Salt or Chlorine?

Maintaining salt water systems for swimming pools has been around for years but it’s only been relatively recently that the technology has made it easily accessible to your average pool owner. You may have been wondering about it, so let’s take a look at what it can mean to switch from traditional methods of using chlorine and chemicals to a salt water system.

Cost: Will you save money with a salt water system?

Not really. It’s true that, once your salt water system is installed, you’ll no longer have to add chlorine to your water on a regular basis and that can save you money in terms of routine maintenance costs. However, the initial outlay of a saltwater system handily offsets those savings. You don’t want to switch with the idea that you’ll save loads of cash.

Maintenance: How will it affect maintenance?

This is where a salt water system has a clear advantage – but one that many people misunderstand. Many believe that a saltwater system effectively eliminates chlorine and that you no longer have to use it at all. That’s not true.

Along with adding salt to your swimming pool water, the salt water system – we use Aquarite – places a low level charge in the pool water and converts it into liquid chlorine. That’s the reason you don’t have to add chlorine manually or handle it anymore.

The Caveats:

• Only the actual handling of chlorine becomes automatic. The rest is still up to you, including testing the water balance and the new job of adjusting the system’s controls if necessary.
• With saltwater, you may find that your pH level rises more quickly and that you need to check it more often
• If there’s excessive rain, just as you do with chlorine levels now, you’ll have to make sure that salt levels aren’t overly diluted and adjust accordingly.

The Water: What difference does it make to the water?
Many people say they enjoy a different feel to the water – that it’s softer. It doesn’t smell of chlorine in the same way as with a conventional chlorination system, it doesn’t taste bad and the water will be crystal clear. Most of our customers who’ve switched to the Aquarite system love it for this reason.

But: Isn’t salt corrosive? What about long term damage to my pool components?
In 8 years of installing saltwater systems, we haven’t noted any new or unusual damage to any of our client’s swimming pool as a result. We’ll make sure that you’re fully informed with everything you need to know about how to take care of the system and that’s the key – proper training that results in correct maintenance of the pool and the salt water system itself.

What you may notice is a little salt residue in areas where the water has splashed. This however should be minimal and it’s easily cleaned up with a bit of water.

Thinking About Saltwater Systems or Any Other Pool Renovations?
Contact Bremner Pool & Spa today for swimming pool service, swimming pool repairs, safety tips and maintenance. Free Quotes Available.

About Bremner Pool & Spa:
Established in 1981, Bremner Pool & Spa is one of the premiere swimming pool service companies in Toronto, the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Scarborough and Durham Region. We operate 11 state-of-the art vehicles and offer a variety of high quality and eco-friendly products & services including swimming pool repair, openings, partial swimming pool openings, swimming pool closings, weekly pool and spa service, pool leak detection & repair, heaters, liners, pumps and more. As well, Bremner Pool & Spa complies with all City of Toronto By Laws for Pools, Hot Tubs and Spas.

Swimming pool services including openings, renovations, installations and maintenance throughout Toronto and the GTA including Ajax, Durham, East York, Forest Hill, Markham, North York, Oshawa, Pickering, Richmond Hill, Scarborough, Thornhill, Unionville, Vaughan and Whitby, Ontario.