Salt water spas are one of the up and coming trends following the huge wave of salt water pool installations in the industry. Salt water spas have many pros, just like salt water pool, but some cons as well. Thank goodness we are here to sort out three common claims made about salt water spas, and we are going to tell you whether they are fact or fiction. Enjoy (and hopefully you will feel more educated about salt water systems)!
Salt water is softer, and feels nicer on the skin…
Fact! Due to the fact that you are not adding as much chlorine, which is harsh on your skin, salt water does feel much softer than fresh water. Furthermore, the salt itself mimics ocean water and has naturally smoothing properties. These properties also contribute to making both the water and your skin feel silky smooth.
Salt water spas will save you enormous amounts of money…
Fiction! This is a common misconception amongst many spa owners. Often times, spa owners believe that they are “saving money” due to reduced spending on chemicals. Unfortunately, this reduced spending on chemicals (primarily sanitizers) is made up for by the costs of salt and the salt cell itself (which needs to be replaced every 3-6 years). Furthermore, the salt system does not add balancers (controlling total alkalinity and pH) to your spa, thus you still have to purchase these products. Upon balancing the books, it is evident that there is a minimal cost difference between either a salt water or fresh water spa.
I’m using a salt system in my spa… Therefore my spa doesn’t use chlorine (or bromine)…
Fiction! Another common misconception with salt systems is that they are chlorine (or bromine free). In fact, salt systems produce their own chlorine (or sanitizing agent) through the process of electrolysis. For those of you who are interested, I have attached a fantastic diagram illustrating the processes that occur in your salt cell which highlights the production of chlorine.
We hope you have enjoyed learning a little bit about salt water spas. As usual, happy hot-tubbing!
