Installing A Salt Chlorinator For Your Swimming Pool

If you are a residential swimming pool owner we are pretty sure you have heard of saltwater chlorination for swimming pools. They have been on the market for quite some time now and when they first came on the scene they were marketed in such a way that it would make owning a swimming pool much easier. That it prevents you from having to add chlorine to the pool and that it would make it a much more enjoyable swim experience. Due to the popularity, many were sold when they first came out but we want to be the first to tell you that they aren’t maintenance-free, that you still might need to add chlorine from time to time, and if you don’t maintain balanced water chemistry you’re going to run into problems.

First and foremost, salt chlorinators work in the following way:

• Large quantities of pool salt are introduced to your swimming pool.
• Water containing this salt passes through the salt cell.
• A small electric current runs through the plates causing a chemical reaction that releases the production of chlorine gas
• As the water passes through the salt cell during this process, the chlorine gas dissolves into the water and produces pure and fresh chlorine that kills contaminants in your swimming pool.
• Finally, this pure chlorine is returned to your pool for sanitation purposes.

This is a great alternative for those that are sensitive to liquid and granular chlorine. Typically, you won’t even smell chlorine in the pool and if used correctly most individuals who are extremely sensitive to chlorine will have a much better swim experience. However, with any salt system, you need to make sure you have optimum amounts of conditioner (refer to the manual of your system), you need to maintain your pH as salt will cause it to rise, and you need to keep your Calcium Hardness levels low. The calcium is a big issue because in many parts of the country the amount of calcium coming out of the tap will cause scaling to your system. When this happens you will need to change out the water. Another issue especially in areas of very warm climates, the salt system might not be able to keep up and additional chlorine might be necessary. So remember, even though they are sold as minimal maintenance, you still need to keep your pool clean, balance your water chemistry, and keep your hardness levels low. To learn more please click on the link below.