One of the many questions homeowners who are installing a pool have to ask themselves is whether they want a chlorinated or a saltwater pool. Chlorinated pools outnumber saltwater pools, but saltwater pools are certainly a viable alternative. However, not all homeowners are aware of how saltwater pools actually work to clean the water. After all the ocean is salty, but that doesn’t mean it’s clean. So in this week’s blog, we’ll talk about how salt is used to clean the water in your pool, and what some of the advantages of saltwater system are.

How do Saltwater Pools Work?

 
First, salt is added to the pool to create saltwater. The idea of saltwater usually makes people think of the ocean, but the saltwater in your pool is much less salty than that. It’s only 10% as salty as ocean water, so you won’t feel the salt on your skin like you do with the ocean. The cool thing about this part of the process is the salt you put in your pool is literally the same exact thing you’d put on your food. Good old sodium chloride.
Take note of the word chloride. Pretty close to chlorine, right? In fact, you can make chlorine out of salt, which is the next step in the process. The pool water is circulated through a chlorine generator, where it is subjected to electrolysis. This process creates a chlorine gas out of the sodium chloride in the water, which is dissolved in the water and used to sanitize the pool.
Salt is added regularly and the water is continuously circulated to keep the pool clean.

Pros of Saltwater Pools

So why might you want to choose a saltwater pool?
Comfort
Saltwater is much easier on your skin, hair, and eyes. There’s also no chlorine smell, and your swim suits won’t fade!
Maintenance
Saltwater pools require less maintenance than chlorine pools. While you’ll still have to give some time and attention to the pool, it’s definitely less work than keeping up a chlorine pool.
Costs
While saltwater systems are more expensive to set up initially, over time they’re less expensive to operate than a chlorine system. Even if you already have a chlorine pool, you can expect to make back your investment in converting to a saltwater pool in a few years.
 
 
To learn more about saltwater pools, contact us today at 410-442-2445! You can also reach us using our contact form, and connect with us on social media on our Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ pages.