Most people only associate salt and water with the ocean, but the fact is that salt water pools have begun to grow in popularity recently. While it might sound strange to your old school pool fundamentalists, it’s true.
Today, we’re going to talk a little bit about these pools, how they differ from regular pools so that you can weigh the pros and cons yourself to figure out if this is something worth doing.
The difference
In the most simple terms, the main difference between traditional pools and salt water pools is how they are sanitized. Traditional pools use your usual litany of chemicals, chlorine based chemicals and the like. Salt water pools tend to work a little differently.
The most important components of a salt water pool are what’s called a salt cell and a control box. They two are connected to each other and through a process called electrolysis, the water flows through the salt cell and the salt it picks up turns into hypochlorus acid. What else is a hypochlorus acid? Chlorine.
Simply put, salt water pools don’t really need you to add anything to them in order to keep them sanitary. The control box is pretty much your end-all, be-all in terms of how much salt you want to circulate through your pool at a given time. You can even ‘shock’ the pool by using a boost mode that will help you clean your pool quickly.
The advantage
The obvious benefit is not having to work with as many chemicals. What chemicals are produced are produced via the process in the pool which means you don’t have to handle anything, really. That means less chemicals and a whole lot less work involved. For people who want the benefits without having to put in too much work, this is the pool for you. Less time working means more time enjoying your pool!
The not so good
While all this might seem great, there are some significant downsides to owning a saltwater pool. The first is probably your biggest concern and that’s budget. Salt water pools cost a lot more than a traditional pool. And while salt does prevent you from having to work with chemicals, the salt itself can have a corrosive effect on certain aspects of the pool such as liner and metal. Also, you need to be more selective in terms of what you decide to build around the pool as well. Salt on non-salt friendly decks and wreak havoc if not kept in check. Bathing suits or even sandals and splashes from the pool can leave salt residue lying about – which will not only contribute to the decay of the wood, but will also leave plenty of stains as well.
At the end of the day, the decision is yours, but we don’t recommend making it without the help and input of a professional. If you’re thinking of choosing salt, give us a call and we’ll be happy to help! Good luck!