| Over the past four decades thousands of | | | | replace. So you still need to purchase the salt, this |
| backyard swimming pools have been installed. The | | | | may be only a few times a year depending on |
| use of chlorine was the norm for sanitizing the | | | | how much is purchased at one time. |
| pool. Be it liquid or dry, a whole industry sprang up | | | | Another drawback is the pool still needs to be |
| producing chemicals for swimming pools. | | | | tested for chlorine and acid demand. Yes you still |
| Unfortunately dry skin, damaged hair, and red | | | | need to test for chlorine. The salt cell generates |
| burning eyes where the result after a day of | | | | the chlorine but adjustments must be made to |
| swimming. Since nothing could be done people | | | | prevent the levels from becoming to high or low. |
| tolerated these problems, all the while dreaming of | | | | Then you need to test for the ph level. If the ph |
| a solution. | | | | level becomes too high or low the salt cell can be |
| Then someone came up with the idea to use salt | | | | damaged leading to replacement and extra cost. |
| in pools. When one thinks of salt they think of the | | | | Then there is the question of how much time is |
| ocean. These pools are not like the salt water | | | | needed to run the pool pump. Many people want |
| found in the ocean. They still have chlorine but at | | | | to run their pump a few hours a day. They |
| lower levels. This confuses people but shouldn't, | | | | become accustomed to the low electric bills. Then |
| the salt is used to generate chlorine as the salt | | | | when they purchase the salt system they find |
| passes through a cell. The salt ranges from a low | | | | that more hours are needed for the system to |
| of 2700 parts per million to a high of 3400 parts | | | | work correctly. This leads to higher bills so people |
| per million. Each system is a little different so the | | | | tend to turn the pump time back down. Guess |
| owner's manual should be consulted. | | | | what happens then? Well if the pool experiences |
| Salt water pools solve the problems of dry skin, | | | | heavy use the chlorine level drops or disappears. |
| damaged hair and red eyes as the solution of salt | | | | So one has two choices, they can either run the |
| is at the right levels to give one a comfortable | | | | system longer or add liquid chlorine. The later kind |
| swimming experience. Another benefit is not | | | | of defeats the whole idea of a salt water pool. |
| having to transport chlorine from the pool store. | | | | Another drawback is that a salt system cannot |
| This also makes for lower chemical costs. Should | | | | be installed in pools that have copper pipes. Many |
| you purchase a salt water system? Lets look at | | | | pools in the sixties and seventies had copper |
| some of the drawbacks before you make that | | | | plumbing. Salt will eat away at the copper over a |
| decision. | | | | period of time. So plastic pipes need to be installed |
| Lets start with the initial cost of the system. | | | | which can become very costly. |
| They can run well over a thousand dollars installed. | | | | These are the major pros and cons of owning a |
| The cell may only last five to seven years | | | | salt water pool. You decide is it worth it to have |
| depending on how well the systems is maintained. | | | | soft skin nice hair and the absence of red eyes? |
| By this I mean that the salt levels must be kept | | | | Many think it is the only way to go and wouldn't |
| at the correct parts per million or damage may | | | | ever go back to fresh water pools. |
| occur to the cell, which can be expensive to | | | | |