If you are building a pool, buying a home with one, or thinking about converting your current system, you have probably asked whether saltwater or traditional chlorine is the better choice. Both keep water clean and safe. They simply get there in different ways and ask different things of the owner.
This guide explains how each system works and what each one means for maintenance in Glendale.
A Saltwater Pool Is Still a Chlorine Pool
The biggest misunderstanding about saltwater pools is that they do not use chlorine. They do. A saltwater pool has a low concentration of dissolved salt, and a device called a salt cell uses electricity to turn some of that salt into chlorine. The chlorine sanitizes the water, then turns back into salt, and the cycle repeats.
A traditional chlorine pool skips the salt cell. Instead, chlorine is added directly as tablets, liquid, or granules. Either way, the water is sanitized by chlorine.
How the Water Feels
Many owners prefer how a saltwater pool feels. The salt level is far lower than ocean water, but the water often feels softer, and the steady production of chlorine can mean fewer swings in sanitizer level. Traditional pools can feel just as pleasant when chemistry is kept in balance.
Saltwater Pools: What to Expect
- Less handling and storage of chlorine products
- A steady supply of chlorine from the salt cell
- pH that tends to rise and needs regular correction
- A salt cell that needs periodic inspection and cleaning, and eventual replacement
- Salt levels that must be kept within the range the system requires
Traditional Chlorine Pools: What to Expect
- Simpler equipment with no salt cell to maintain
- Regular addition of chlorine by hand or with a feeder
- Sanitizer levels that can drop faster in hot weather
- Stabilizer that builds up over time when chlorine tablets are used
The Glendale Factor: Hard Water
The City of Glendale describes its tap water as very hard. That matters most for saltwater pools, because calcium deposits form on the metal plates inside the salt cell, especially in warm summer water. Scale reduces chlorine output and shortens the life of the cell. Keeping calcium hardness and pH in range, and having the cell inspected regularly, is key to getting good service from a salt system here. Traditional pools deal with the same hard water, but mainly as scale on tile and heaters.
Help With Either System
We care for both types of pools. For ongoing care of a salt pool, see saltwater pool service. If your cell is showing low output or warning lights, read about salt cell replacement. For any pool, pool chemical balancing keeps the water comfortable. Contact Glendale Pool Service with questions.