10 May Fact or Fiction: Are Saltwater Pools Really Chlorine Free?
As saltwater pools become more popular, people are starting to ask the question, “Are saltwater pools really chlorine free?” Chlorine has been the main product for sanitizing our swimming pools since we first started having home swimming pools, so it’s hard to imagine using anything else. To help you understand more about the salt and chlorine in your pool, we’ve answered some of the most frequently asked questions we get about saltwater pools.
Do Saltwater Pools Contain any Chlorine?
Saltwater pools contain chlorine that is generated from salt rather than directly from adding chlorine to your pool water. When you have a saltwater pool, you will also have what’s called a salt cell or salt generator. This salt cell takes the salt and breaks it down so that it can convert that salt into chlorine. This salt generator also makes dispersing the chlorine throughout your pool easier and more efficient than with direct chlorine chemicals.
Does Salt Clean Your Water as Well as Chlorine?
Yes, salt that is converted into chlorine cleans your pool water just as well, if not better than chlorine. Regular chlorine cleans your pool water by attaching itself to contaminants in the water and creating what are called chloramines. Chloramines tend to linger in pool water until the water is shocked or emptied.
Salt will actually clean and remove these chloramines from the water, meaning you never have to worry about shocking your pool water again. To add more salt to your pool, simply refill your salt cell when it’s empty, which will usually be about every couple of weeks.
Why Should I Choose a Saltwater Pool?
Saltwater pools have proven to be a great option for pool owners. As the price of chlorine is rising in 2021, salt has kept its price tag low. That’s the number one reason people are choosing to switch over to salt instead of regular chlorine.
On top of the price of salt, maintaining a saltwater pool has proven to be a much easier option. This is because salt needs to be added much less often than chlorine does. As long as you are refilling your salt cell when it’s low and skimming the larger debris from your pool, your job is mostly done.
Most people will assume that their pool will taste and feel just like the ocean once they switch. This is not true. Our customers have found that their saltwater pools produce softer and silkier water. On top of that, the taste and feel of the salt in the water is almost unnoticeable. Saltwater pools use about 1/10 the amount of salt per square foot as the ocean has. So while the ocean water may sting your eyes and taste bad, you won’t notice that with your saltwater pool.
How Opulent Pools can Help You Get Started
Here at Opulent Pools, we have helped many customers make the switch from chlorine to saltwater pools. All you need to do is get in contact with us and we can give you all the information you need to get started. Once you are ready, we will send someone out to your house to help make the switch. After that, all you have to do is sit back and enjoy your pool.