When choosing swimming pools for their homes, homeowners consider many factors to help them have a functional, comfortable, safe, and good-looking pool. In addition to the relaxing and wonderful moments you enjoy in your pool, a swimming pool increases the value of your home, making it attractive to buyers. Saltwater swimming pools are slowly becoming popular for their many advantages, including their low maintenance costs and how gentle they are on the skin. However, they require unique maintenance and care compared to regular swimming pools.
If you are considering installing a saltwater pool in your home, the tips discussed here will help you maintain a clean, functional, and safe pool. A skilled pool builder can provide insight into what you need and the advantages and disadvantages to help you make an informed decision.
Reasons to Consider a Saltwater Pool
Swimming is an excellent way to keep fit. Having a pool in your home has added benefits, including swimming in a safe, clean, and private environment. You can also swim whenever you want, like when you have a pool at home. Residential swimming pools are also a great way to increase home values. You will likely sell your property faster and at a higher cost if it has a pool. However, deciding on the type of pool to install in your home can be challenging. There are several innovative options out there that vary in shapes, sizes, and features. You must also consider water treatments that will keep you comfortable and safe.
Saltwater swimming pools are becoming more popular today because of their many benefits. Consider this type of pool because it is gentler on your skin. You do not need many chemicals to maintain your pool, which is vital because chemicals used in pool maintenance are smelly and harmful to human skin. Saltwater pools have a lower chemical smell and are safer for you and your loved ones.
Additionally, these pools are less costly to maintain. Pool maintenance chemicals are expensive, but since you do not need so many chemicals, you save a considerable amount every year. You will only need salt, which is cheaper and easier to access. You could put some money aside for electrolysis system replacement, which your pool requires every 5 to 7 years. If you take good care of your pool, the system can last longer, saving you more money in the long run.
Saltwater swimming pools are also cheaper to install. This is all thanks to their current popularity in the industry. If you need a new pool now, installing it will cost less than a traditional pool. This makes saltwater pools more attractive today, considering all their other benefits, including safety for your skin and eyes.
Switching from a regular pool to a saltwater pool is also possible and easy. Although it will cost you, the money you pay to convert your chlorine pool to a saltwater pool is less than what you need to install a brand-new pool.
Additionally, saltwater swimming pools are easy to clean. You must fully drain a traditional pool and scrub the surface periodically to keep it clean, which is unnecessary with a saltwater pool. Again, you do not require special cleaning tools and equipment for a saltwater swimming pool, except for products to remove salt stains. However, your cleaning needs will be much less than you would need to clean a chlorine pool.
A competent pool builder will help you understand all the advantages and disadvantages of a saltwater pool for easier decision-making. They will also explore other pool types with you for comparison purposes. This way, you will choose a pool that satisfies your needs.
Maintenance of Saltwater Pools
A well-maintained swimming pool will serve you better and for a long time. You must learn to keep your saltwater pool in perfect condition.
First, you must check your pool’s salt levels periodically to ensure they are right. If the salt levels are low, you must add some salt to the water; if they are high, you must add some water to dilute it. The pool’s salinity is crucial to killing the dangerous bacteria that could harm you and not damaging the pool's metallic equipment. A skilled pool builder can teach you how to test for salt levels in your pool so that you can handle the maintenance alone. If not, a qualified pool builder can periodically check your pool and take the necessary measures to keep the levels right.
The manual usually indicates the accurate salinity level of your pool, which comes with the pool’s electrolysis machine. The document will provide the most precise level according to the amount of water in the pool. The ideal salt level for saltwater pools is between 3,100 and 3,400 ppm. Sticking to the levels in your pool’s documentation is advisable to ensure it works as intended.
The correct salt levels in your pool will keep it hygienic and less damaging to the water's metallic equipment. Some companies design automatic electrolysis machines that shut down if the salt levels in a pool exceed the required range. You must periodically inspect your device to ensure it functions as it should.
Competent saltwater pool builders have different ways in which you can test your pool’s salinity. They include the following:
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A digital salinity meter.
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Testing strips to test for salt in the water.
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Salt-reading additional features on electrolysis machines.
Although these are all very effective methods, you will likely obtain an accurate reading if you double or triple-check your pool’s salinity readings. Competent pool builders discourage using one test to determine your pool’s salinity levels. Once you have the correct salinity reading, you will know whether to add salt or dilute the pool to keep it functional and safe.
Once you have the correct salinity reading, you can adjust accordingly to ensure your pool is safe and functional. For example, you will know when to add salt to the water to raise the salinity levels or water to lower them. The electrolysis manual on your pool will tell you the quantity of salt to add to reach the required levels and how much water you need to lower a high salinity level. Generally, a properly maintained pool will require just a reasonable amount of salt in a year. This is because salt takes a longer time to evaporate than chlorine. Also, your electrolysis machine's natural chlorine is continually combined into salt.
Preventive Strategies for a Well-Maintained Saltwater Pool
Some preventive strategies are crucial to ensuring your saltwater pool remains in perfect condition for years. In addition to checking and regulating the salt levels in your pool, you must also check for other chemicals to ensure the measurements are correct. These chemicals and their correct measurements include the following:
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The pool’s total dissolved solids must be below 6,000 ppm.
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The water hardness should range from 200 to 400 ppm.
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The water’s PH level should be between 7.2 and 7.8.
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The stabilizer should range between 60 and 80 ppm.
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Phosphates should be below 100 ppb.
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Total alkalinity should be between 80 and120 ppm.
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Free chlorine should be between 1 and 3 ppm.
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Nitrates should be below five ppb.
You must check your pool periodically to ensure these measurements are at the correct levels to reduce the damage you must do to the pool’s sanitation process. It also reduces the salt you need in a year, and the wear and tear on your electrolysis machine suffers over time. This is also good for maintaining the longevity and efficiency of your pool.
Additionally, you can invest in a self-cleaning saltwater pool system to maximize these preventive strategies. If your pool is outside, a cover can help keep it safe and clean, especially during extreme weather conditions.
A skilled pool builder can also check your pool periodically to ensure these measurements are as they should be. They will also advise you on the dos and don’ts that could lower or raise the above measurements so your pool remains safe and effective for a long time.
Improving the Circulation of Your Saltwater Pool
Improving your pool’s circulation is one way to maintain a safe and effective pool for years. It ensures impurities do not accumulate in the pool. The circulation continually sends them through the electrolysis machine and pool filter. The pool pump performs this crucial task. You should allow it to run sufficiently to circulate all the water in the pool at least once or twice daily. You will need precise flow metering for this.
: If your saltwater pool is energy efficient, you could be eligible for an energy rebate from your local government.
Your pool pump keeps your pool in perfect circulation, so you must regularly clean the skimmer filter basket and pool filter to remove debris. You must clean the filter once its pressure gauge reads between 8 and 10 PSI, more than the baseline level. An experienced pool builder can also show you how to change the settings on your pool pump according to fluctuating conditions, like how frequently the pool is in use, seasonal changes, and temperature fluctuations.
How To Maintain The Pool Surface
If your pool’s floor and surface are concrete, saltwater can gradually corrode them, requiring periodic repair or treatment to keep the pool in perfect shape. After some time, you could notice or feel unevenness on the pool’s surface or floor. A skilled saltwater pool builder will help you repair and treat it accordingly.
However, if your pool is tiled, you will need a different type of maintenance to keep it in perfect condition. Tiles are preferred for saltwater pools because they minimize corrosion and damage to concrete surfaces. If you cannot tile your pool’s surfaces, you can opt for a special sealant to protect the concrete surfaces from sun rays, salt damage, and abrasions from hard objects like toys, which swimmers bring into the pool.
Fiberglass is also less corroded by saltwater. Thus, a fiberglass surface in your pool will cost much less to keep in perfect and functional condition.
A skilled pool builder will explore different pool surfaces to help you choose the right one for your saltwater pool. They will ensure you understand how each surface performs with saltwater and their other advantages to help you make an informed decision.
What an Expert Pool Builder Can Do For You
If you are considering building a saltwater pool in your home, an expert pool builder will help you determine the best pool choice for your needs. A saltwater pool will be suitable if you need an adequate and easy-to-maintain pool. A pool builder will work closely with you to ensure you understand your needs and that your needs match a particular pool.
Regarding pool maintenance, skilled and experienced pool builders know exactly what you need to maintain your pool safely and functionally. In addition to educating you on the proper cleaning and maintenance strategies, they will assist you in achieving your goal. A professional pool builder can come in periodically to check on your pool to ensure its salt levels are as they should be. They will also recommend the correct salt levels and tools for your pool.
If you need your pool repaired, a skilled pool builder will work with you to determine the repairs needed. A pool builder will take away your stress when deciding to build a pool and after you have built one.
Find a Competent Pool Builder Near Me
If you need a pool and are considering a saltwater pool in Jacksonville, you should speak to a skilled pool builder. They will help you understand your needs, preferences, and options. They will also ensure you know everything about saltwater pools, including cleaning and maintenance before you build one.
Our pool builders at Oak Wells Aquatics have excellent skills and experience building and maintaining saltwater swimming pools. Thus, we have all the information you need to learn how to keep your pool in excellent working condition for years. We can also assist you with cleaning, maintaining, and repairing your pool to ensure you enjoy your investment for years. Call us at 904-619-3281 to learn more about saltwater pools and our services.