If you keep up with pool trends, you have likely heard about salt water pool conversion in recent years. If you have not never fear: your friends at Allen Pool are all self-described pool technology nerds, and we want to talk about salt water! This month, we are bringing you a guide to all things conversion so that if you are thinking of making the switch, you are fully informed and have weighed the benefits and costs.
Before converting to a salt water system, it is important to understand how one works. It sounds like a salt water system would be similar to an ocean, but in fact it is quite different. Salt water systems are not chlorine-free systems. Rather, they create chlorine using salt through a process called electrolysis. This keeps both the salt content and the chlorine content in the pool low. The salinity is about 1/10 that of the ocean or about as salty as human tears.
There are several reasons why switching to a pool salt system has become popular recently. The main reason is that they are gentler on eyes and skin, so they are safer for kids and you don’t get that irritation you sometimes find with a chlorine system. They also require less maintenance overall. You will need to check chlorine levels periodically but generally a salt water system does a great job of keeping chemicals balanced.
There are a few cons to this system—nothing is perfect! The main drawback is cost—the system is quite expensive initially to install, especially if you are installing a salt system in a pool built for a chlorine system. Also, if you end up having chemical issues with your salt pool, there is likely an error in the system and this will require support from a professional. In a chlorine-based pool, you would likely just need to add more chlorine or add more water in order to balance the chemicals. The last thing to consider is that salt can wear down decks and pool equipment. This is likely to happen if your pool was not built for a salt system. If you are renovating your pool and deck and doing a salt water pool conversion at the same time, you can choose materials that are resistant to salt. If you are converting, however, you will likely see this wearing effect down the line and may need to replace your deck and equipment.
Overall, we recommend salt water conversion to our customers who are considering it as an option. The overall safety of the system makes it worth it in our minds. We are happy to talk this through with any of our customers, so never hesitate to ask us about salt water conversion!
Here at Allen Pool Atlanta, we pride ourselves on helping our customers make the best decisions for them and their pools. From salt water pool conversion help to maintenance plans to renovations, we are eager and willing to help our wonderful customers. For any of our services, call Allen Pool today at (770) 451-1621 or contact us contact us online!
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