The Importance of Proper Filtration in Weekly Pool Services

Saltwater vs Chlorine Pools: Comparison

As a homeowner, you deserve all the serenity, fun, and relaxation after a day’s work. Having a pool in your backyard gives you somewhere to relax during a hot summer day. Don’t forget the scorching sun of the summer can be a lot crazy.

If you have a pool located somewhere around your home, there’s something to fall back on to wick out stress. But there is always the challenge about the option to choose between saltwater and chlorine pool.

Saltwater vs Chlorine Pools: The saltwater pools consist of less concentration of Chlorine which is a benefit. Chlorine pools are a little more costly at the end of the day, however, Chlorine Pools can ultimately fad your swimsuits. The Saltwater pool is more expensive to install, however, it cost less to keep up on maintenance. Even after choosing your choice, you will need a guide to be able to properly install, use, and maintain it. In this way, you’re confident that your pool won’t destroy it. What’s the system of pool water that’s best for you? If you want an answer, I can bet you you’re in the right place. The two common pool water systems are the saltwater and chlorine pools.

Let’s look at all you need to know about these two water pool systems, the pros and cons.

Chlorine & Salt Levels

Most people have the belief that the saltwater system has nothing to do with chlorine. This is a wrong conception, as the saltwater system is not totally void of chlorine. One fact about the saltwater pool is that it contains lower levels of chorine.

The saltwater pool gradually generates chlorine. Instead of adding a chlorine tablet to the pool, salt is added. Saltwater generator in the pool produces hypochlorous acid for the purpose of sanitation.

This acid is produced through electrolysis, which is achieved when electricity passes through the saltwater solution.

You might feel concerned that saltwater might be highly concentrated with salt. Despite the name, the content of salt in the saltwater pool is extremely low and is just a fraction of the salinity of ocean water. With this low level of salt in the saltwater system, swimmers are safe to open their eyes underwater.

Saltwater Pools Advantages

When choosing a saltwater pool, you should expect the following benefits:

  • It offers a more convenient way to sanitize it. In fact, it offers a natural sanitization system.
  • It’s easy to maintain and cost-effective.
  • Saltwater pools eliminate or at least reduce skin rashes, eye and skin irritation. They also help to reduce the smell resulting from the use of chlorine
  • Maintenance is also more cost-effective than its chlorine counterpart due to the conversion of salt into active chlorine.
  • Chlorinated saltwater produces luxuriously silky, smooth, clean, and clear water
  • Saltwater pools also offer a healthy and pleasant swimming experience

Saltwater Pools Disadvantages

There are reasons you may not want to opt for a saltwater pool. They include:

  • Saltwater pools are more expensive to set up at the level of setting them up.
  • The process of installing is complex and requires special skills and sophisticated tools, unlike the traditional chlorine pool.
  • In the process of installing or using them, saltwater pools can potentially cause damage to certain materials and equipment, including underwater lighting, mansory work, heaters, or fixtures.

Chlorine Pools Advantages

Using Chlorine Pools over saltwater pools comes with a lot of advantages. Here are some of the reasons you would prefer the traditional chlorinated pool over the saltwater pool system:

  • They are less expensive to use, install, and maintain. You don’t have to break the bank
  • They don’t require any sophisticated experience for maintenance. Maintenance is cheap and easier to come by
  • Using chlorine in your pool implies you’ve naturally sanitized the pool
  • They don’t cause any damage to your materials, including furniture and pool decks.

Chlorine Pools Disadvantages

Here are some of the cons that would make swimmers and homeowners not go for chlorine pools:

  • They could produce a serious repugnant odor.
  • They can cause skin and eye irritation, due to the formation of chloramines
  • They require extra-careful maintenance and handling
  • You may have to maintain and test the water regularly.

Saltwater Pools vs Chlorine Pool Guide

Before settling for either of the two pool options available, you should consider the following features:  

Health Issues

Another concern is if saltwater has effects on swimmers’ health. Again, the saltwater pool is safe for swimmers as it is gentler on their skin. While it is generally safe for anyone, this system is great for those with allergies. Since the levels in the pool are lower, swimmers are rest assured that they won’t develop skin issues – such as burn and dry skin – after swimming. This is not the case with a traditional chlorine system.

Saltwater pools are also beneficial to the health of houseowners, as salt storage does not require special consideration, which is not so with chlorine storage. To store chlorine, there are special requirements to have in place.

For instance, you must consider the health of people around. People might inhale chlorine products and these can potentially cause damage to their health. Additionally, chlorine must be stored in a cool and well-ventilated environment.

Costs

One disadvantage of saltwater pools is the cost of a saltwater generator. This generator costs about $1,200. Besides, the upfront cost of the saltwater generator, the cost of installation is about $400. However, the cost of pool salt is not high.

You can get a 40-pound bag of salt to set up your pool for as low as $5 and will need about 800 pounds of salt to set up your pool. The amount of salt you need depends on the size of your pool.

With this, setting up a saltwater pool requires you to invest about $100 on salt. This brings the total cost of starting a saltwater system to about $1,700.

If you consistently maintain your saltwater pool, you will need less than $1,000 per year for salt and chemicals. Also, the cost of chemical and maintenance of chlorine pool is between $400 and $800 per year.

This shows that the costs of chemicals for both systems are not highly different. Also, when the climate becomes warm, the more chlorine your pool requires. Also, a pool’s generator works harder when the climate becomes warmer.

When the pool’s generator works harder, more electricity is consumed and this shortens the lifespan of the cells to below three years. Since a new cell costs between $400 and $700, this means that the cost of running a saltwater pool is always high. However, the cost of running a chlorine pool is higher during warmer climates as more chemicals are required.

Maintenance

The cost of maintaining a saltwater pool is lower. A saltwater pool can remain clean and sparkling for weeks without any significant intervention. The chlorine pool, on the other hand, requires proper monitoring and maintenance. The system requires that you add 1 dose of chlorine on a regular basis. It is, however, necessary to check the chlorine level in both systems.

This is to ensure that the chlorine level remains within the normal range to keep a pool clean and clear. The chlorine level in a saltwater pool is controlled by adding more salt to the water. This can also be adjusted at the generator control box. For the chlorine system, the amount of chlorine added to a chlorine system determines the level of chlorine in the system.

Maintaining a chlorine pool also requires consistent maintenance of chlorine levels and warding off algae. This is achieved by dissolving chlorine in a container and slowly adding it to the pool. A saltwater pool, on the other hand, does not frequently require this. The saltwater system only requires “shocking” when there is heavy rain or when there are traces of algae in the pool.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do saltwater pools turn hair green?

Not necessarily true. There is a lot of myth around saltwater pools. Many swimmers hold the belief that saltwater pools often turn their hair green.

The green color idea comes from the reaction of copper with chlorine or salt. When there is a mixture of the two elements, there is a chance that copper will turn the hair green. However, if there is no reaction of the copper with salt or chlorine, the green doesn’t form.

Q: Is it healthy to pee in a pool?

It is totally a bad habit to pee in the pool; it doesn’t matter whether it is a saltwater pool or chlorine pool. Peeing in the pool could lead to serious health issues for swimmers and their skin.

Skin rashes, puffy eyes, and itchy throat are some of the effects of mixing your urine with chlorine or saltwater in the pool.  It could also kill skin cells. Peeing in the pool can also potentially affect the pool, causing the formation of chloramines.

Conclusion

Several factors must be considered when setting up a pool, and one of those factors is which water system to use. This article has provided you with all to know about each of the systems. Considering the advantages and setbacks of each system will give you an idea of which one to choose.