for salt cell problems, check the unit every few days to ensure no warnings are present.
Don’t Miss: Light Fixture For Pool Table
Generator Cell And Sensor Maintenance Is An Investment Of Time And Money
Saltwater generator cells require a cleaning every 90 days, or you will end up with calcium buildup. Skipping regular cleanings for six months or more shortens cell life, increases the likelihood that the cell will break, and the pool will eventually become swampy.
The cell in a saltwater generator cell must be replaced every two to three years. The replacements are an investment of about $500 to $800 .
You will also need to have a professional closely monitor and clean the sensor that determines how much salt needs to be added to the water, or you can end up with a serious chemistry imbalance.
Pool Salt System Repair In New Jersey
While maintaining New Jersey pools with salt generators is easier, there may come times when you need to make repairs. While salt generators constantly recycle salt, salt cells do have a limited life. Therefore, the salt will need to be removed and replaced. The technicians at Hometown Pools can repair or replace your salt cells quickly and efficiently.
Be aware of humming, vibrating, or other unusual noises coming from your pump. These are indications that something with your saltwater chlorine generation system is not working properly. If these sounds are occurring time and your pool pump sounds different than normal, call Hometown Pools for a speedy and efficient repair.
Read Also: What Size Pump For Inground Pool
Can You Put Salt In A Chlorine Pool What Happens When You Add Salt
As the weather warms up, everybody looks forward to a cool dip in the pool. Having a pool at home certainly has its benefits, but chlorine pools can require a lot of maintenance. You may have heard about adding salt to your chlorinated pool, but is this a good idea?
You can safely add salt to a chlorine swimming pool, but the salt should be as pure as possible and without additives. Adding salt to your chlorine pool will allow you to enjoy some of the benefits of a saltwater pool, like a silkier water feel and softer skin.
Understand that simply adding salt to your chlorine pool will not replace the need for chlorine. For details on why that is, and to learn about the benefits of adding the right salt to your chlorine swimming pool, I encourage to check out the rest of this article!
How Long Does A Salt Generator Take To Make Chlorine
Salt chlorinators only operate when water is flowing, which means run times will vary depending how long you operate your pump. Pool pumps typically run for 8 hours per day, but this can increase in the summer months, or decrease in the winter. Most salt generators also have an output setting which allows you to control the rate in which it produces chlorine. For example, If the output system is set to 50%, and the salt chlorine generator runs for 8 hours, chlorine will generally be produced for 4 hours of that time.
Read Also: How Much Is Monthly Pool Service
How Much Does A Salt Chlorinator Cost
Saltwater chlorinators typically cost between $800 and $1,200, which is the biggest expense of converting your pool. Aside from that, replacing the salt cell periodically is recommended. This can cost anywhere from $600 to $900, depending on the model.
The other costs associated with a saltwater chlorinator are the price of salt and supplemental chlorine. Bags of salt usually run $10 to $20 apiece. How much you spend each year on salt and chlorine depends mostly on the size of your pool and where you live. Having said that, most salt water pool owners dont end up spending more than a few hundred dollars a year on salt and chlorine expenses.
Solaxx Saltron Retro Saltwater Chlorine Generator Salret20a
- The Solaxx Saltron Retro is an economical and effective way to convert the dissolved salt in the pool water into chlorine
- Drop-in unit that hangs over the pool wall and will go directly into the pool water
- Easy installation on new or existing above ground pools as there is no plumbing required
- Works for above ground pools 20K gallons or less
- Includes 6 power cord with standard 115V plug
- The Solaxx Saltron Retro includes a 1 Year Manufacturer Warranty
- Made in the U.S.A.
This self-contained purification system utilizes a natural process to generate pure chlorine. The electrolytic process uses a very low concentration of salt and generates free chlorine.
You May Like: How Much Is An Outdoor Pool
Benefits Of A Salt Water Pool
- Saltwater pools are not as harsh on your skin or more noticeably, your bathing suits!
- Owners of salt systems also report that there is little to no chlorine smell in or around the pool.
- Salt system are great at spreading chlorine in your pool at a consistent rate. This creates less of a shock to the pool and is less damaging to the pools surface.
- Control panels make it easy to control the amount of chlorine in your pool. Although regular checks of your pool waters chemistry is still necessary!
- Less maintenance with the consistent chlorine levels, algae and bacteria will have less of an opportunity to grow and attack your pools surfaces.
- Salt Chlorine generators relieve you of the burden of lugging around heavy jugs of chlorine. That being said, your generator still requires salt to function properly!
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.
Read Also: Who Makes The Best Pool Cues
How A Salt Generator Works
Most New Jersey homeowners think that salt pools do not contain chlorine. This couldnt be further from the truth. As its name may suggest, a salt-chlorine generator sanitizes swimming pool water by creating chlorine from ordinary table salt. Since you cannot avoid using chlorine, a salt-chlorine generator is a great way to provide it. A salt pool sanitizes the water with chlorine just like other pools. The difference between them is in how chlorine is added to the pool.
The main benefit a salt-chlorine generator offers is its ability to recycle salt. During the process of electrolysis, as used in a salt-chlorine generator to produce chlorine, the chlorine breaks down further into hypochlorous acid and hypochlorite ions, which are sanitizers. After the hypochlorous acid and hypochlorite ions neutralize the contaminants in swimming pool water, they revert to salt, again, only to be broken down into chlorine for another cycle.
Hayward Salt & Swim Abg Salt Chlorine Generator System W/ Return Jet Fittings
- Installs vertically to the return jet fitting on the outside of the pool
- Intuitive Control Panel behind flip-down door
- Works for above ground pools 23K gallons or less
- Includes 3 power cord with standard 115V plug
- Includes 1-year manufacturers warranty, 3-year warranty on Control Box parts
- Made in the U.S.A.
Hayward Salt & Swim above ground salt system automatically turns salt into chlorine conveniently and easily sanitizing above-ground pools while reducing chlorine costs by 50% or more when compared with conventional chlorine. No more itchy skin, red eyes and harsh chlorine fumes typically associated with conventional chlorination.
You May Like: How To Get Rid Of Ducks In My Swimming Pool
What Is A Salt Chlorine Generator And How Does It Work
What many people dont realize about salt water pools is that they arent completely chlorine-free. Granted, a salt pool contains much less chlorine than a regular pool but you cant go totally sans chlorine. Thats where a saltwater chlorinator comes in.
A saltwater chlorine generator is a machine that uses electrolysis to convert salt water into chlorinated water. This keeps your salt water pool at the right chlorine level, so it stays sanitary.
So how does a salt chlorine generator work? Basically, it takes NaCl and turns it into HClO . When your generator is running, the salt dissolved in your pool water passes through the chlorine generator cell and over metal-coated charged plates. This initiates electrolysis for chlorine generation.
The control board of your generator is just what it sounds like. It controls how much electricity runs through the system, and thus how much chlorine is produced. Its also where you turn the entire unit on and off.
This chlorine production process is necessary for keeping salt water pools clean, free of chloramines and bacteria, and healthy for swimming. Additionally, a salt chlorine generator will ensure that your pools salinity isnt too high.
