I couldn’t be happier with the choice I made to convert my chorine pool to a salt water pool. Anyone who has a pool whether it be an in ground or above ground knows there is a lot of maintenance and cost involved. Keeping your pool clean and clear is no easy task, you need bags and bags of shock, safe PH conditions, keeping the debris vacuumed out all these factors can almost make you re-think if a pool is worth it. But, many of those headaches associated with a pool are alleviated when you convert to a salt water system. Salt water systems are a safe and natural alternative to chlorine because the salt generates it’s own chlorine and maintains a beautifully clear pool on its own with no effort or added chemicals. I will say the salt water system its self can be rather pricey to purchase and install but it will save you $300-$600 (depending on the size of your pool) per season in chlorine and chemicals associated with chlorine pools.
The trend is catching on in new residential developments with community pools as well as private homes, apartment and condominiums complexes. Salt water is softer on skin, doesn’t bleach bathing suits or give hair that “green” tint after a summer of swimming in chlorine and one $8.00 bag of salt from your local hardware store should last you the whole summer. The salt water has also been a great therapeutic benefits to those with arthritis, or joint problems, as well as those with allergies to chlorine chemicals. One con to take into consideration if you have an above ground when converting your pool is some pool companies say it voids the warranty on your above ground pool because the salt could possibly cause oxidation of the metal in which the pool is formed. Everyone I have spoken with that has an above ground pool with a salt generating system has not experienced any such problems. I’m sure given that salt systems are still fairly new to pool supply companies they are just trying to protect themselves and keep their chlorine going out the door, either way I think the natural route is a better one and I have been enjoying every hot summer minute of my new salt water pool. Read more about salt water chlorination here.