When it comes to keeping your residential or commercial swimming pool sanitized to keep algae and bacteria out the two most popular methods are either using salt or chlorine. If you own a residential or commercial swimming pool there has been many discussions about Salt Water vs. Chlorine Swimming Pools. Depending on where you live there can be many benefits to owning a saltwater swimming pool but as a company that discusses and has written about the challenges of saltwater and high levels of Calcium Hardness, this should go into your discussion before you purchase one.

If you want a blue and clear swimming pool, they must not only be sanitized but also balanced chemically. To swim in bacteria-free water, you must swim in either a saltwater pool or chlorine pool. The question is, which one is better for you? There are many pros and cons of each and we hope this blog post helps to inform you on making a wise decision.

Pros to owning a chlorine pool

  • Doesn’t damage pool features
  • No installation necessary
  • Uses no electricity
  • Minimal initial investment

Cons of owning a chlorine pool

  • Can cause skin dryness, itchiness and the possibility of red eyes
  • Can fade your swimwear overtime
  • Can increase health risks
  • Higher chemical cost

Pros of owning a saltwater pool

  • Minimal chlorine consumption
  • Softer on skin, nails, and hair
  • Doesn’t fade your swimwear
  • Lower chemical costs
  • Poses no health risks

Cons of owning a saltwater pool

  • Higher initial installation costs
  • Uses more electricity
  • Harder to operate in areas where Calcium Hardness levels are high

In the Dallas area, we see a lot of saltwater swimming pools because our water is hard and many bathers enjoy the soft water swim experience. They are extremely popular because most brands sell consumers on the fact that they are maintenance free. But, they aren’t maintenance free in Dallas because the electrode plates will scale with our hard water and prevent them from generating chlorine.

With that being said, if you own one you’re going to need to keep your Calcium Hardness levels low. That’s why we recommend changing out the water in your swimming pool every two years with The Puripool Process. If you should have any questions about saltwater vs. chlorine please let us know. We recommend both types of sanitation and if you keep your hardness levels lower and pH within normal ranges it will definitely allow the salt system to work much better.