Saltwater pools in recent times are becoming quite popular in resort places and other entertainment centers as well as individual homes.
Naturally, most people would think a saltwater pool is a pool with salty water; especially if they've not seen one before. However, this is far from reality. Read on to find out everything you need to know about saltwater pools.
What is a Salt Water Pool?
Saltwater is an alternative way of purifying your pool via chlorination using a filtration technique. The idea behind a saltwater pool is to use dissolved salt to achieve chlorination of your pool.
This involves a series of processes and devices like the chlorine generator, which ensures the effectiveness of the whole process via electrolysis. One of the important things to focus on when going for this type of pool is the pH level of your water. This is to ensure that the acidity and alkalinity of your pool stay balanced and sanitized.
The end result is a well-purified pool that is well chlorinated, releasing hydrogen gas as a by-product. This process also makes the water less salty and would taste great if you swallow while swimming.
Benefits of Salt Water Pool
1. Better Swimming Experience
Most people opt for this type of pool because it feels good on the body. This is because the water contains fewer chemicals than the traditionally chlorinated pools. It also makes the water more soothing when it touches the skin.
Children will particularly enjoy swimming in a saltwater pool because the water is gentle on the skin. Anyone who will be spending a long time inside the pool will ultimately prefer to go for saltwater pools.
2. Effective Disinfectant
The gentle and soothing feel of the water against the skin is because the water contains fewer chemicals than are present in traditional pools. The salt filtration process needed to purify a saltwater pool is the disinfectant the pool needs. Hence, the by-product of filtered salt functions as a very effective disinfectant.
3. Less Corrosion
All pools are made up of water that is generated by pumps and pipes. These pumps and pipes after a while begin to rust because of the interaction of chemicals on the metallic parts of these items. The good news about salt water pools is that less chemical is available in the pool and so, corrosion takes longer time to happen if it happens at all.
4. Health Benefits
Yes! Aside from the fact that the pool is not harsh on the skin, another major benefit of a saltwater pool is that it solves the problem of allergic reactions. Some people have a hard time swimming in traditional pools because they are allergic to the chemicals present in such pools.
However, since saltwater pools have fewer chemicals present in them, the risk of having any allergic reactions is significantly less, and hence a better alternative.
5. No odor
Chlorines and chemicals do smell. You will most likely perceive the smell now and then when you swim in a traditional pool. If you find this smell disturbing, then it's better to just go for a saltwater pool. This way, you won't perceive any odors from chemicals.
Owning a Saltwater Pool
Now that you have all the benefits of a saltwater pool, you might be considering getting one for yourself. Here are some of the basic things you need to know before making that investment.
1. Weigh the Cost
Most people would argue that a saltwater pool is more expensive to set up and this might look true when you consider the amount needed to install one compared to traditional chlorine pools.
However, when you look at all the routine costs of buying chemicals to disinfect your traditional pool over time, you just might conclude that installing your saltwater pool is not that expensive.
2. Running Cost
Maintaining a saltwater pool is very easy and it costs almost nothing. All you have to do is perform routine checks on the water's Ph levels. Doing this weekly is enough to maintain till you need deep cleansing.
How Good is a Saltwater Pool?
From the foregoing, saltwater pools sure have their advantages. It's gentler than chlorine pools and therefore, safer. The only drawback is that it could cost more than a chlorine pool. It also needs special professional service to safely install it.
Nonetheless, when you think about your health, and how great the pool will feel, going for a saltwater pool is worth the investment.
Saltwater vs Chlorine pools?
A chlorine pool has a high concentration of chlorine, while saltwater breaks down the chlorine in salt through the natural process of electrolysis. It does this with the salt chlorine generator installed in the pool.
Can The Traditional Chlorine Pool be Converted to Saltwater Pool?
If you already have a traditional chlorine pool, chances are you are wondering whether you can convert your traditional pool into a saltwater pool or if you would have to dismantle it altogether. The answer is Yes, you can convert your traditional pool into a saltwater pool.
Naturally, your traditional pool already contains some measure of salt from the chlorine added to disinfect it. All you need now is to get a saltwater chlorinator, install it or get a professional to install it. It is recommendable to buy a good salt water chlorinator that is easy to use. Another major requirement are bags of salt, about 6 to 10 bags should be enough depending on the size of your pool.
Once you are done installing the chlorinator, just pour the bags of salt and then operate the chlorinator to use its filtration system to perform electrolysis and convert your salt to chlorine releasing gases needed to purify the pool.
When you are done with the whole process make sure you check the pH of the water to balance the acidity and alkalinity. Subsequently, you will need to monitor the pH on a weekly or monthly basis depending on your maintenance schedule.
However, you really can just contact a professional to help you come up with the perfect saltwater pool that your budget can allow.
Install Your Saltwater Pool with Atlas Pool
As beautiful as the saltwater pool is, if you are going to get the best out of it, you will need the services of professionals. Atlas Pools are professionals at building saltwater pools and converting traditional pools to a saltwater one. What are you waiting for? Contact Atlas pools today for your saltwater pool!