The average pools have chlorinated water, and people have no qualms in swimming in the chemical-treated water thinking that it doesn’t cause any detrimental effects on the health. But over time, it is revealed that swimming in chlorine poses health risks.
Consequently, the saltwater pool is introduced as a great alternative for chlorine pools. In fact, tons of articles online have been promoting saltwater pools as zero-chlorine water.
But is saltwater pool 100% chlorine-free?
Read on to find out!
Saltwater Pools Vs. Chlorine Pools
Contents
Chlorine Pools
Chlorine pools are a popular choice for many years because it is cheaper and efficient. In addition, chlorine treated pool is also easier to maintain.
Chlorine is a chemical added to the pool to get rid of bacteria and other microorganisms in the water. The killing of bacteria happens through a chemical reaction that attacks the cells of these microorganisms
Swimming pools that are only used twice a week need chlorine shock once a week. But swimming pools that are used frequently like those in hotels and resorts need to be maintained regularly. Thus, pool shock is required 3-4 times a week.
In some cases, resort maintenance administers pool shock daily, usually in the late evening or very early morning. The rule of thumb is that the more you use the pool, the frequent you add chlorine to the water.
Chlorine Pools Benefits:
- The initial cost of chlorine pools is much cheaper.
- No generator is needed to complete the pool shock process.
- You can add the chlorine yourself as long as you have all the tools and testing equipment needed like pH and alkalinity level testers, etc.
- Energy efficient since you can add the chemical directly to the water
Saltwater Pools
Meanwhile, saltwater pools have chemistry close than that of seawater. Here, instead of adding chlorine chemical, you need to install a salt water generator.
What this generator does is to maintain and regulate the pool water. How? It is done through the process called electrolysis.
What is electrolysis?
This is a natural process that extracts and purify the pool water. The salt is converted into chlorine, and what’s even more amazing is that the generator helps maintain the chlorine levels of the water.
The electrolysis process only produces a certain amount of chlorine that is enough to disinfect the pool water. This way, you do not have to monitor and keep on adding chlorine to balanced the water chemistry.
Hence, the assumption that saltwater pools have zero chlorine is actually untrue. Saltwater pools still have chlorine but the amount is way lesser and is only enough to kill bacteria and microorganism in the water.
Although it is not 100% chlorine-free, saltwater is still the better option as it poses no health risks and is gentle to the skin.
Saltwater Pools Benefits:
- It is a much safer choice in terms of health.
- Causes less irritation on the skin, perfect for those people with sensitive skin type
- This is the best choice if the pool is often used by children.
- Also, athletes can also benefit from this type of pool as they can immerse in the water for longer periods of time without any potential health risks.
- Saltwater pools also don’t have any chemical chlorine smell.
- It is also easy to maintain. As mentioned, the saltwater generator helps maintain the pool water for you. You don’t have to bother yourself with all the water testing processes.
- The maintenance cost is lesser in the long run. Thus, the ROI or return on investment is actually higher in saltwater pools.
- Initial cost is expensive. It would cost you $1000 to $2000 for the saltwater-chlorine generator, plus another $500 minimum for the installation.
The Verdict
There is no doubt that saltwater is a much safer option between saltwater pools vs. chlorine pools. Although the initial cost is quite pricey, we think that safety and health is a top priority.
Still, chlorine pools have its own pros. And if you are just keen on following certain procedures like constant water testing and waiting a few hours before using the pool after pool shock, then chemical pools pose no danger.
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