Saltwater pools are becoming more popular every year in Orange County and Newport Coast.  Beachside Pool Service gets many inquiries about salt water pools, but very few people understand how they work.  They have heard that they are nicer than chlorine pools and aren’t as hard on your hair and skin, but they don’t know why.  Here’s what you need to know about salt water pools, as explained by the Newport Coast pool service that believes the best consumer is an informed consumer.

How Salt Water Pools Work

In a conventional pool, you add one of several forms of chlorine to the water and the chlorine is the main sanitizer.

In a salt water pool, you add salt to the water and not chlorine. The Pacific Ocean near the southern California Coast has a salinity of about 34 to 35 parts per million (PPM) of salt.  In a typical salt water pool, the salinity is about 3,000 PPM of salt.  So the salt water in a pool is clearly not as salty as the salt water in the ocean.

Salt water pools have a salt cell (electrode).  As the salty water passes through the cell the electrode causes a reaction that converts the salt in the water to chlorine.  So, you are still using chlorine to disinfect your pool, you just aren’t adding it.  You are making your own chlorine.  Salt water pools also have a superchlorination feature that is the equivalent of shocking the pool.

The Salt Water Difference

The chlorine produced by the salt cell electrode is of a higher quality than the pool you add to your pool in the form of tablets or liquid.

This chlorine does not have the same strong chlorine smell and it doesn’t irritate eyes, skin, or hair the way traditional chlorine does.

Pros and Cons of Salt Water Pools

Just like everything else in life, there are pros and cons with salt water pools.  The pros are centered around the chlorine form.

Pros.  The biggest pros are savings.  No more money spent on liquid chlorine, chlorine tablets, or shock.  If you maintain your pool yourself, this also saves time.  No more trips to store to purchase supplies.  All you ever add is salt, and salt is cheap.  In addition, you get rid of the chlorine smell and irritation.  These are all produced by chloramines; and salt water pools do not produce chloramines.

Cons.  More parts.  The addition of the electrode salt cell is just one more part that can fail or need replacement.  The salt cell can run between $400 – $700 and will need replacing every 5 to 7 years.  Salt water pools also tend to have a higher pH and this must be kept in check to prevent scaling on your tiles and equipment.  If your pool is serviced by a professional Newport Coast pool service company like Beachside Pool Service, the pH levels can be checked weekly and adjusted to prevent this problem.  You will need a pool heater made with cupronickel to hold up against the corrosive nature of salt water.

Ask the Newport Coast Pool Service Experts – Beachside Pool Service

If you are considering the change to a salt water pool and would like to know more about the process and cost, just reach out to Jared at Beachside Pool Service.  Jared is a southern California native and he knows pools inside and out.  He can answer your questions about adding salt, changing your equipment, and help you decide if a salt water pool is best for you.

If you currently have a salt water pool and need service from a professional Newport Coast pool service company, then call Beachside Pool Service.  You’ll be please to discover affordable service from friendly people that actually value your trust and business.

For all your salt water pool needs, call the Newport Coast salt water pool experts, Beachside Pool Service at (949) 939-0023 or just use the handy on-line Contact Us form.