Thoughts on a salt water pool (homes, to buy, maintenance)

[jmh1947]

What are the downsides of a salt water pool? Maintenance, equipment deterioration, etc?

[TamRE]

Cost more to run because you have to run it all the time. Don't have to buy chlorine, but you do have to buy other chemicals. Some people like them, others do not. Even though it is supposed to be softer, it makes my skin feel slimy. I own a chlorine pool, not salt water, but have been in and seen many salt water pools. Also, if you have kids they often do not like the taste of the salt water when it gets in their mouth, it is not as noticeable with the chlorine. You do have to replace your equipment much more often with salt water and it is more expensive to replace. The salt water damages the equipment. Salt water pools are more maintenance on a weekly basis.

I have had many of my customers that bought homes with salt water pools eventually switch them over to chlorine.

[Harbor Hopper]

None. Zero downsides. Less chemical cost. Less maint. Softer skin. Bathing suits last much longer. No strong chlorine smell.
We built ours 3 yrs ago and LOVE it. I add salt 2x per year ($7). I add acid maybe every 1.5 weeks. Stabilizer every 3 months or so. Rarely any baking soda. NEVER have to mess with Chlorine jugs and storing them! The control center is easy to play with for adjusting the chlorinating %. We paid an extra $600 for the salt option when we built ours (started at $1,200 and I was able to talk them down in price on numerous options). It should be a no-brainer

[Harbor Hopper]

Originally Posted by TamRE

Cost more to run because you have to run it all the time. Also, if you have kids they often do not like the taste of the salt water when it gets in their mouth, it is not as noticeable with the chlorine. You do have to replace your equipment much more often with salt water and it is more expensive to replace. The salt water damages the equipment. Salt water pools are more maintenance on a weekly basis.

I 100% disagree with each one of these statements. You do NOT have to run it all the time. There's no difference in run time! I run mine about 8hrs/day in the summer, 6hrs in the winter.
You can't taste the salt at all! Unless of course you've put WAY too much salt in the pool! A salt pool should run around 3,000-3,600 ppm of salt. For comparison purposes, seawater is ~35,000 ppm. I've never had my pool over 3,800 ppm, and nobody has ever tasted salt in the pool. it's a very low %. Just enough for the cell to convert it to chlorine.
What "expensive" equipment do you speak of??? I have the exact same equipment as any chlorine pool, with the exception of the Auto Pilot chlorinator, which runs approx $400 if/when the salt cell goes bad. Mine has a 5yr warranty. The rest of the equipment is identical to any chlorine pool. There's no "special" pump or filter housing you have to buy. The small amount of salt is not very corrosive. I have zero signs of corrosion on any equipment after 3yrs of operating.
How on earth can you tell people that a salt pool is more maint??? You don't have to do anything! That's a huge selling point on salt systems, that they are FAR lower maint!! I check the test strip 1x per week, and add acid if needed. That's pretty much it. Oh yeah, clean the filter every 2-3 weeks. Pretty sure you do that with a chlorine pool as well

[jmh1947]

HH thanks. I was taken aback by the negative comments of the other poster. Everything I have read supports your statements. I am looking for real life, practical experience, so your posts fill the bill.

[Harbor Hopper]

I know everyone has their own opinions on every subject in life, and it's our birth-given right here in the U.S. to voice them, but the OP is looking for facts here.
Disclaimer: I am NOT affiliated with any pool company whatsoever. Just a homeowner that installed a salt system on a new pool and absolutely LOVE the low maint, low cost, and feel of the salt pool. Maybe it's not for everyone, but at the small cost to install/upgrade, it should be!

[Harbor Hopper]

One other thing to mention regarding kids. I have a 4 yr old. He has been swimming in our salt pool since he was an infant. Since 1 yr old, completely on his own, eyes WIDE open. He spends more time under water than above. He's literally a fish. But when we're in the gulf, the saltwater burns his eyes like anyone else. Of course he has to wear goggles or a mask out there. HUGE difference between seawater and salt pool salinity.

[Placida]

I converted my chlorine pool to salt three years ago. That was one of the best moves I ever made...we love the salt pool. Call some pool companies and ask them which type of pools they are installing. I think you will find that the majority of new pools are going saltwater.

[Karen and Jim]

Originally Posted by jmh1947

What are the downsides of a salt water pool? Maintenance, equipment deterioration, etc?

DOWNSIDE? NONE, as far as WE can see! We love our pool, and are soooo happy that we didn't go with the chlorine! We only have to run it 7 hours a day, and it's always been crystal clear!

[Karen and Jim]

Originally Posted by Harbor Hopper

One other thing to mention regarding kids. I have a 4 yr old. He has been swimming in our salt pool since he was an infant. Since 1 yr old, completely on his own, eyes WIDE open. He spends more time under water than above. He's literally a fish. But when we're in the gulf, the saltwater burns his eyes like anyone else. Of course he has to wear goggles or a mask out there. HUGE difference between seawater and salt pool salinity.

YES.....that's true, Hopper! My grandson said he didn't have to wear his goggles in our pool like he did in their chlorine pool. Good point! Also......I'm a blonde, and my hair doesn't turn green in the salt water!