While they do cost a bit more on the front end than a chlorine set up, the ongoing maintenance for saltwater pools is typically far less expensive. Generally, you can expect to pay somewhere around $300 to $800 a year on the chemicals you'll need to maintain a chlorine pool.
Is a salt water pool easier to maintain? Yes, a salt water pool is easier to maintain! There's no need to purchase, store and add chlorine to your pool. Simply add salt and your pool's salt chlorinator will do all the work of making chlorine.
For installation, expect to spend between $300 and $4,000 and yearly utility costs could be anywhere from $70-$1,845, depending on where you live, the temperature in which you like swimming and whether you use a cover.
A saltwater pool is a great alternative to a traditional chlorine pool, and can end up saving you quite a bit of money in the long run, once you get over that initial startup cost. While they are certainly not free to keep and maintain, saltwater pools have saved a lot of people a lot of money and time.
For most people, the big selling point for saltwater pools is, well, the salt! The lower-chlorine saltwater is better for swimmers' hair, skin and eyes. Additionally, it also tends to be less harsh on pool toys and swimsuits. So saltwater offers better longevity for your accessories.
DIY maintenance can save the pool owner about $1,200 per year. The initial costs can be small: $50 for a year-round pool vacuum and hose and $60 for fall maintenance kits; and then you can buy monthly chemical maintenance kits for $20 to $100 per month.
You definitely need to drain some water from the pool when salinity reaches a 6,000 ppm level. Most salt water pools should be maintained with a salinity level of 2,500-4,000 ppm. The amount you drain depends on how elevated salinity levels are.
Pros of Saltwater Pools
There's less chlorine and less of the heavy chemical scent and content. They're gentler on the skin, with less irritation to the eyes, hair and swimsuits. The water has a softer, silkier feel to it compared to chlorine water. They have lower maintenance costs than chlorine pools.
You should review the salt cell at least every two months. Most need cleaning a minimum of every six months, and sometimes more often, so checking the cell is essential to make sure it doesn't need replacing. If you do have deposits, continue to the next steps.
So, not only is shocking a saltwater pool okay, but it's actually important to your pool's health. Shocking is the process in which you overload your pool with chlorine (3-5 times the normal amount) to improve your pool's cleanliness and kill off organic matter.
A saltwater pool is more expensive than a traditional pool because it requires a higher initial investment. Compared to chlorinated pools, a saltwater pools system is more complex. Both minor and major repairs will call for the expertise of a licensed (and specialized) technician. Saltwater can damage.
Chlorine pools are more traditional and are also cheaper than most saltwater pools. However, they can be more difficult to maintain over time. Because there is no generator making chlorine, you will need to add chlorine into the pool on your own.
The overall cost of salt for a saltwater pool will vary by the type of salt that you use and the size of your pool, but you can expect to pay on average between $10 and $25 per every 40 pounds of salt (or 25¢ to 63¢ per pound of salt). Some brands may even sell a 40-pound bag of pool salt for as much as $40.
Certain species of mosquitoes breed in saltwater pools. Two of the most common species are Aedes taeniorhynchus (also known as Saltwater mosquito) and the dangerous Asian Tiger mosquito that spreads diseases like encephalitis.
A saltwater pool is an alternative to a traditional chlorine pool. Although you don't add chlorine tablets to a saltwater pool, it does still contain chlorine. It just has a smaller amount that's generated through the filter system. A saltwater pool contains 10 times less salt than the ocean.
Saltwater Pools Come With Health and Environmental Concerns
Providers have also linked higher heart mortality risks to sodium absorption through the skin, particularly among people with: High blood pressure.
A well-maintained salt chlorine generator will last 3–7 years.
Saltwater will sanitize your pool, but it does so through electrolysis, which produces bacteria-killing chlorine. In other words, saltwater pools are no healthier or safer than chlorinated ones.
Will My Saltwater Pool Freeze? Yes, they will! Saltwater pools only have a fraction of the salinity of ocean water, so they will freeze in Ottawa's cold winter temperatures. This is why it's important to drain the water to below the skimmer and blow out any lines when closing the pool for the winter.