How do Saltwater Pools work? Everything You Need to Know

ottawa salt water pool

Gone are the days of mixing powder chlorine with water in buckets and dumping it in the deep end. You shouldn’t need to spend your free time attempting to make sure that your pool water is clear and clean for your family to use. The goal should be to spend time in your swimming pool with your friends and family all weekend long! You work hard all week, so a salt water system will help you relax and enjoy your inground pool!

How exactly does a saltwater pool work? Here is a simplified description of how it works. A saltwater pool has Salt added to the water. The process of electrolysis allows a salt cell to break up the dissolved Salt into parts or molecules. One of those parts is known as “free” chlorine. This is what sanitizes your water. The process is a “closed-loop system.” Salt in the water is broken down, and the chlorine produced attaches to impurities or dirt in the water and breaks them down. The chlorine “re-groups” to form Salt and is ready to go through the cell again, and repeat the process. The Salt does not wear out, and so the chlorine can be produced to sanitize in an endless cycle. Here at Joel Evan pools, we use the Hayward system, which uses cells to work at 3000 ppm or 1500 ppm whichever is preferred by the client.

The reason saltwater pools work and are popular is that clients find them trouble-free, and the system dramatically reduces the day-to-day maintenance requirements. When your system is properly set up, your pool will be good to go for daily swims.

Over the years, since the 1980s, the systems have continued to be improved. It now self-monitors itself and will alert you to any issue needing your attention. Because of this, proper chlorine levels are easily maintained by the homeowner. This results in far fewer problems with irritation or that “chlorine smell” associated with manually adding liquid chlorine to your pool.

Although there are other ways and methods to sanitize water, such as using bromine, ionization or UV, etc., Salt has become very popular, and the ease of use is why we encourage this way to clean your pool properly.

So whether you are thinking of installing a new inground pool in the Ottawa area with a saltwater system, or have an existing pool that you want to convert to Salt, please contact us directly, and we will be happy to answer any more questions you have and help you get the most out of your free time with your family. Joel Evan Pools is a family-run company located in Kemptville. We service and install inground pools in the Ottawa and surrounding areas and bring decades of experience to homeowners just like you.

FAQ

  • What are the disadvantages of saltwater pools?
  • What are the pros and cons of a saltwater pool?
  • Is there a benefit to saltwater pools?
  • Does saltwater pool turn into chlorine?