Where chlorine pools had been the “regulars” for decades, times are evolving. Saltwater pools have stepped p in the fame game. However, having been stuck with the former as the norm, many people are barely aware of how saltwater pools work. And as a result, many myths have gnawed at the surface of these pools.
One such legend states that salt water pools are warmer than the regular chlorine ones. However, this notion couldn’t have been farther from the truth. A concise answer to debunk this pool fable would be; no. Considering that both types are present in the same environment, they would be no different. In other words, the temperature difference is nominal. Significantly, the salt addition doesn’t make them “warmer” in any case. If the temperature is hotter and the sun shines on the water brightly or vice versa, the pool water would be warmer or colder accordingly in both.
But, the addition of salt does alter the temperature endurance of the water just a bit. It still doesn’t make it warmer. But it does give rise to an alternate question, as discussed below.
Are Salt Water Pools Colder?
Salt in water doesn’t exactly make it cold either. Instead, it helps it become even cooler. In other words, it doesn’t directly impact the temperature of the water. However, added salt can help water get colder even beyond its freezing point. While, generally, at that point, it would freeze into solid form, but with a significant and sufficient amount of salt added, it might not. It remains liquid in that case.
The water can decompress its freezing point to as low as -6 degrees F all the while it retains its liquid form, with the saline addition. However, by no means can salt or even chlorination methods individually lower (or increase) the temperature of the water. This phenomenon can be seen in icy areas like Antarctica. And this is, also, precisely what will be happening to a pool if temperatures fall this low. This is, of course, if they do at all.
Moreover, it is technically sporadic for your pool to harbor a temperature that falls below the good old zero, unless it’s really, really cold. Therefore, the salt might be utterly unnoticeable temperature-wise. And coming back to our comparison, are they any colder than chlorine ones? Well, saltwater pools are chlorine pools with a slightly different method to generate the chemical. Hence, there isn’t a subtle difference in this respect either.
If you are facing trouble getting your saltwater pool to cool down and think science is in the way, think again. Besides, there are many tricks you can apply to get your desired temperature, whether in the cold, freezing winter, or scorching summer. One such tip would be with the use of pool heaters etc.
Saltwater Pool Heaters-What Should be Different?
Technically, if you are shifting from chlorine to saltwater pools, you might end up thinking they will require a completely different set of equipment. While this is true to some extent, such as they require different liners, etc., this doesn’t really apply to heaters. Both saltwater, as well as chlorine pools, have almost the same heaters in use. It is a myth that saltwater corrodes specific types of metals and only certain heaters will be durable.
This is false because it isn’t salt which corrodes the metal, but the absurd pH levels. Saltwater pools tend to accumulate much higher levels of pH than regular chlorine ones do. Therefore, the possibility of corrosion is higher. In this scenario, however, neither the salt nor the heater is at fault, as generally thought. Nevertheless, for additional peace of mind, you can always use a pool heater that contains cupro-nickel heat exchangers as these will prove the best for a saltwater pool.
Best Saltwater Pool Heater for the Job
EcoSmart SmartPOOL 27
The EcoSmart SmartPOOL heater is practically a perfect match for saltwater pools, considering its efficiency, and sophisticated nature. Unlike the typical pressure switch activation, it brings into use flow sensor technology. This aspect enables the water heater to lower down the chances of burned elements, thus contributing to the reliability factor. Furthermore, the heater is available in two sizes; 18 and 27.
It can raise 1 to 1.5 degrees F temperature per hour, with almost 99.8 percent efficiency. However, the power you will need to run it will be much more than average as well. It might end up rising to a peak where you require 50 AMP breakers to make the system work. The exterior of the pool heater is powdered to preserve it from rust. Moreover, to specify, this is an electric tankless heater.
Pros:
- 99.8 percent efficient
- Can be used on pools with water worth 15,000 gallons
- Digital temperature display and dial
Cons:
- Demands a lot of power
Some other commonly asked pool questions: