The debate whether chlorine pools or salt pools are better continues to rage on. While there has been some research that may prove the benefits of a salt water pool, an overwhelming majority would say that chlorine is far from harmful and it is completely safe as long as you maintain your pool properly. In fact, chlorine is the only effective method known today for sanitizing pool water.
There are some points in favor of saltwater pools though. The most common argument is the benefit of skin absorption, where it is supposedly much better than chlorine-based pools due to the lower rate of absorption by the body.
Environment
Another argument is that salt pools are better for the environment, but with proper filtration, both chlorine and salt water pools can be environmentally friendly. For homeowners looking to upgrade their pool with a new system or even do some repairs on existing equipment, it is best to consider hiring custom swimming pool builders.
Salt pools are also supposedly softer on the eyes and nicer to look at due to a higher pH level in saltwater, which may affect some people’s eyesight adversely. With the ability of your eyes to adjust over time though, this should not really be
Monitoring Your Pool
It also has another interesting characteristic that can be prized by many homeowners, which is its ability to lower the water’s overall salinity. This is usually utilized by people who prefer pools that are even less salty than those found in beach resorts. However, this can make maintaining the pool more difficult as you need to closely monitor the salt levels every week.
Adjusting chlorine pool chemicals to balance with higher salt content, although possible, can be very difficult. It would definitely require a lot of work and if you are not careful, you can quickly turn your pool from being chlorine-based to saltwater.
Another point about a salt water pool that is greatly debated is the damage it causes on vinyl surfaces. While it has been proven that vinyl liner pools start degrading at high levels of salt concentration, this should not be a problem if you maintain your pool correctly.
Even though there is an argument that it’s the other way around, vinyl liner pools are actually more resistant to damage from chlorine and will last longer. Chlorine can degrade over time and make the water much murkier than usual. If left unattended, this can cause permanent damage to your vinyl liner so it is much better if you add chlorine when you suspect that there is a problem.
As long as you carefully maintain your pool, both chlorine and saltwater pools should last for decades without any major problems. The debate may still rage on but in the end, it’s up to whether you prefer chlorine or salt water.