Do saltwater pools work?

     This is my story of why I will always use a salt chlorine generator on my pool. Since I have been in the pool business as a retailer and builder for over 35 years, I have been a Guinea pig for many new products; some didn't turn out well, while others did. I will tell you why a salt water pool was one of the success stories…

    Turn the clock back to the summer of 1999; salt water pool sanitation was considered new technology. Although it had been around for many years it had yet to become a mainstream product. The concept was a good one, almost "to good to be true" so the best way to determine if it worked was to install it on the pool at our home.

     The feedback was good from my wife and daughter, the water was soft and its effect on their hair was a good one, they loved the product. Of course I was looking for more confirmation because my family could be biased and worried about hurting my feelings..............Then it happened!...............one day Jim my neighbor came over for a swim not knowing we had converted to a salt water pool, he dove in the pool and when he surfaced in the shallow end his immediate response was "What did you do to your pool water? It feels great!"....... Needless to say that was the moment I became a believer. To this day we sanitize our pool with a salt water chlorine generator and have never second guessed that decision. 

The benefits are numerous; 

• Ease of use is the biggest benefit, you control your chlorine output with a dial, turn it up when your pool gets heavy use and turn it down when it’s not used as much.
• No more chlorine pucks to handle and you never run out of chlorine
•  The water feels soft and is much gentler on your hair and skin. It does not turn your hair colors.
• It continues to deliver chlorine automatically if you go on vacation or are away for extended periods of time.

There are a few downsides to a saltwater pool also to be considered

• There is an initial cost for the equipment and the minerals for your pool
• There has been much discussion about the harmful effects caused by salt coming in contact with metal and concrete surfaces. There is some credibility to this problem and one of the best solution we have found is to install a sacrificial anode in your system to absorb the corrosive effects of salt.
• The cells that convert salt to chlorine have a limited life span and will eventually need to be replaced. A good cell should last between 3 and 10 years.

     All things considered a chlorine generator is a worthy investment. Be sure to buy a quality product with a good warranty and it will definitely improve your pool experience.
     Does anyone have a salt water story to tell? Good or bad experience, there are many people interested using this method and would like to hear your feedback.       

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