Salt water pool maintenance?

[lincolnboy]

Made you laugholoud

[Mike]

Made you laugholoud

Indeed.

[lincolnboy]

Pool toy $$$$$

[slow99]

If you have to consistently add salt, then something is wrong. Salt doesn't evaporate with the water. The only way to reduce your salt concentration is to partially drain the pool and fill it up with tap/hose water.

[stephen4785]

If you have to consistently add salt, then something is wrong. Salt doesn't evaporate with the water. The only way to reduce your salt concentration is to partially drain the pool and fill it up with tap/hose water.

Water evaporates and you add water to top off the pool. But Im sure Im doing it wrong most of the time or something is broke most of the time. I should probably buy a salinity meter to check the sensor on the chlorine generator. But now I just pay a friend to take care of it once a week.

[white88]

I pay $40 a week to have a pool guy come out. Seems simple enough to maintain yourself, I will take over once the weather gets a little nicer. A seal went out in the pump and cost me $360 to get replaced but that has been the only major expense so far. Before I purchased my home I had a guy come out and pressurize all the lines and he told me it's in great condition.

[svauto-erotic855]

A salt water pool is a chlorine pool. The salt system makes chlorine from the salt dissolved in the water through a process of electrolysis. That same process also makes other changes in the water chemistry that are detrimental to the chlorine's killing/sanitizing power.

The cell that makes the chlorine has at best a lifespan of 6500-8000 hours of chlorine production before it will need to be replaced at a cost of as much as $1500. There are aftermarket cells but the system manufactures got wise to that and any system newer then about 2 years old will self destruct or simply not work a few moments after plugging in an aftermarket cell. None of the system manufactures will say this but I have seen it first hand several times.

People who claim that the chlorine in the water irritates their skin have no idea what they are talking about. The irritation is cause by issues other than the chlorine and they would experience the same issues even if there were no free chlorine in the water.

Salt systems also destroy just about everything near the pool. Natural stone, concrete, lawn furniture, gutters, electrical outlets, grills, plants, etc..... Fortunately getting rid of a salt system is as easy has turning it off and refilling the pool with fresh water. Unfortunately the damage that the salt has done to the pools surroundings can only be repaired at great expense and there is ALL WAYS some damage; it is just a matter of being able to recognize it for what it is.

If you do it yourself and know what you are doing it will cost you about $35 per month in chemicals to maintain your pool. There are also services (like me) that do chemicals only for $60 per month along with services (like me) that perform weekly full service. Prices for full service range from $135 (not from me) to $300 per month for a normal sized pool with an attached hot tub.

Also keep in mind that every pool averages about $700 in normal repairs per year over the life of the pool.

[slow99]

^^^ Solid post.

OP, you can also add pool coverage to your home warranty coverage. I add pool coverage, I think it's an incremental $125 a year and covers many of the major components (pumps, etc).

[svauto-erotic855]

^^^ Solid post.

OP, you can also add pool coverage to your home warranty coverage. I add pool coverage, I think it's an incremental $125 a year and covers many of the major components (pumps, etc).

Don't get me going about home warranties and pools. I used to do work for home warranty companies and their coverage exists on paper only. I can not count the number of times they refused to pay for what was very clearly a covered repair if they thought that the could get away with telling you to fuck off.

[Chili]

Don't get me going about home warranties and pools. I used to do work for home warranty companies and their coverage exists on paper only. I can not count the number of times they refused to pay for what was very clearly a covered repair if they thought that the could get away with telling you to fuck off.

Hell, that's pretty much the case with a warranty of any type these days.

I've seen used car warranty companies require proof of maintenance records from before an owner even had the car, then deny coverage based on the lack of those records. lol

Kind of like cell phone insurance. If you lose or smash your phone, no problem. If you send your phone in and they think it has gotten wet? Denied.

[Rick Modena]

I agree on the HWC, I will never use one again, they are worthless and take forever to come out and fix anything. If you are a homeowner, take the money that you would pay these clowns and save it in a savings account and only use it to fix or maintain your home.

[slow99]

Haven't had any issues with mine paying, but I hear what you're saying.

[lincolnboy]

Home warranty covers $1,000 on pool part. There is a cap on money for pool repairs. It is pretty much better at times to save but sometimes you dont have it right away.

[mustang_revival]

I maintain my own, but that usually means it is not swimmable 4-5 months out of the year and a huge pain in the ass for a week or two while I get it back up.

Also keep in mind that every pool averages about $700 in normal repairs per year over the life of the pool.

This is the truth! Everything was great opening my pool this season till i went to run the hot tub, this year the pool heater decided it would quit working.

[Juiced4v]

A salt water pool is a chlorine pool. The salt system makes chlorine from the salt dissolved in the water through a process of electrolysis. That same process also makes other changes in the water chemistry that are detrimental to the chlorine's killing/sanitizing power.

The cell that makes the chlorine has at best a lifespan of 6500-8000 hours of chlorine production before it will need to be replaced at a cost of as much as $1500. There are aftermarket cells but the system manufactures got wise to that and any system newer then about 2 years old will self destruct or simply not work a few moments after plugging in an aftermarket cell. None of the system manufactures will say this but I have seen it first hand several times.

People who claim that the chlorine in the water irritates their skin have no idea what they are talking about. The irritation is cause by issues other than the chlorine and they would experience the same issues even if there were no free chlorine in the water.

Salt systems also destroy just about everything near the pool. Natural stone, concrete, lawn furniture, gutters, electrical outlets, grills, plants, etc..... Fortunately getting rid of a salt system is as easy has turning it off and refilling the pool with fresh water. Unfortunately the damage that the salt has done to the pools surroundings can only be repaired at great expense and there is ALL WAYS some damage; it is just a matter of being able to recognize it for what it is.

If you do it yourself and know what you are doing it will cost you about $35 per month in chemicals to maintain your pool. There are also services (like me) that do chemicals only for $60 per month along with services (like me) that perform weekly full service. Prices for full service range from $135 (not from me) to $300 per month for a normal sized pool with an attached hot tub.

Also keep in mind that every pool averages about $700 in normal repairs per year over the life of the pool.

PM Sent