F🌊 Salt Water Swimming Pools: What Every Pool Owner Needs to Know
Saltwater pools have surged in popularity in recent years, promising a “softer” swimming experience and lower maintenance. But with popularity comes misinformation. Whether you’re thinking about installing a saltwater pool or already own one, it’s essential to understand how these systems work—and what’s required to keep them performing at their best.
Let’s clear up the biggest myths and give you the facts about saltwater swimming pool care and maintenance.
✅ Myth: Saltwater Pools Are Chlorine-Free
This is the most common misconception—and it’s 100% false. Saltwater pools are not chlorine-free. Instead of manually adding chlorine, a saltwater system utilizes a salt chlorine generator to convert dissolved salt into chlorine automatically.
Chlorine remains essential for killing bacteria, algae, and other contaminants. If you think you have a chlorine allergy, a saltwater system won’t solve that problem because chlorine is still present.
The key difference? The generator produces chlorine in smaller, steady amounts rather than requiring large manual doses.
💡 Salt Is Not a Disinfectant
Many assume that salt alone sanitizes the pool. It doesn’t. Salt is just the raw material. The salt chlorine generator (or “cell”) is the workhorse, turning salt into chlorine through electrolysis.
Without a functioning generator, your pool water won’t be sanitized—no matter how much salt is in the water.
🔧 Water Balance Matters—Even With Saltwater Systems
Sanitizing your pool is just one part of the equation. Maintaining a proper water balance is equally important to prevent damage.
If water isn’t balanced, one of two things can happen:
- ☁️ Cloudy Water & Scale Formation – Calcium scale deposits on pool walls and equipment, leading to failures.
- 🕳️ Corrosion & Pitting – Unbalanced water leaches minerals from the pool shell, causing irreversible damage.
Salt systems don’t balance water chemistry. Homeowners must still regularly monitor and adjust pH, alkalinity, and calcium hardness levels.
🧽 Salt Chlorine Generator Maintenance: What You Must Do
Salt systems aren’t “set it and forget it.” The generator’s electrodes (or “cell”) build up deposits over time, reducing efficiency. Without regular cleaning, the system struggles to produce chlorine—and eventually stops altogether.
🔑 Essential Maintenance Tips
✔ Inspect the cell every 2 months for calcium deposits or scaling
✔ Clean the cell as needed using the manufacturer’s recommended process
✔ Even “self-cleaning” models require periodic maintenance
✔ Expect to replace the cell every 3–5 years under regular use; neglected systems may fail in as little as a year
Ignoring maintenance can lead to green, unsanitary water, and expensive repairs.
📢 Need Help Maintaining Your Saltwater Pool?
Our certified technicians specialize in:
✅ Salt chlorine generator inspection and cleaning
✅ Water chemistry testing and balancing
✅ Salt cell replacement for all major brands
✅ Complete saltwater pool service and repair
📞 Call us today at (951) 788-5648 or request a free estimate online. Keep your saltwater pool sparkling and worry-free all season long!
🔑 Key Takeaways
Even with care, generator cells wear out and need replacement every 3–5 years.
Saltwater pools still use chlorine—just produced differently.
Maintaining a proper water balance is crucial to protect your pool and equipment.
Salt chlorine generators require regular maintenance to stay efficient.
Saltwater pools are a popular choice for Riverside homeowners thanks to their softer water and reduced need for manual chlorine. But while they’re often seen as “low-maintenance,” they aren’t maintenance-free.
Saltwater systems still rely on chlorine, generated through a salt chlorine generator (SCG). To keep your pool healthy and avoid costly repairs, regular care is essential. This includes inspecting and cleaning the generator’s cell every 3 months, monitoring salt levels, and balancing your water chemistry (pH, alkalinity, and calcium hardness).
Without proper maintenance, you risk cloudy water, algae blooms, scaling, and equipment damage. Even self-cleaning SCGs require periodic attention, and most cells need replacement every 3–5 years.
Riverside’s hot climate, hard water, and long swim seasons make professional maintenance even more important. Our team at Riverside Pool Repair specializes in saltwater pool care, offering routine maintenance plans, SCG cleaning, and cell replacements to keep your system running at peak performance.