Salt vs Chlorine

Tired of spending a fortune on chlorine annually and the time spent weekly on properly maintaining the chlorine levels? Maybe it’s time to convert your chlorine pool into a saltwater pool.

Salt Water Conversion

Chlorine isn't cheap! If your pool water is properly balanced it is suggested to add 1 chlorine tab per 5k gallons and 1 lb of shock per 10k gallons to your pool on a weekly basis to keep the water properly sanitized and free of algae. If you have a 30k gallon pool, for example, you can find yourself spending somewhere between $30-$40 on chlorine on a weekly basis; $120-$160 monthly!

Not only is a saltwater conversion an investment that will save you money, it will also save you time and frustration. The headache of having to stay on stop of your chlorine levels on a weekly basis can be just as much of a pain as the cost, and if you neglect it for even a week or two you can find yourself having to spend additional money on a dose of super shock and things like algaecide, stain & scale, and clarifiers to help clear up any algae issues. When you convert to saltwater there is no weekly chlorine maintenance. Once the salt level in your pool is raised to the appropriate level you’re set for the season. Your new saltwater chlorine generator continually ionizes the salt in your pool, turning it into chlorine and keeping your chlorine level in the 1-3ppm range all summer long.

And no… your pool water won’t taste like the ocean! Here’s a breakdown of more pros, and some cons, to converting to salt this season:

Pros

Lower annual cost & less time spent on maintenance – don’t have to buy and maintain chlorine levels anymore
Saltwater is gentler on the skin, eyes, swimwear, and hair. Chlorine pools dry out your skin, while saltwater actually helps keep your body moisture balances by not stripping your body and hair of natural oils
No need to store chlorine – chlorine is a dangerous chemical and a pain to store, especially if you have pets and children
Better for the environment – traditional chlorine pools emit a ton of chloramines as gas
No more strong chlorine odors

Cons

The upfront costs – customers will expect to have to wait somewhere between 12-20 months of regular pool operations (2-3 pool seasons) before they see a return on their investment.
Saltwater is corrosive towards metal. You can protect your heater and any metal in the pool like ladders and light covers with a zinc anode, but it will be best to avoid splashing pool water near any outdoor metal furniture or grills to avoid
The salt cell typically needs to be replaced every 5-10 years. Cell replacements typically cost somewhere between $500-$1k. Hayward, Jandy, & Pentair do all offer 3-year fully guaranteed warranties on their salt cells. You should expect to have made back the upfront costs and much more by the time you’ll need a replacement.