Top 5 Salt Water Chlorine Generator Problems

 Twitter |  Facebook |  digg it |   delicious |   StumbleUpon |   LinkedIn |  reddit 

Let me start off by saying that we are huge proponents of salt water chlorine generators and do recommend them to most customers.  However, there is no such thing as a perfect system.  The purpose of this article is to bring to light several of the issues we’ve seen with salt water chlorine systems after installing close to 1,000 of them over the past 8 or 9 years.  As you’ll see, most of the issues we’ve encountered haven’t been with the actual salt water systems, but with the impact that the system has on other pool components.     

1.  Corroded handrail and ladder anchors

The high salinity level of the water does cause galvanized deck anchors to corrode prematurely.  We’ve found that within 4 to 5 years of installing a salt system that galvanized deck anchors will corrode to a point where it is difficult or impossible to remove the handrail or ladder.  The solution to this problem is to use brass anchors as opposed to galvanized steel.  If you are considering installing a salt system on an existing pool with galvanized deck anchors it would be a good idea to spray them with some type of corrosion inhibitor to slow the deterioration process.  If you are having a new pool built, make sure the contractor uses brass anchors.

2.  High Chorine

One of the greatest advantages of salt water systems is that you reap the benefits of a chlorine pool without the adverse effects associated with chlorine.  This is wonderful….no strong smell, no burning eyes, etc.  The disadvantage is that it’s possible to generate a high level of chlorine in the pool and never know it.  This can have an adverse effect on the pool shell, pool equipment, etc.  To keep this from happening, simply test chlorine levels on a weekly basis. 

3.  Cell Replacement

Although salt chlorinators typically cost less during a given season than chlorine, there will come a day when the cell, which is the component of the machine that converts salt to chlorine, will fail.  The cost of cell replacement may off-set the savings experienced over the previous years.  The average cost of cell replacement is $800-$1200 and the average life expectancy is 4-8 years.  There are many wonderful advantages of salt chlorine systems, but my experience is that cost savings is not one of them in the long run. 

4.  Tough on Auto Covers

There’s simply no getting around this one.  Salt systems are tough on the metal components of automatic covers.  Many of the major components of “auto-covers” such as the track system, the tube the cover rolls up on, the hardware, and the leading edge are all made of metal.  The best way to prevent premature corrosion of these components is to periodically rinse them with fresh water from a garden hose.    

5.  Corrodes vinyl liner pool walls

This applies to inground and above ground vinyl liner pools with metal walls.  Most vinyl pool builders today use polymer/plastic walls, so this is not so much an issue with new construction of liner pools.  However, if you are considering building a vinyl liner pool with a salt system, do yourself a huge favor and avoid metal walls like the plague!  Regarding above ground pools, it’s debatable whether the low-maintenance aspects of the system outweigh the impact that the salt water has on the metal wall structure of the pool.  After doing many liner replacements on above ground pools with and without salt water systems, I can tell you that there is a significant difference in the amount of corrosion on the wall after a very short period of time.  It’s a question of how long you want your pool to last.  In my estimation, you’ll get 10-15 years out of an above ground pool with a salt system as opposed to 20-25 years without.

Taking all of these issues into consideration, you need to ask yourself the question:

Do the benefits of salt water chlorine generators outweigh these problems?

In my opinion, the answer is a resounding “Yes!”  Although there are cases where salt chlorine generators may not be the best alternative, for the majority of pool owners throughout the world it’s tough to beat the superior water quality and low maintenance of a salt water pool. 

Thanks for visiting, comments and questions always welcome!

Should I Get a Salt Water System in my Pool?

 Twitter |  Facebook |  digg it |   delicious |   StumbleUpon |   LinkedIn |  reddit 

Now that the summer is here, many pool owners are again facing the question that they've been asking themselves for the past few years now: Should I get a salt water system in my swimming pool?

For those readers that are already enjoying the wonders of salt, please feel free to go back to doing whatever you were doing. But for the many that have still not decided to take the plunge, please consider the following arguments to be made for such a wonderful piece of technology:

‘It Costs Too Much'

Yes, salt chlorine generators do cost a good bit of money. The average system is anywhere between $800-$2000 installed, but look at it this way: Swimming pool owners that use salt, in many cases, will spend less than $100 a year on chemicals. Yep, $100. Pretty awesome, huh? Without  salt, I've seen regular chlorine users spend well over $300 a season on chemicals. Compound this over the course of 5 years or so and you've easily paid for the system. And as for Baquacil users, the savings are monumental. It's nothing for a Baquacil user to spend over $500-$1000 on chemicals alone for just one pool season. For this reason, it is my opinion that anyone using Baquacil over salt may need a head examination.

‘It's Too Hard to Maintain'

Say what?? Salt water pools make for the ultimate low maintenance swimming pool experience. Most users check their water once a week to make sure the system is producing natural chlorine. Beyond that, there is very little one needs to do, other than balance the water on occasion. This is also why salt water pools are perfect for people with weekend homes or those that are constantly traveling and thus unable to attend to their pool. With its consistent feed of natural chlorine in the water, salt practically eliminates the ‘hard work' and vigilance issues that come with swimming pool ownership.

‘It Will Hurt My Eyes'

Again, almost never true. Keep in mind that salt pools are nothing like what we swim in when we're in the ocean. In fact, salt pools have 1/10 the level of salt that an ocean has. To give you an example, my son is 6 years old and he rarely uses goggles in our pool, despite the fact that he's is under water 50% of the time and always has his eyes open. And of the 1000+ systems we've installed, I've never had a customer that said their eyes were adversely affected by the salt.

‘It Tastes Funny'

Well, I guess if you like to drink pool water this could be the case....But seriously, just as I mentioned in the last paragraph, the salt levels are so low in the pool that most people don't even know they are swimming in it. Yes, you can taste it just slightly if you lick your lips while in the pool, but again, no customer has ever told me this was an issue of concern.

‘It Will Affect My Pool and Equipment'

Yes and No. There are debates in the pool industry as to the effect of salt water on concrete pools, with the majority of professionals, myself included, recognizing that a salt system will cause a concrete pool owner to resurface their pool sooner than they otherwise would have. The real debate lies in just how much quicker salt speeds up the process. As far as a fiberglass pool though, salt will have no impact on the shell's surface longevity. And as far as the general equipment is concerned, the only drawback we've been able to notice as a company is the fact that pump seals (w/the filter system), an inexpensive part to replace, wear out quicker with a salt generator.

So there you have it folks. If you are debating the merits of salt in your swimming pool, I do suggest you stop delaying the inevitable and make the call. I've literally had pool owners that have used Baquacil or regular chorine for years switch to salt and absolutely rave about its benefits and ease of use. After all, the whole purpose of owning a swimming pool is to relax more, not work more. Salt chlorine generators will certainly accomplish this goal.

Marcus Sheridan

**Don't forget to sign up for future articles via email in the upper right hand side of this page**

How to Identify, Treat, and Remove Algae in Your Swimming Pool

 Twitter |  Facebook |  digg it |   delicious |   StumbleUpon |   LinkedIn |  reddit 

How Much Can a Mistake Cost on a Swimming Pool Purchase?

 Twitter |  Facebook |  digg it |   delicious |   StumbleUpon |   LinkedIn |  reddit 

 By Jim Spiess, www.riverpoolsandspas.com

There are many factors to consider when purchasing a swimming pool. First- Is the type of pool you will purchase, will it be an above ground pool, or an in ground pool? Let's look at above ground pools first.

How much will our above ground pool cost, and if it is an expensive pool does that guarantee quality and durability? Just because an above ground pool is expensive does not guarantee anything, for that matter most of your more expensive above ground pools are generally cheap pools that will cost you upwards to ten thousand dollars, and only last a few years. Beware of companies that advertise on television and show a beautiful pool with a ridiculously low price. If it looks too be true it probably is. These companies will do the same with magazine ads, only to do a bait and switch when they show up. There are many good above ground pools out there, Artesian Pools and Strong Pools make great pools, but beware of the riser pool made by Strong Pools, because it has its issues. These two manufactures have a difference of about one thousand dollars in their price; both have great warranties, and will not only last for many years of enjoyment, but will keep their look over the years. How many times have you seen an above ground pool get put up in the neighborhood and a year or two later they look twenty years old? An Artesian 24 foot round pool should cost you in the neighborhood of five thousand dollars with installation, the Strong Pool would be about one thousand more. How much can you lose on an above ground pool purchase? Up to ten thousand dollars if you make a bad choice. It is not a good idea to purchase an aluminum deck for an above ground pool. I recommend a wood deck or a composite deck, which is much more attractive, more durable, and will probably cost less too.

Now let's take a look at inground pools. Here we have really five types of pools to choose from: There is the natural pool which is filtered with plants and can even have fish in them, with a structure that is basically a vinyl liner pool. Initial cost can vary upon plants, type of fish, and stone work, but will generally run around thirty thousand. This is a great pool if you are more interested in a pond than a pool. Personally, I would not spend much on it because vinyl liners have a limited life to them, and it can be a mess to replace the liner on a large pond with vegetation, rocks, and fish. The cost is not that cheap because of the designing, planting, installation, and more, and your loss could be up to ten thousand after replacing liner and surroundings.

Second we have the vinyl liner pool. Its initial pool cost is around $25,000, and it falls into the category of a temporary pool. Liners today generally last between five to ten years, depending on how your pool was installed. If the pool did not have an over-dig and was put in exactly to specifications than that will increase the life of the liner. The problem is a lot of vinyl liner pool companies put the pools in fast and do a slight over-dig to make sure they do not get wrinkles in the liner. This causes the vinyl liner to get stretched and it has now had years taken off the life of the liner. Also, if the pool is put in out of square, it will shorten the life of the liner. We have people who call us to replace the vinyl liner in their pool, and they want to give us the spec sheet for the liner that came with the pool. We never go by that. We have to  measure the pool ourselves and it has not once come up to the measurements on the spec sheet of the customer. Replacing a vinyl liner will cost you between four thousand to six thousand dollars with water. This is also what will bring the value of your home down when you go to sell it. The problem with swimming pools and home sales is that three red flags come up when someone sees a pool. 1. How much maintenance is the pool going to take? 2. How much will it cost me to run that pool each year? 3. What are my future expenses on that pool? With vinyl, you have fairly high maintenance, more cost in chemicals with the pool, and future expenses. Home value can even go down ten to twenty thousand.

Third we have gunite pools or concrete pools. This is a permanent pool, which is high maintenance, high chemical cost, and elevated electrical costs. This pool will have to be resurfaced on average every 10 years, and that can cost from ten to fifteen thousand dollars depending on the type of surface. The price of gunite pools depends on the size and scope of the work, although there are large companies out there that are selling them very cheap because of the economy. My feelings on this is if you have thousands of pools that you have put in and you kept your customers happy then you should not have to cut your cost on your pools so drastically. Most reputable gunite company's pools range around thirty five to fifty thousand dollars. I would beware of the companies that are offering the same pool for ten thousand less. These pools can bring the value of your home down too, usually less than a vinyl pool, around five to ten thousand dollars. Your loss can be as much as twenty five thousand if resurfaced twice during your ownership.

Fourth we have the fiberglass pool wall with a concrete bottom. Initial cost around twenty to twenty five thousand. This pool is still a high maintenance pool due to the concrete bottom, and a lot of times I have seen these pools put in and the bottom painted with a waterproof paint, this can lead to disaster. The life of these pools is determined by the installer, but the bottom of the pool will need resurfacing at a cost of around five thousand dollars. The pool tends to look cheap and will take away from the value of your home, around five to ten thousand dollars. Your loss is around ten to fifteen thousand dollars.

Last we have fiberglass pools. There initial cost is around thirty five to fifty thousand dollars, around the same as a good reputable concrete pool installer. Maintenance is low, operation cost is low, and future cost is very low. Adds value to your home because of all the above. Your gain is extra money when you sell your home, and years of enjoyment without all the work and headaches. But going with the wrong manufacturer, or picking the wrong company, because you are basing your decision on price can cost you more than you save. For instance the pool you have chosen appears to be the same, but the cost difference between the two companies is around five thousand. Well, you could end up the loser when the concrete does not turn out right or the pool was installed improperly, etc. There are many things that could go wrong that will cost you more than the five thousand you saved. Maybe you picked the wrong manufacturer and save five to ten thousand and then find out that you really lost around twenty five thousand and now have a non functioning pool in your backyard. Pool choices are tough decisions, you are spending a lot of money, the last thing you want to do is make a mistake that will cost you even more. For more information on fiberglass pool cost go to http://www.riverpoolsandspas.com/ or http://www.poolschool.us/

Water Chemistry: It's a Balancing Act

 Twitter |  Facebook |  digg it |   delicious |   StumbleUpon |   LinkedIn |  reddit 

Water Chemistry: It's a balancing act

By Marcus Sheridan

So often I find that although many people may keep their pool or spa properly sanitized(via chlorine, baqua, salt, etc) ,they lack in keeping their water properly balanced. What is water balance you may ask? Well, water balance consists of three main parts: PH, Alkalinity, and Calcium Hardness. In this article, we'll discuss the importance of each one and what their affect will be on your pool or spa.

PH:

PH, simply put, is the measure of the acidity of your water. The standard PH scale goes from 0-14. Anything under 7.2 is considered acidic, and anything above 7.8 is considered basic, or alkaline. When water has a ph between 7.2 and 7.8, it is considered neutral, and this is the ideal range for your pool or spa to be in. The reason for wanting this neutrality is simple: When ph is low, and acidic, it can be corrosive. This can greatly shorten the life of your pool/spa equipment. We most often see this with heaters. Most heaters have some type of coil(often made of copper), and this coil, when the ph is consistently low, will corrode quickly and have to be replaced, at an expensive cost. Low ph will also shorten the life of a vinyl liner and can cause skin to dry out.

Alkalinity:

Alkalinity can best be described as a buffer for your PH. Its ideal range is 80-120 and when adjusted properly, correct alkalinity levels will prevent your ph from jumping up and down, therefore leading to better consistency and less maintenance.

Calcium Hardness:

Pool and Spa water needs calcium. When water does not have enough calcium in it, it will draw it from anything that does. This is especially true for concrete pools. Because concrete pools typically have a surface made of plaster, the high amounts of calcium found in the plaster can be drawn out of it if the levels remain low for too long of a time. This leads to "pitting" or a roughness in the concrete, which I'm sure everyone has probably swam in a pool before with this problem.

The real key to properly maintaining these three items is developing a consistent routine of checking the levels and adding balancing chemicals as needed. I would suggest checking your water's balance at least once a week with a test strip. It is also a good idea to have your water checked via computer at a pool store on a monthly basis. One other point though, remember your water does not have to be perfect. There is no need to go overboard and check it everyday. As long as each item is close to within range, everything will probably be just fine.