16Jun
Everything You Need to Know About Swimming Pools That Run on Salt, From Maintenance to Safety Covers
Are you thinking about having a swimming pool installed in your back yard? That’s wonderful! But you’re now going to be faced with a number of choices between now and the point at which you’ll have your dream pool and be able to swim in it. Choices like the style of construction, the materials, and even the water sanitation method. These days, chlorine isn’t the only option. There are also salt water swimming pools! Ottawa residents have been taking an increasing interest in this new style of swimming pool, and for good reason. Salt water actually has a lot of benefits for pool owners.
It’s Low Maintenance
In a typical chlorine pool, you’ll be chemically treating the pool very often. It’s necessary to constantly monitor the ph. balance, the alkalinity, and take other measurements, making adjustments where needed. Additionally, you’ll have to shock your pool every few weeks to kill bacteria buildup. But with salt water swimming pools, Ottawa homeowners can take it easy – on top of winterizing it with a swimming pool safety cover, it only has to be fully cleaned once a year (not counting skimming for bugs and debris). This is because the pool has a generator that produces a steady supply of salt. The salt in turn naturally produces chlorine as a by-product, but this type of chlorine is much less harsh, which leads us to our second benefit…
It’s Much More Comfortable
Have you ever come out of a pool with red eyes, or dry itchy skin? What about that unsavoury smell? With salt water, you can kiss these unpleasant features goodbye. The gentler chlorination produced by salt manages to keep your pool clean and bacteria-free without creating as much irritation for swimmers. It also reduces chloramines. Chloramines are leftovers created when regular pool chlorine attacks human waste such as sweat and saliva, and are actually a major factor in that nostril-burning smell, not to mention take longer for chlorine to kill. Salt, on the other hand, kills chloramines much faster.
It sounds like salt is the way to go! But it’s important to remember that no system is perfect, so before you make the final decision, consider a few last things:
The Other Side of Salt
First off, when buying salt water swimming pools, Ottawa residents can expect to pay more upfront, and even for the first few years. However, a pool is a long-term investment, and after a few years, the money you save on chemicals will balance out. Salt is also incredibly corrosive. This is a bigger issue if you are converting a chlorine pool into a salt water one, because the liner, fixtures, and swimming pool safety covers aren’t designed to withstand the corrosive effects. But when you decide to go down the salt water route from the start, you can have a pool built with materials that can handle it. Everything from the liner, to the lights, fixtures, deck, and swimming pool safety covers will be more salt-resistant when you plan ahead.