What’s all the hype about salt?
Truthfully the question itself actually answers the question.
“Hype” is your answer. It’s the latest and greatest thing in the pool industry. Why, because most consumers are looking at the benefits or listening to what they are being told, instead of the downside of the whole picture. I have a saying that I told my kids while they were growing up. “If you tell someone something long enough eventually they will believe it as truth, even if it’s not!” Consumers spend more time looking into the flat screen TV they will purchase for their family room then they do looking into the chlorine generator for their pool. The last I checked, a flat screen TV will not damage other equipment it is attached to just by being turned on. Unfortunately, that is exactly what can happen with a chlorine generator if certain steps are not taken. There is a lot of false information about salt water pools both on the internet and given by pool salesmen. If I could give you one suggestion it would be to do your research. Pretend you are researching for a large purchase for your home, like a flat screen TV or a dishwasher, because you are making a large purchase for your home. It just so happens to be outside. Converting your pool from standard chlorine to salt varies from company to company but you can plan on that cost being anywhere from $1500 to $2000.
Everything in life has a plus side as well as a negative. I want my customers to be informed more than sold. A consumer that has all of the information, whether that information is good or bad, can make a much more intelligent decision in the end. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the plus side of a salt water pool.
- You will not have to purchase chlorine in the quantity you purchased it before the conversion. Therefore there is a slight monetary savings each year the unit is used. Will it ever catch up to the original cost of conversion? Not really sure. That is something you will have to put on paper to figure out.
- The water in the pool feels more comfortable to swim in because pH levels tend to rise in the pool instead of dropping and becoming more acidic. Water with a slightly higher pH is much more comfortable to be in than water with a lower pH.
- The liner in vinyl liner pools tends to last longer with less fading of the color.
- Regulating Chlorine levels can be easier and less time consuming if proper balances are maintained and the user tests the water properly and often enough.
Now let’s talk about the downside of salt water pools. There are several myths and lots of false information out there about salt water pools. So let’s take a minute to discuss a few of them here.
- I have salt, I no longer have a chlorine pool:
- The actual product is called a chlorine generator. That means you are generating chlorine not generating salt. Chlorine is a sanitizer, it keeps the pool heathy for swimmers. Your pool is still a chlorine pool, albeit a different way of chlorinating the water.
- Salt water is more environmental friendly than chlorine pools:
- Salt water will kill grass and other plant life as well as animal life. If you don’t believe me try to water your favorite house plant with salt water and tell me if it lives or dies. Also we cannot drink salt water and survive. We need fresh water for that.
- I no longer have to balance my water. The water is balancing itself:
- There is no magic pill to make me lose weight and there is no magic pill to properly balance the pool water. There are many more chemicals needed in the pool besides chlorine. Here is a short list of chemicals that need to be properly balanced in a swimming pool to make it healthy and swimmable: pH, alkalinity, calcium hardness, cyanuric acid (stabilizer), metals, sanitizer (chlorine), etc. If all you are doing is making chlorine how do all of the other chemicals become balanced?
- There is less maintenance with a salt water pool:
- Generating chlorine can and will damage anything metal in and around the pool. Things like heaters, pool pump seals, pool lights, diving board jigs, and mounting cups for ladders and handrails will become affected by the generator. You will still need to balance the water, vacuum the pool, and do routine maintenance to the equipment and structure.
- Converting your pool to salt will cost you in the range of $1700.00 plus or minus depending on the company and the product chosen. How much standard chlorine can you purchase for that amount of money? Will you ever make up that cost? A chlorine generator will also increase the electrical cost of running your pool due to increased run times and the generator itself.
- Salt water and the making of chlorine through a generator are corrosive. Both to metal products as well as to concrete, pavers, and travertine. Keep in mind there are certain steps that can be taken to minimize this effect. Installing a zinc anode on the equipment is one way to minimize the effects of corrosion, not eliminate it but minimize it.
- Salt water can make metals, especially iron drop out of solution and stick to the plaster surface in a gunite pool. Again properly balancing your water by keeping metals in your pool to a minimum will help to keep this from happening.
Thank you for taking the time to research your salt water pool!