Contemplating salt water (saline) pool ownership? There are a few things that you need to know before diving right in. Salt pools aren’t anywhere close to being as salty as seawater. In fact, they have only about one-tenth the salinity. They aren’t completely chlorine-free either. With a saltwater system, pool maintenance is much simpler. The chlorine required is minimal. Which eliminates the need to store and handle hazardous chemicals.
Balancing salt pool chemicals can be a little bit more complex. In a chlorinated pool, when sanitation issues arise, the usual response is add more chlorine. In a salt water pool it takes a bit more than that. Any problems that occur are likely to require the assistance of a swimming pool technician. With that said, there are some great advantages with a saline pool.
Advantages
- More gentle on the skin – lower chlorine levels means less skin irritation
- No more itchy or stinging eyes
- Softer water – smooth and silky water
- More cost effective – in the long run
- Simpler maintenance – salt cells will produce any chlorine as needed
Disadvantages
- Salt pools require a large initial investment – $1,000 – $5,000
- Complex sanitation – when issues arise a technician is more than likely needed
- Damaging to metals – avoid using specific types of heaters, fixtures, underwater lighting, liners
- The cell needs to be cleaned periodically which is a bit of a messy job
- High phosphate levels can cause the generator to malfunction
When considering upgrading your current pool or building a new swimming pool it is important to keep both advantages and disadvantages in mind.