Saltwater swimming pool maintenance is a topic that often comes up when our custom swimming pool customers in Bluffton, Hilton Head, Beaufort County and the surrounding areas of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida are weighing the benefits of saltwater swimming pools versus chlorine swimming pools. While most homeowners considering a swimming pool with salt water understand that these pools are gentler on skin and eyes and better for swimmers with allergies than chlorinated swimming pools, they are often unsure on how saltwater pool maintenance stacks up against pools with chlorine.

Saltwater Pools are Not Chlorine-Free Pools

One of the biggest misconceptions about these inground swimming pools is that they are free of chlorine. In reality, salt water swimming pools do have chlorine in the water. The big difference between chlorinated swimming pools and pools with salt water is how that chlorine gets in the water. And this saltwater pool system makes a big difference when it comes to maintaining your swimming pool.

Easy to Maintain But Not Maintenance Free

With today’s chlorine generator technology, saltwater pool maintenance is actually quite simple. It is not, however, maintenance-free. A saltwater swimming pool uses a salt-cell system filled with salt for pool water maintenance. When water passes through a salt cell, electrolysis releases chlorine from the salt and keeps the pool sanitary.

This process of continuous disinfection without the need to handle, store or add chemicals to your swimming pool water is one of the benefits of saltwater swimming pools. By producing the sanitizer in the pool water, your inground pool will continuously kill germs, neutralize contaminants and slow algae growth. While it is not a “set-it and forget-it” pool maintenance system (as you will need to add salt and ensure the saltwater purification system is operating properly), a saltwater pool sanitizing system requires much less effort to maintain water quality than traditional chlorine-based systems.

Saltwater Swimming Pool Maintenance Routine

So, if your custom swimming pool with salt water will need maintenance, what will your pool maintenance routine look like? Much of what will be required to maintain a healthy swimming environment will depend on a number of variables including: your pool usage, how well your pool system is functioning and other environmental factors.

The basics of keeping your custom saltwater pool functioning properly and the water healthy include the following steps. You will need to monitor salt levels and test your pool water pH level. Much like chlorine swimming pool water, you will need to test chlorine levels, total alkalinity, calcium hardness and cyanuric acid levels. You will also need to keep an eye on your salt water swimming pool filter to ensure it is operating properly. And finally, you must clean the salt cell.

Have any further questions about saltwater swimming pools or any other luxury swimming pool questions? We’re here to help. Contact us with any of your questions or to learn how we can design and build a custom concrete swimming pool for your home.