Here in coastal South Carolina, saltwater pools are a subject that comes up quite often for homeowners. More specifically, the benefits of saltwater pools versus chlorine pools is what these homeowners want to know when considering a new swimming pool for their home. Below, we share saltwater pool benefits to help you better understand these types of pools prior to finalizing your decision on what type of pool to add to your backyard oasis.

Saltwater Pool Misconceptions

Before looking at the benefits of owning a pool with salt water, we wanted to clear up a misconception. Here in the Bluffton and Hilton Head Island, South Carolina area, we are blessed to have a huge body of salt water at our doorsteps – the Atlantic Ocean. That body of water, however, has less in common with saltwater pools than most understand.

Not only do saltwater swimming pools have less salt than the ocean, but contrary to popular belief, these types of pools also use chlorine to maintain a safe swimming environment. The big difference between chlorinated swimming pools and pools with salt water is how that chlorine gets in the water.

In simple terms, chlorine is added manually on an ongoing basis to maintain the water quality in a standard chlorinated pool. A saltwater pool, on the other hand, 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.

Less Maintenance

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 in-ground 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.

Less Harmful

Speaking of chemicals and swimming pool water, that brings us to our second benefit of saltwater pools – health benefits. Unlike chlorine which can causes red eyes, itchy skin, and discolored hair, salt is less harsh and more gentle on skin, hair and eyes. Also, if you suffer from allergies or asthma, then a pool with salt water is much more suitable for your health conditions.

Less Costly

The last benefit of saltwater pools we’ll share today is one that is very important to pool owners and those considering installing a pool at their home. Over time, saltwater swimming pools save money due to lower maintenance and operation costs. The cost of the salt needed to maintain your pool is much less than the cost of chlorine. Over time, this cost savings will easily pay for the price to convert your chlorine pool to a saltwater pool.

As you can see, there are many benefits of saltwater pools. So, before designing and installing your next pool or remodeling and renovating your older swimming pool, you should consider whether the traditional chlorine pool or a saltwater pool fits your lifestyle best. With the all the benefits a swimming pool delivers, you can’t go wrong either way!