Salt Water Generator Truth

A salt water generator sounds like the best way to go when someone is pushing the sale of a salt water generator system for your pool. Most people think it's an effective alternative to chlorine. What they do not realize though is a salt water generator actually turns salt into chlorine. For most people trying to move away from chlorine and going with a salt water generator they are in fact just switching the type of set up and how they use it instead of eliminating chlorine.

Most people are moving away from chlorine systems because of the harsh chemical that chlorine is. Chlorine through research and study has shown an increased risk of bladder and rectal cancers and an increased risk in with children's asthma. Chlorine also dries out skin, hair and burns swimmers eyes. With the need to eliminate chlorine and salt water generators converting salt into chlorine you are not eliminating a chlorine issue by switching to a salt water generator.

Salt water generators may also seem cheaper in the long run to most people because they see that will only need to purchase salt for there new system. But there is a hidden truth to this. Salt is corrosive and many types and styles of pools are not even made for use with a salt water generator. The people who own a pool type with certain types of rock do not learn this until the damage is done.

Salt eventually erodes metal parts around a pool. Diving boards, metal fixtures, railings, all will show signs of eroding over time requiring the pool owner to replace these parts of their pools. These parts can be costly to replace. The pool water itself does not have an issue with corrosion as the water itself is not corrosive. The salt inside the water getting on certain area is what the problem is. Many companies dealing with salt water generators tell you that you will need to rinse around your pool to remove the salt that is lying on the flagstone, rocks etc. This is not only timely, but costly with the waste of water used to rinse your pool each time the salt water comes into contact with the items surrounding your pool.

It has also been noted that pools that have a salt water generator can tend to break down parts of flagstone, one of the biggest flagstone's used around pools is Oklahoma flagstone. The salt water dries on the flagstone then starts to actually flake apart pieces of the flagstone. Most people with thing flagstone will end up with a pool that looks dirty at all times even after it has been cleaned. It makes it look like you have sediment lying at the bottom of your pool when these pieces of flagstone start to flake off. Your now costly pool looks like it was poorly made due to the erosion and flaking of a salt water generator.

But salt damage does not end there. It can cause damage to limestone and masonry also. It also stains. Over time salt causes damage. Anyone living near an ocean can attest to the damage salt causes over time.