SALTWATER. vs. CHLORINE POOLS WHICH SYSTEM IS RIGHT FOR YOU?

Transcription

1 SALTWATER vs. CHLORINE POOLS WHICH SYSTEM IS RIGHT FOR YOU?

2 INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 1 Major types of Swimming Pool Sanitizers CHAPTER 2 Why Polymer Wall Vinyl Liner Swimming Pools are the Perfect Partner for Salt Chlorine Generators CHAPTER 3 Salt Water Pool Q&A

3 3. Introduction Ever since swimming pools became widely popular in the 1900 s there has always been the need to treat the water to keep it clear. Chlorine became the popular choice since it was first introduced and continues to be the most common choice today. Over the years, it has been challenged by other chlorine substitutes such as Baquacil, but each in turn failed to capture a significant share of the market and soon vanished off the pool store shelves for good. However, times are changing, and new technology is bringing some heavy hitters to the plate. Perhaps the most serious challenger to direct chlorination for sanitizing a swimming pool comes from what is actually another form of it called salt chlorine generation. Its momentum is growing as the best alternate for straight chlorine systems but not many people understand how it works and some pool owners use it when their individual situation may seem to dictate they should not. We designed this ebook to help clear up some of the mystery surrounding salt chlorine generators and to give you a general overview of all the different and most popular types of swimming pool water sanitization methods that are in use at the present time.

4 4. Major types of Swimming Pool Sanitizers 1. CHLORINE The Old Faithful of Pool Water Sanitization The first recorded use of chlorine as a sanitizer in swimming pools dates all the way back to Brown University in 1910 and its popularity for that purpose has grown exponentially since then. It is by far the most widely used means of swimming pool sanitization and has been that way for many years. As was mentioned, there have been other products intr3oduced for this purpose but very few that had any type of staying power and could even come close to competing with chlorine. Chlorine was first added to swimming pools in liquid form but now comes in many different forms. It can be added as a liquid, as chlorine granules, or as a compressed tab or stick. Tablets of about 3 inches in size (sometimes known as hockey pucks) are the preferred way to add Chlorine to your swimming pool because they contain a high percentage of chlorine and have stabilizer added to them which keeps the chlorine in your pool from being eaten up by the sun too fast. Chlorine granules, also known as shocks, are an excellent way to give your swimming pool a quick boost of chlorine if it is turning green or cloudy. Liquid chlorine is not used much today at all and is mostly found being used in commercial applications. These days chlorine is best dispensed through the use of a flow through auto chlorination device and these can be purchased for both large and small swimming pools.

5 5. Major types of Swimming Pool Sanitizers (cont d) 2. Salt Chlorine Generation the Major New Player in Sanitization This is a method of pool water sanitation that is quickly gaining in popularity over the last decade or so. Some people just consider it another form of chlorine sanitization; and while that is partially true there are some distinct differences between the two. It is also commonly known as a saltwater pool, salt cell pool, or salt chlorinated pool. We will try to explain how the salt chlorine generation process works in layman s terms. The whole process works by the simple reaction between the salt water and an electrolytic cell. A specific amount of fast-dissolving salt is added to a swimming pool (usually in the range of 3000 ppm or higher). The water is then circulated through the plumbing and eventually the salt water will come into contact with the electrolytic cell. Once it does it changes the chemical makeup of the salt water into hypochlorous acid and hydrogen. The hydrogen simply bubbles out and the hypochlorous acid then sanitizes the pool. Eventually the hypochlorous acid turns back into salt and the process then repeats itself over and over. This method of sanitization that has a higher initial cost but will eventually pay for itself in chlorine savings over time. What are the other benefits of salt chlorine generators? For one, the water is a lot less harsh on clothing, has little or no odor and is much easier on the skin and especially the eyes. This latter benefit is one of this system s biggest selling factors. It is also much simpler to maintain the chlorine level in swimming pools that use this system, and they do not seem to impact the PH level as much as regular chlorine use does. The chemical replacement cells are a little on the pricey side, but it must be noted they only need to be replaced around every five years.

6 6. Major types of Swimming Pool Sanitizers (cont d) 3. Bromine The Sanitizer of Choice for Portable Spas Bromine is a close cousin of chlorine and actually has some advantages over chlorine use as a sanitizer. It never caught on as a sanitizer for pools in a major way due to the fact that the supply of it is a lot lower than chlorine,and that keeps its cost very high. It is, however, often used to sanitize portable spas and hot tubs. Bromine is a lot less harsh on the skin and eyes than chlorine, and has some properties that make less likely to need an algaecide to work in conjunction with it like chlorine does. People do not seem to mind trading its higher cost for its convenience factor for small-scale use, such as with portable spas. Much like with chlorine, it is best to dispense Bromine in some type of flow through auto brominating device.

7 7. Major types of Swimming Pool Sanitizers (cont d) 4. other Less Popular Methods for Swimming Pool Water Sanitization A. Mineral Cartridge Ionization These systems, like salt water pools have a high initial cost and expensive cartridges. After the initial cost, they are fairly inexpensive to run, and the cartridges usually only have to be replaced every 3-5 years. The biggest drawback with Mineral Cartridge Ionization is that the sanitation process is very slow-acting, and chlorine use is still recommended in conjunction with this system. B. ozone This compound is formed by the process of oxygen molecules being subjected to ultraviolet radiation or high voltage ionization. Ozone is an extremely powerful sanitizer -- over 100 times as powerful as chlorine. The problem with ozone is that it cannot be built up residually in a swimming pool to constantly act as a sanitizer. It only works on the water it comes into contact with, and then it s released into the air when the water leaves the plumbing and enters the swimming pool.

8 8. why polymer wall vinyl liner swimming pools are the Perfect Partner for Salt Chlorine Generators getting familiar with Galvanic Corrosion It is true that salt water pools are fairly easy to maintain, easy on clothing and the eyes and inexpensive to run once they are installed, but that does not mean they are problem free by any means. One of the biggest drawbacks with them Galvanic Corrosion, and everyone who has a salt water pool must be familiar with it or you can run into big problems. What is galvanic corrosion? When you add salt to swimming pool water the water, the water becomes what is known as an electrolytic solution. If different types of metals are submersed in this solution, then it will generate a small electric charge between them (this is exactly how a car battery generates electricity.) The outcome of this process is that the weaker of the two metals will corrode at an accelerated rate; if the weakest metal present is your swimming pool wall and the pool water somehow comes into contact with it, then you can see how this can potentially cause structural problems. Salt systems are generally not used on steel wall vinyl liner inground pools or any type of above ground pool unless precautions (like adding sacrificial anodes) have been taken. Maintaining the salt level in the swimming pool at its proper level will go a long way toward preventing galvanic corrosion also.

9 9. why polymer wall vinyl liner swimming pools are the Perfect Partner for Salt Chlorine Generators (cont d) Why Polymer Wall Vinyl Liner Pools Are Ideal For Use with Salt Systems Most pools have some metals in their construction and are outfitted with metal lights, ladders, and handrails. Vinyl liner pools, however, use minimal metal in their construction. The walls are made out of a mostly rigid polymer plastic and even the support structure has no metal in it whatsoever. Since there is no metal in the structure of a polymer wall vinyl liner swimming pool, it means there is zero chance of having galvanic corrosion take place on that pool structure when you own this type of swimming pool and have a salt chlorine generator installed on it! Simply put, if you want to own a swimming pool and you want the conveniences that a salt water pool has to offer too, your best bet is probably a polymer wall vinyl liner pool. The structure itself is naturally protected because it is non-metallic, and by grounding the lights, ladders, handrails, and other metals that come into contact with the water, you can minimize any chance of galvanic corrosion from happening. You will get the benefit of having a great looking swimming pool with crystal clear water that is soft feeling on the skin and does not irritate the eyes. When a salt chlorine generator system is added to a polymer wall vinyl liner swimming pool it is a win-win situation that will be enjoyed for years to come.!

10 10. SALT WATER POOL Q&A Q: Are salt water systems more expensive to run than pools that just use regular chlorine? A: Yes, and No. Salt water systems more expensive initially because of the up-front equipment costs but over the lifetime of the swimming pool they should pay for themselves several times over with the money the pool owner saves by not having to purchase chlorine tabs or chlorine granules on a regular basis. Q: When you have a saltwater system you don t need to add any other chemicals right? A: False. No matter what type of sanitizer you use in a swimming pool, you will always need to use at least some support chemicals, and you will have to balance the pool water too. Most sanitizers require things like as algaecide to be added, and sanitizers do not regulate such things as PH, so you will occasionally need to add chemicals such as PH(+) or PH(-).

11 11. SALT WATER POOL Q&A (cont d) Q: When you have a saltwater system it s just like swimming in the ocean right? A: Very untrue. The concentration of salt in the ocean is about 35,000 parts per million, whereas the concentration of salt in salt water pool is about 3000 parts per million; that is a huge difference in salt content. You will barely even notice the salt in a saltwater pool at all (the human body cannot taste salt unless the concentration of salt is around 5000 ppm.) There is actually less salt content in a drop of salt chlorine generated pool water than there is in a human teardrop. Q: Will salt water take the life out of my vinyl pool liner faster than using chlorine tabs or chlorine granules? A: No. Exactly the opposite is true. The naturally chlorinated water in salt water pools is actually less harsh on vinyl liners than the water in chemically chlorinated pools. This should help extend the life of your vinyl pool liner. As a matter of fact, there are some forms of chlorine tabs and chlorine granules that have inert ingredients in them that can cause scale and accelerate the drying out process of your vinyl liner.

12 12.SALT WATER POOL Q&A (cont d) Q: If I currently use chlorine tabs to treat my swimming pool water I will have to completely drain it if I want to switch to a salt water pool? A: No. First of all, you NEVER want to drain ALL of the water out of any type of swimming pool under any circumstances because it may damage your vinyl liner or pool structure. Second, converting a pool from chemical chlorination to salt water chlorination is a relatively easy task that does not require you to drain your pool. The best way to do it is to take a sample of pool water to your local pool store and have them analyze it; once your pool water has been analyzed, they can tell you exactly what you need to do to make the simple conversion to a salt water system.

13 13. SALT WATER POOL Q&A (cont d) Q: Maintaining a salt water pool is more work than maintaining a pool using chlorine tabs or granular chlorine? A: False. In most cases, maintaining a salt water pool is much less work than maintaining a pool where chlorine tabs or granules are added to it. In a salt water pool the salt chlorine generator automatically adjusts the level of the chlorine without the need for you to do anything. If you use chlorine tabs or granules in your pool you have to manually add them as needed. Salt water pools also have more stable PH levels than pools that use granular chlorine or tablets; this translates to less work adjusting the PH balance of your swimming pool too. Q: I heard salt water replacement cells are expensive; do they need to be replaced often? A: No. They should last you anywhere from 3-5 years before needing to be replaced. That still makes salt chlorine generators cheaper in the long run rather than consistently adding chlorine granules or chlorine tablets to your swimming pool.

14 latham pool products Latham Pool Products is the leading manufacturer of in-ground residential fiberglass swimming pools, pool covers, and vinyl pool liners in North America. Click here to Request a catalog or Ask a local pool builder about Latham s array of high quality fiberglass pools from one of these fine brands. Behind Every Pool. Share this information with your network lathampool.com