How Much Does A Salt Water Pool Cost
Although a salt water pool is initially more expensive than a regular chlorine pool because of the up-front investment in the salt water system, many homeowners find they recoup the cost in chemicals over the lifetime of their pool. In fact, salt water pools provide up to 50% savings over conventional chlorine systems.
How Salt Chlorine Generators Work
Quite possibly, the best benefit of a salt-chlorine generator is that your pool and spa are chlorinated automatically, not manually.
The Science Behind The Technology
There are two components to a salt chlorinator: the control box and its salt cell, which is an electrolytic converter that installs on your systems return line, behind the pump, filter, and heater. As pool water passes through the salt cell, an extremely safe electrical charge, generated by the control box, automatically converts the dissolved salt into fresh, natural chlorine. The newly chlorinated water is then dispersed evenly throughout the pool by the return jets, preventing algae and killing bacteria. After the chlorine has done its work keeping your pool sanitized, it is then transformed back into salt and then the process happens all over again. The salt cycles between salt and chlorine forever.
Salt chlorinators require a low concentration of salt approximately a teaspoon of salt per gallon of water. The correct salt level is comparable to a human tear and imparts no or little taste. The actual amount of chlorination required to sanitize a pool properly varies due to the pool size, bather load, rainfall, temperature, and the pools cleanliness.
Salt Systems For Swimming Pools
In the early days of modern swimming pools, adding chlorine to pool water was the only way to keep it clean and free of bacteria. Today, though, pool owners have another choice one that many have decided is the better option: saltwater. And the popularity of salt water pools continues to climb as owners learn about the benefits from low maintenance costs to few chemicals to healthy skin.
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How Much Does Pool Salt Cost
Pool salt is usually sold in a 40-pound bag, and it can range in price from around $25 to $40. When you first open a brand new pool, the cost of salt can be high. However, from a yearly maintenance perspective, salt is going to be considerably cheaper than using chlorine. Overall, saltwater pools are much less expensive to maintain than traditional chlorine pools.
How Much Salt To Add To Your Pool
After purchasing a salt chlorine generator it is important to know how much salt to add to your pool, the correct salt levels needed for your above ground pool will help you get the best results. The target salt level is 3200 3400ppm . Depending on the size of the above ground pool, the number of pounds of salt will vary to reach this ideal range. The way in which salt is added to the pool though stays the same, no matter what type of salt system or above ground pool you have.
Remember to first test the pool water to see the current levels of salt. One should either bring their pool water to a local professional, or if they should purchase their own tester the staff at The Pool Factory recommends the Solaxx Digital SafeDip Tester. The source for your pool water may contain some salt levels already and it is a good idea to find out the level in which you are starting prior to figuring out how much salt to add to your pool.
The SafeDip is a digital chemistry reader designed to make measuring pool parameters easy. Simply collect the water sample from the pool using the onboard cup and press the Start button to take your measurement.
DO NOT USE Rock Salt, it is not very pure and hard to dissolve.
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Where To Buy Salt For Saltwater Pool
Where To Buy Salt For Saltwater Pool Getting marginals. Typha angustifolia .
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SaltChlorineGenerators.Com
SaltChlorineGenerators.Com
Getting The Right Pool Salt For Your Chlorine Generator
Salt is salt, isnt it? Not exactly. Even if youre using pure mined salt, the crystals you get arent necessarily the right choice for your chlorine generator. Generators may use anything from a fine-grind suitable for use at your table to rough, coarse crystals piled on top of each other.
If you dont use the right grind for your salt water chlorinator, it wont work the way its supposed to. Getting the right size of salt crystals for your chlorinator is more important than the exact type of pool salt you use, so check your users manual and, if necessary, contact companies for more information before you go shopping.
- Designed for use with salt water chlorinators
- Available in a 40lb size
- Brand: MORTON SALT
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A Few Facts About Saltwater Pools
The salt added to your pool will never dissipate on its own. Only during backwash, splashing, or draining your pool will salt need to be added.
Salt will not leave your pool from evaporation or running your salt system.
Always keep an eye on the overall salt level of the water but keep in mind that once you reach your ideal levels, it will be hard to lose them. Thats the beauty of having a saltwater pool.
The Science Behind Salt Chlorination
There are two components to a salt chlorinator: the salt cell that converts salt into chlorine and the control box that tells the salt cell when and for how long to produce chlorine.
Salt cells, also known as electrolytic converters, are installed on the return line of the pools plumbing. They must be installed behind the pump, filter and heater.
As a pools water passes through the salt chlorinators salt cell, a harmless electrical charge, generated by the control box, automatically converts the dissolved salt into chlorine. The newly chlorinated water is then dispersed evenly throughout the pool by the return jets. After the chlorine has safely chlorinated the pools water, its transformed back into salt. The process happens over and over, automatically.
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Home Repair Parts Swimming Pool And Spa Chlorine Generator Salt
Last on our list is the Home Repair Parts Swimming Pool Salt. The reason this option is at the bottom of the list is the size of the of the product, not the quality. The Home Repair Kit comes with five 40-pound bags of salt. Not every pool owner is going to need this much, and since there is no option to buy just one bag, it did not make it closer to the top of the list.
This is a salt made specifically for pools. One of the things we do like about the product is that if the bags break during shipping, they will replace it for you. Considering this is a problem with many of the other pool salts, its a nice benefit.
- Comes in a bulk option
- Expensive because of the amount you must buy
Protect What You Care About
A more safe & healthy pool means no red eyes, itchy skin, chlorine smell, or bleached hair & swimsuits like conventional swimming pools. Saltwater pools are more comfortable and environmentally friendly because they eliminate harsh chemicals and caustic chlorine effects, making the swimming experience much more like being in a pristine natural body of water.
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How Often To Add Salt To Pool
One of the great things about having a saltwater pool is that you wont need to add salt all that often. Most of the time, you will add salt once per year or if you need to drain the pool for some reason.
Its important to remember that any water you have to add to your pool will lower the overall salt content. If you have a large party and tons of water get splashed out onto pool surfaces, you may want to use a saltwater test strip to make sure your pool has enough salt.
Adding salt to a pool will be a much less frequent experience than adding chlorine to a standard swimming pool.
Salinity Pool Salt Fine Grain With Stain Inhibitor 40 Lbs
Please choose a store to view pricing and availability.
Salinity Fine Grain Pool Salt with Stain InhibitorSalinity Pool Salt is the purest salt available for swimming pool and spa chlorine generators. It’s greater than 99% sodium chloride the purity and crystal size are designed to produce the fastest dissolve rate in swimming pools and spas with chlorine generators. Salinity Pool Salt is 100% produced using the Evaporated Food Grade Salt Process in the two newest and most technologically-advanced salt plants in the US this process produces the highest-purity salt possible. This pool salt is so pure that it is used in the pharmaceutical industry and is certified as USP Grade!*
*Salinity Pool Salt is packaged solely for use in swimming pools and spa with chlorine generators and is not intended for human consumption.
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What Is Pool Salt Exactly
Pool salt is regular salt that has been specially prepared for use in pools and to work well with salt chlorine generators.
Its special for 3 reasons:
In theory, you could use everyday table salt, but it likely wont meet the criteria above, and many contain unwanted additives that will stain your pool. Since these additives arent always listed, its hardly worth the risk in most cases.
Cost Of A Salt Water Pool
Salt pools need hundreds of pounds of salt, which is fairly inexpensive when purchased locally the main cost of a salt water pool is for the equipment, including the controller, sensors and salt cell.
The cost of a chlorine generator varies by the size of the unit. Small chlorine generators for above ground pools cost between $250-$550, and inground chlorine generators are priced from $550-$1250.
More expensive salt chlorine generators have more features, such as the ability to super chlorinate or shock the pool. Some have a self-cleaning salt cell, capable of reverse polarity and LED display of salt level, water temperature and diagnostic lights for required service.
Over a 3-5 year lifespan, the salt cell will lose the metallic coatings on the metal plates, chlorine output diminishes, and eventually needs to be replaced. Replacement salt cells can be costly, up to half or more of the cost of the entire salt system.
Annual booster additions of pool salt are usually required, but only to replace salt lost from backwashing, splashout or lowering the water for winter. If you fully drain the pool for maintenance, you will need to replace all of the pool salt.
Over a ten-year timespan, the cost of a salt water pool vs. the cost of a chlorine-tablet pool, can be surprisingly close. In other words, you wont save a lot of money with a salt water pool. The cost of the salt equipment offsets the chlorine cost savings fairly closely.
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Aquasalt 40 Swimming Pool Chlorine Generator Salt Best Overall
Our top choice for the best pool salt of the year is Aquasalt 40. This is a pure, certified USP grade salt. When we mentioned that you must use a pool grade option when adding salt to your pool, Aquasalt qualifies.
The bag comes in a 40-pound size. The amount you will need to get your pool saltwater levels to where you need them will depend on the size of your pool and the current salt level.
One of the most critical factors in picking a great salt for your pool is its ability to dissolve. Aquasalt dissolves fast and quite evenly as well. As always it is important to make sure that you disperse it evenly throughout the pool. Users report no clumps and no extra brushing involved when using Aquasalt 40.
For the price per bag, the quality of the salt, and the fact that it dissolves quickly, its a great overall option that pool owners continue to return to when it comes time to add salt to the pool.
- Some pool owners reported having to use a lot to raise salt levels
Q: What Chemicals Do I Need For A Salt Water Pool
Some pool owners overlook cyanuric acid for their salt water pools, but this stabilizer is still important to maintain the right sanitizer levels.
Remember, your salt water pool is still a chlorinated pool. Its just generated differently.
You may also need muriatic acid to lower pH levels when they get too high and soda ash to raise them.
You’ll also need sodium bisulphate to lower alkalinity, sodium bicarbonate to raise alkalinity, and of course pool salt to keep your levels in check.
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Calculate How Much Salt You Need
The exact amount of salt you will need varies based on the purity of the salt. That is, you dont need as much 99% pure mined salt as you would, say, 92% pure salt from another source. Most pool salt products explain how much they will increase the ppm in various standard pool sizes, so use these as a guide.
The larger the pool, the more salt youll need. Most stores sell them in 40-pound bags. You can use our pool volume calculator to determine how many gallons of water are in your pool. Use our pool salt calculator to help you determine the right salt levels for your pool volume.
What Type Of Pool Salt Should You Buy
When youre buying your pool salt, its important to use sodium chloride that is at least ninety-eight per cent pure. Preferably the salt is an evaporated granulated, food quality, non-iodized salt. Keep in mind that the finer the quality of salt the more quickly it will dissolve. For example, over sixty per cent of granulated salt will dissolve before it reaches the bottom of your pool. This is an important factor to consider when making your purchase. Undissolved salt can damage the colour of your pools lining.
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Everything You Need To Know About Salt Water Pools
Have you heard people talking about salt water pools and wondered what all the hype was about?
Im not here to convince you one way or the other.
The decision on whether to have a salt water pool or not is usually just a matter of preference.
All I’m here to do is give you the low-down on what they are so you can decide for yourself.
How To Add Salt To Your Pool
Follow these easy steps when adding salt to your above ground pool.
Salt can be added directly into the pool by broadcasting it across the surface.
Make sure the filter is running to create good circulation and speed up the dilution of the salt.
After distributing the salt evenly around the pool, use a pool brush to brush any piles of salt that may have built up.
When deposits or algae build up in certain areas, sometimes a pool brush is the most reliable tool at hand. Fits on standard telescopic poles.
Continue to run the filter for 24-48 hours or until all of the added salt is dissolved.
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What Are The Salt Water Pool Misconceptions
The benefits of saltwater systems are strong enough to convince pool owners to convert their pool to a saltwater pool. But there are popular misconceptions that fuel the popularity of saltwater pools. First, a saltwater pool is not a chemical free pool, or even a chlorine free pool. Salt water is not capable of providing any sanitation for pool water without electrolysis. During electrolysis, salty water is forced across a special metal cell that is charged with an electrical current. This process creates chlorine.
This chlorine has an identical chemical structure as purchased chlorine, and it has the same benefits and problems as purchased chlorine. By the way, the industry trade name for saltwater pool systems is called a chlorine generator. The second misconception is that the water in a saltwater pool will feel better, look better, and taste better. This may be the case if one compares a salt pool to an improperly maintained pool. But when a salt pool is compared to a well maintained pool, there is no noticeable difference in how the water feels, looks, or tastes.
