Saltwater Swimming Pools

“What is a saltwater pool?”
“How does a saltwater pool work?”
“What are the advantages and disadvantages of a saltwater pool?”

Hopefully the answers below will help clear up some of the questions and curiosity of saltwater pool chlorination.

What is a saltwater pool?
A saltwater pool has a purification system that provides on-site production of chlorine to maintain water in a safe, healthy, and algae-free environment. Notice that we are saying production of chlorine. This is not a chlorine-free system. This system uses salt to make chlorine, and is sort of like having a miniature chlorine manufacturer at your pool equipment. What a saltwater system does it virtually eliminate the need to purchase and apply chlorine to your pool. Basically, instead of adding chlorine on a regular basis, you add salt periodically.

How does a saltwater pool work?
Saltwater pool systems have an electrolytic cell device put on at the equipment that is capable of turning salt into chlorine. This method is based on electrolysis breaking apart salt compounds and forming active chlorine molecules. This salt is added initially and then occasionally on a maintenance basis to make up for loss of salt through splash-out and backwashing. The salinity of the water is approximately 10% of that of the ocean, so the existence of salty tasting water is minimal. These saltwater pool systems can be installed on new pools or existing pools.

What are the advantages of a saltwater pool?
The main advantage of a saltwater pool is the feel of the water. The elimination of adding chlorine helps eliminate some of the disadvantages of chlorine—red eyes, discolored hair, itching skin, etc. For pool owners that use their pool on a regular basis, this is a huge benefit. We have heard many saltwater pool owners talk about how “soft” and “smooth” the water feels. Another advantage is that you do not have to purchase, store, or handle chlorine on a regular basis. There are times that you might have to add chlorine to the pool , but it will not be on a regular basis. In addition, we often hear pool owners talk about how easy it is to take care of their saltwater pool.

What are the disadvantages of a saltwater pool?
The main disadvantage of a saltwater system is that salt is corrosive (it attacks metal such as handrails and outdoor furniture) and aggressive (it can deteriorate coping and pool surfaces). Another disadvantage of a saltwater pool is the initial cost of the system. The installed price for these systems typically cost $1500-$2500 for residential pools, depending on the quality of the system and what balancing chemicals are included with the system. The system is often sold as a cost-savings system and we do not believe that to be a true statement. True that you no longer have to buy chlorine, and salt is less expensive than chlorine, but at $1500-$2500, you could buy chlorine for 5-10 years, which is typically how long the saltwater systems last before needing cell replacement, which can be fairly costly. Another disadvantage is that the pump must be operating in order for the system to operate, which can lead to increased utility costs (if you need to operate your pump for 10-12 hours per day to produce enough chlorine to disinfect the pool and are accustomed to operating your pump for only 4-6 hours per day). Like any mechanical product, the system must be maintained—the system’s cell must be cleaned approximately every six months, depending on use. About the only other disadvantage is that sometimes saltwater pool owners tend to depend on these systems to completely take care of the pool—the pool water must still be tested (pH, total alkalinity, etc.) and balanced on a regular basis.

What is our opinion of the product? Like anything, it has advantages and disadvantages. Gohlke Pools installed its first saltwater pool system on a pool in the late 1980’s, and we were not really satisfied with it. The product has improved drastically since then, and we are currently installing them and recommending them as long as the homeowner is aware of the advantages and disadvantages.

For a free estimate on converting your existing swimming pool to salt water, please call or e-mail our Service Department.