Benefits of Saltwater Swimming Pool: A Complete Guide

Are saltwater pools better than the regular chlorine kind? More and more people are asking this lately. If you are thinking about a pool renovation or getting a new pool put in, you should probably know what you’re getting into with salt water swimming pool benefits. There’s some real advantages here, but also a few things to think about with the salt water pool pros and cons.

What Are the Benefits of a Saltwater Swimming Pool?

Backyard pools have been transformed in the recent past by the saltwater pools. They are only not like the old-school chlorine pools in respects that really count. The advantages of salt water swimming pool systems far outnumber the fact that they are more pleasant to swim in, we are talking health issues, much less effort is needed to maintain them, costless in the long run and they are also healthier to the environment.

Health and Comfort Benefits

1. Softer Feel: The softness of the water is one of the largest advantages cited by saltwater pool owners. It’s not like seawater at all. The salt is highly mild, yet it makes the water feel smooth and silky, which is extremely comfortable.
2. Gentle on Skin and Eyes: This part honestly makes a huge difference. Traditional pools can leave you with red eyes, itchy skin, sticky hair… all those annoying things. Saltwater pools usually avoid all of that because:
   • The chlorine level stays mild
   • It doesn’t spike suddenly
   • You’re not throwing chemicals in every few days
3. Less Odor: That “pool smell” everyone knows? That’s not actually chlorine by itself. It’s chloramines, basically what happens when chlorine mixes with sweat and other stuff in the water. Gross, I know. Saltwater pools don’t really have that smell. You won’t walk around smelling like you just left the public pool. Your hair won’t reek, your swimsuit stays fresher, and your towels don’t get that chemical stink either.
4. Health Benefits: The saltwater swimming pool benefits go beyond just comfort stuff. Breathing in the tiny salt particles can actually help thin out mucus in your lungs, which is good for your breathing. People with asthma or allergies tend to do better around saltwater pools. Swimming in saltwater helps with sore muscles and joints, too, kind of like soaking in Epsom salts. Makes salt water inground swimming pools are perfect if you’re dealing with arthritis, recovering from an injury, or just sore after a workout.

Maintenance and Cost Advantages

1. Less Maintenance: This is where saltwater pools really win. Way less work to keep them clean. The salt chlorinator does everything automatically; you’re not constantly messing with chlorine tablets or testing strips every other day. With regular pools, you’re always checking chlorine levels and dumping in more chemicals. It’s annoying. Saltwater systems just make chlorine on their own, keeping everything balanced without you having to babysit it constantly. The generator handles it, and you don’t even need algaecides because the system naturally keeps algae from taking over.
2. Lower Ongoing Costs: Sure, getting a saltwater system installed costs more upfront. But you save money after that. Salt is cheap compared to all those pool chemicals you’d normally buy. The total cost of salt for the whole system ends up being way less than constantly buying chlorine and other maintenance stuff. Most people save somewhere between $200 and $600 a year just on chemicals. Plus you don’t have to worry about chlorine prices going crazy or shortages at the store, which happens sometimes.

Other Important Benefits

1. Improved Safety: You don’t have to store dangerous chlorine products anymore. That’s huge. If chlorine isn’t stored right or gets misused, it can poison people, corrode stuff, or even cause fires. With a salt chlorine generator, you just don’t deal with any of that. Makes your pool area safer, especially if you’ve got kids around.
2. Environmentally Friendly: Saltwater pools use fewer chemicals than regular chlorine pools, so they’re better for the environment. Less chemicals means less impact from making them, shipping them around, and getting rid of them. Traditional chlorine creates chloramines that release gas into the air, and saltwater pools have way less of that problem.

How to Check Salt Level in Pool

It will not all work out without you monitoring the amount of salt in your pool. The majority of salt chlorine generators have a digital display that displays the current salt level. However, in the real accuracy, the test strips that need to be used are some saltwater test strips that are specifically designed to work in pools. They do not cost much, perhaps 10-15 dollars a pack and they will record good readings.

Ideal Salt Level for Pool

Your salt concentration should be 2,700- 3,400 ppm (parts per million). Sweet spot is around 3,200 ppm. Stay within that range and your chlorine generator does what it is supposed to do and generates sufficient chlorine to keep the pool clean. Excessively low and your chlorinator is not effective, does not produce sufficient chlorine. Excessive and the device may simply close, not to mention that your water starts tasting salty, and it is disgusting.

How to Reduce the Salt Level in My Pool

If your salt gets too high, there’s really only one fix: drain some water out and add fresh water back in. That’s it. Drain and refill your pool about a foot at a time, test the salt each time after you add fresh water. Once you get back to the right range, you’ll need to rebalance your other water chemistry stuff, pH, alkalinity, stabilizer, all that.

Pool Renovation: Converting to Saltwater

Can a Chlorine Pool Be Converted to a Saltwater Pool?

Yeah, definitely! Converting your chlorine pool to saltwater is actually not that complicated. You’re basically just adding a salt chlorine generator to your pool setup and dumping salt in the water. You don’t have to drain the pool or rip out most of your equipment or anything like that.

The conversion usually goes like this:

1. Get your water chemistry right first: Test everything, pH, alkalinity, calcium hardness, stabilizer, and fix whatever’s off before you start.
2. Buy and install a salt chlorine generator: Get one that’s the right size for your pool. Basic rule is the system should handle at least 1.5 times your pool’s size.
3. Add the salt: Pool-grade salt, has to be 99.8% pure sodium chloride. Just spread it around the pool surface based on how much water you’ve got. Takes like 24 hours to dissolve completely sometimes.
4. Watch it and adjust: Once it’s running, test your water every week and tweak the chlorine production settings if you need to.

Converting an inground pool to saltwater usually runs around $1,700 to $2,500, plus whatever the salt costs. It’s not cheap upfront, but you make that money back over time with what you save on chemicals and the fact that it’s just easier to deal with.

FAQs

Why Salt Water Swimming Pool?

Saltwater pools just give you a better experience overall. The water’s softer, you’re not drowning in chemicals, there’s less work involved, and you save money in the long run. The way the chlorine gets made naturally creates a more comfortable pool while still keeping it clean.

Does a Salt Pool Need Chlorine?

Yes, but not how you’re thinking. Saltwater pools make their own chlorine. The salt chlorine generator breaks down the salt through electrolysis and turns it into pure chlorine that sanitizes the pool. You don’t buy chlorine or handle those chemical buckets anymore, but there’s still chlorine doing the cleaning work in the water.

Can a Chlorine Pool Be Converted to a Saltwater Pool?

Yep, and it’s pretty straightforward. Usually takes a day. You install the salt chlorine generator, dump in the pool-grade salt, get your water chemistry balanced, and you’re done. Most people who make the switch think it’s worth it for how much better the water feels and how much less maintenance they have to do.

Final Thoughts

The benefits of saltwater swimming pool technology make sense for a lot of homeowners who want a better pool without all the hassle. From the water just feeling nicer on your skin to the long-term perks like less maintenance and saving money, saltwater pools are a solid investment if you use your pool a lot.

Thinking about making the switch? Your skin, your eyes, your wallet, and your weekends will be better for it.