APCO Pools Specialties, Inc.

Inground Pool Renovations: Should I Install a Salt Water Swimming Pool?

Salt water swimming pools? Sure! It may seem unusual, but one of the most unique inground pool renovations is a conversion from fresh water to salt water. Why, you may ask? Are there people out there who want their pool to double as an aquarium? Does someone want to convert their pool into a lobster farm?

No. The answer is simple: Chlorine. Chlorine is part of every swimming pool, and the service that each pool receives includes chlorination. Chlorine prevents water from developing algae, and it generally keeps swimming pools safe for human use. An evenly-chlorinated pool is a healthy pool.

Salt water is just as safe, but cheaper — in the long run. A salt water system is expensive to install, but owners of salt water pools don’t need to buy chlorine. That’s a savings of $50 to $75 for every bucket of chlorine that would have been purchased for a freshwater pool.

But, you’re probably thinking: Won’t swimming around in a salt water pool be gross? Swimming in the ocean is nice, but who wants to deal with salt water all the time?

Don’t worry. A salt water pool isn’t anything like the ocean. Ocean water has a salt content of about 35,000 parts per million; the water in a salt water pool is about ten times less salty. Most people can’t even taste it. It won’t turn your eyes red if you spend too much time in the pool (as can happen with chlorine). And salt water is softer on your skin than chlorinated water.

Finally, It’s also important to remember that chlorine, in its undiluted form, is a corrosive chemical. It needs to be handled with care. It can ruin clothing and burn the eyes or the skin. Adding it to your pool isn’t exactly unsafe, but it does carry certain risk factors. The natural chlorine generated by a salt water pool will never present these problems.

If you have the money for a fairly expensive series of pool renovations, turning your pool into a salt water pool may be an option worth exploring, particularly if you’d like to avoid dealing with harsh chemicals and swim in a pool that’s easier on your skin and eyes.