Salt Water Pool vs Chlorine Pool: Which is Better?

Salt water and chlorine pools are two popular options for swimming pools, each with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. The choice between a salt water pool vs chlorine pool depends on several factors, including your budget, maintenance preferences, and personal comfort level with chemicals.

Understanding the differences between the two can help you make an informed decision when choosing a new pool system for your backyard or commercial property.

About Salt Water Pools

Salt water pools use a process called electrolysis. By using a salt chlorine generator, these pools can convert salt into chlorine. This process sanitizes the pool water and kills bacteria and other contaminants. They offer a comfortable swimming experience as they contain soft water that's less irritating to skin and eyes. This gentle experience makes them popular for people with sensitive skin or allergies.

While salt water pools require a higher initial investment than traditional chlorine pools, they do have lower maintenance costs overall. Salt water pool maintenance items include monitoring salt levels, chlorine levels, and pH levels; these steps keep pool water cleaner and safer.

Overall, salt water swimming pools are known for their soft water and lower maintenance costs, making them popular among residential and commercial pool owners alike.

Pros:

• Less expensive over time
• Less maintenance
• Soft water

Cons:

• More corrosive
• Higher initial costs
• More specialized repairs

About Chlorine Pools

Chlorine pools use chlorine tablets or liquid chlorine to sanitize pool water, killing bacteria and other contaminants. They are a traditional and widely used option for many pool owners, and are often less expensive to install. That makes chlorine pools a good option for people who want a lower upfront cost pool and are comfortable with using chemicals to sanitize the pool water.

While they can be more affordable to install, chlorine pools can be more expensive and time-consuming to maintain. They require a delicate chemical balance and need to be properly maintained to ensure pool water is safe and clean. That means upkeep can entail frequent chemical adjustments as well as require regular testing and balancing of pH levels, total alkalinity, and chlorine levels. The pool chemicals can also be more irritating to skin, hair, and eyes for people with sensitive skin or allergies.

Pros:

• Less upfront costs
• Easier to find installers and repairers

Cons:

• Higher pool maintenance costs
• More upkeep tasks
• Chlorine smell
• Chlorine water be irritating

Salt Water Pool vs Chlorine Pool Comparison

Which pool type is best? There is no definitive answer to this question, but knowing more about each pool system can help you make an informed choice for your own commercial or backyard pool.

Pool Build

Both chlorine and salt pools work well for in-ground pools and above-ground pools alike.

Pool Maintenance

Both salt water and chlorine pools require regular maintenance to keep pool water safe and clean for swimming. They have different maintenance requirements, however.

Salt Water Pool Maintenance at a Glance

Salt systems require monitoring of salt levels and chlorine levels as well as regular cleaning and maintenance of pool equipment and filtration systems. That said, salt water options typically require less frequent chemical adjustments, testing and balancing than chlorine pools.

However, because salt water systems are less common, it can be harder to find specialists who know how to maintain and repair these pool systems. Salt pools are also more likely to experience scaling, or calcium buildup, than chlorine pools do.

Salt pools often have lower yearly upkeep costs compared to their traditional chlorine counterparts, often making them a more cost-effective option long term.

Chlorine Pool Maintenance at a Glance

Chlorine systems require monitoring of chlorine levels and pH levels in addition to regular cleaning and maintenance of all equipment and pool filters. Because of the complexity of maintaining the right pool chemistry in these systems, chlorine pools typically have higher yearly maintenance costs.

Pricing & Budget

Ask yourself not just how much money you can commit to installing a pool upfront, but how much you can dedicate to potential repairs and annual maintenance costs.

Salt water pools often cost more money to install than chlorine pools do, but they also often present fewer annual maintenance costs. Repair costs for salt water pools can be higher, however; while gaining popularity, they are still less common than other options. That means salt water pool specialists are less common and, therefore, more expensive than chlorine pool specialists.

Health & Environmental Concerns

Maintenance and pricing are not the only considerations many pool owners take when perusing their options; health and environmental concerns are other factors affecting decisions too.

Saltwater is generally much gentler on skin, hair, and eyes, and it doesn't use as many harsh chemicals as their chlorine counterparts. That said, salt water systems can be power-hungry since they use a salt chlorine generator. Chlorine pools use less energy by contrast since they use chlorine and other chemicals added to the pool to sanitize water.

Alternative Pool Systems

There are several types of pools available; options aren't limited to the ones discussed above. Other options for homeowners and commercial pool owners are mineral, bromine, ozone, UV light, and ionization pool systems.

Mineral Pools

A mineral pool is a swimming pool that uses a blend of certain materials along with a small amount of chlorine to keep the water clean. Unlike other pool systems, mineral pools typically include minerals such as magnesium, potassium, and sodium. The unique water chemistry results in a gentler experience for the skin, hair, and eyes.

Bromine Pools

A bromine pool relies on bromine as its main sanitizer. A halogen element like chlorine, bromine is highly effective at disinfecting pool water by killing bacteria, algae, and other harmful organisms as well as preventing algae growth. It is especially popular in hot tubs and indoor pools because it remains stable and effective in higher temperatures and across a broader pH range than chlorine.

Ozone Pools

An ozone pool utilizes an ozone generator to help sanitize the water, working alongside traditional chlorine or salt water systems.

Ozone effectively destroys contaminants and microorganisms, reducing the need for chemical disinfectants and enhancing overall water quality.

UV Light Pools

UV light pools are chemical free-options that can complement traditional chlorine or bromine treatments. These systems use ultraviolet (UV) technology to disinfect the water. Specifically, they expose the water to powerful UV-C light, which damages the DNA of microorganisms. This damage prevents them from reproducing, effectively eliminating them.

By reducing the reliance on strong chemicals, UV sanitation helps create a more pleasant swimming environment with fewer odors and less skin, hair, and eye irritation for swimmers.

Ionization Pools

Ionization pools use a system that releases copper and silver ions into the water to sanitize it and kill potential algae and bacteria growth. This approach helps lower the dependence on traditional chlorine-based methods, potentially reducing chemical use while making the water feel gentler.

Final Thoughts

Choosing a salt water pool vs chlorine pool means considering several factors, including budget, ongoing maintenance costs, upkeep preferences, and personal comfort level with chemicals. By considering all factors, you can make an informed decision that allows you to enjoy a safe and comfortable swimming experience.