Home buying thread

Sanrith Descartes said:

Yeah I am leaning towards going salt over chlorine.

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Salt pools are still chlorine pools. The salt water just passes through a sodium hypochlorite generator to produce low strength chlorine continuously while the filter pump is running and you’ll still need a chlorinator in the winter when generator won’t work.

As someone who’s been around plenty of boats, but clueless on swimming pools… salt is the bane of all boat owners. It corrodes and basically eats away anything mechanical it comes into contact with. Wouldn’t the corrosion be a concern over time?

Sanrith Descartes said:

This was my first question to the pool guy and he said no, the salt didnt eat up the pump and parts any more than chlorine pools.

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Because the moving parts are made out of basalt?

The thing I'd be worried about is how old and tested is this technology? Usually when stuff is still new / bleeding edge, its more prone to failure and needing repair. And the way the article reads, you need a special tech to work on it, which is usually another mark up.

Sanrith Descartes said:

Bob Villa with a pretty unbiased pro/con. I have lots of reading to do before I make the decision.

The Pros and Cons of Saltwater Pools

Would you install a saltwater pool instead of a standard chlorine option? Consider cost, comfort, and more—we've outlined seven pros and cons here.

www.bobvila.com

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Enjoy the pool! I would hate the maintenance of one, even a hot tub would be too much for me.

Thats why you get a pool boy, duh

Sanrith Descartes said:

Signed contracts on the new house today. Met with a pool builder looking at custom options. Shit looked amazing. I will predict now that I blow my budget on the pool.

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I built 51 pools last year. Pricetags ranging from $55k up to $212k. If you have any questions hit me up.

Jysin said:

As someone who’s been around plenty of boats, but clueless on swimming pools… salt is the bane of all boat owners. It corrodes and basically eats away anything mechanical it comes into contact with. Wouldn’t the corrosion be a concern over time?

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Salt levels in a pool are nowhere near what the ocean is. You also don't have salty ocean spray blowing over everything. The only metallics that come in contact with the water will be your salt cell itself and the copper manifold in your heater, both of which are corrosion resistant as long as you don't let your pH get out of hand.

Fogel said:

The thing I'd be worried about is how old and tested is this technology? Usually when stuff is still new / bleeding edge, its more prone to failure and needing repair. And the way the article reads, you need a special tech to work on it, which is usually another mark up.

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Salt systems have been around for 30+ years. Modern ones are fine and last about 3-5 years if you don't fuck up your chemicals. Warranties run three years on Jandy cells, not sure on the other two big manufacturers but I'm sure it's the same.

moonarchia said:

I would hate the maintenance of one, even a hot tub would be too much for me.

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I'm in that same boat. Pools are literally holes you throw money into. They are all high maintenance. There should be a calculator on how much certain size pools will increase your water bill, alone. I would guess 15 to 20% on average.

As for ease of use: an older family member (60+) who learned to work on his own various chlorine pools over the previous 30 years, switched his current pool to salt about 10-15 years ago (when the pump went out). He is still able to do all his own maintenance and part replacement, as it isn't that much different. The only thing he does different (that I know of), now, is dump that really fine dust into the pool to cover the filter (or some such).

Pasteton said:

TheBeagle sorta unrelated to thread but what is your experience with condo building pools? Any horror stories? Should I be concerned about taking my 1 yr old in it or anything and any signs of concern I can look for?
It’s pretty newly built (2019) but I’m very skeptical if any decent maintenance is happening given the overall quality of this property manager.
I believe it’s a saline pool

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Just look out for the yellow spots that form around other kids

TheBeagle said:

Salt levels in a pool are nowhere near what the ocean is. You also don't have salty ocean spray blowing over everything. The only metallics that come in contact with the water will be your salt cell itself and the copper manifold in your heater, both of which are corrosion resistant as long as you don't let your pH get out of hand.

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In bum fuck oklahoma 3/4 of people have a pool I swear, and almost all above ground left up year round. Know much about them, imagine not if you build.

figured I need someone to professionally level and make a sand pad, from there not sure how to tell a decent quality above ground that will hold up.

Figured I'd try salt. Build a deck up to it etc.

Pasteton said:

TheBeagle sorta unrelated to thread but what is your experience with condo building pools? Any horror stories? Should I be concerned about taking my 1 yr old in it or anything and any signs of concern I can look for?
It’s pretty newly built (2019) but I’m very skeptical if any decent maintenance is happening given the overall quality of this property manager.
I believe it’s a saline pool

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If the water is clean and clear then 90% it's fine. To get something like cryptosporidium you'd have to literally be swimming with a baby that has a dirty diaper.

Any non retard can follow the instructions on your test kit to keep the water good. 15%+ water bill is the dumbest thing I've read since the last Wormie post in Pol. Why would your water bill go up unless you have leaks? Again, modern pools have 100 years of know how behind them, they're not a money pit unless you are a retard that ignores it for 6 months out of the year.

Sludig said:

In bum fuck oklahoma 3/4 of people have a pool I swear, and almost all above ground left up year round. Know much about them, imagine not if you build.

figured I need someone to professionally level and make a sand pad, from there not sure how to tell a decent quality above ground that will hold up.

Figured I'd try salt. Build a deck up to it etc.

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Ya, I don't know much about above ground pools beyond that they sell em at Wal Mart. I think an in ground pre cast fiberglass shell is more appropriate for BFE locations.