The earliest salt water pools date back to the 1960s. Although they’ve been around for several decades, they have been growing in popularity in recent years due to the many health and wellness benefits associated with salt water.
Different from traditional chlorine pools, salt water pools use ordinary table salt as a disinfectant. The addition of a salt cell chlorinator to your existing pool equipment will convert that salt, through a process known as electrolysis, into chlorine gas which acts to sanitize the pool water by neutralizing bacteria and algae.
Converting to a salt pool can offer the following benefits:
Salt cells are generally installed directly into the plumbing of the current pool equipment. A salt cell is installed as the final piece of hardware on your pool equipment plumbing. The power center can be installed near the equipment control panel or another location where a power source is present. Once the cell and power center are installed, the final touch is adding the salt into the pool. This is done by adding salt and brushing it into the pool until it’s fully dissolved. It is important to not let the salt sit at the bottom of a pool for too long, as this can corrode the pool bottom. Salt pools typically require between 3000ppm and 3500ppm salt in the water; too little or too much will affect the production of the cell.
New salt cell systems take up little to no space on the equipment pad. The cell itself takes about 8-12 inches of space in the current plumbing. The power center takes up approximately one square foot of space near your control system. This is all that is needed to get you a complete saltwater pool with the many benefits that they offer!
The common myth behind salt pools is that they require no extra chemicals and zero maintenance. While it’s true that a salt pool generally requires less maintenance and fewer chemicals, that does not mean there will be zero maintenance associated with them. Saltwater pools naturally run at a higher pH and will need to be controlled using muriatic acid more frequently. Saltwater pools will also need more cyanuric acid than chlorinated pools as well. Typical salt systems run best between 50-65ppm cyanuric acid levels to produce the right amount of chlorine in the pool.
Salt systems also require salt to be added to the pool every so often. Appropriate levels of salt are required to ensure the salt chlorinator is able to efficiently generate chlorine.
Salt cells should be cleaned on a quarterly basis to eliminate any calcium or mineral deposits that may develop. Due to the nature of the chemical reaction taking place within the salt cell, it’s common to have some calcium build up within the salt cell itself. A quick 10-minute acid bath can take care of that.
Steps to cleaning your salt cell:
Most salt cells have a lifespan of 3 to 5 years, depending on how big your pool is and how hard they have to work to keep your pool sanitary. If your salt cell stops working efficiently, it might need to be cleaned. If you’ve cleaned it, and it’s still not functioning properly, it’s probably best to replace it with a new one.
When it comes to replacing or installing a salt cell in San Diego, our team is here to be of service. We perform all types of salt pool services, including:
Our team of in-house technicians is licensed, trained, insured, and ready to be of service. We have decades of experience in all types of major and minor repairs for both residential and commercial pools, including pool filters, pool heaters, pool lights, pool automation, pool timers, pool filters, pool pumps, pool plumbing, pool valves, pool skimmers, pool drains, in-floor cleaners, pool vacuums, pool safety devices and more. We work directly with all major manufacturers (Jandy, Hayward, Pentair, Zodiac, and more) to ensure we can offer the best pricing possible.
We believe in transparency and good, old-fashioned communication. From scheduling a service call to a completed repair, you won’t have to wonder what’s going on, how much the repair might cost, or when it will be finished.
As one of the premier pool repair companies in San Diego, we stand behind the quality of our work. If we make a mistake, we will be back to fix it immediately and at no additional cost to you.
