The future of saltwater pools

by Sally Bouorm | December 1, 2012 10:34 am

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By Bob Harper

In any given season, the swimming pool industry sees its fair share of new products and technologies. Some are fads that come and go, while others such as passive ionizers or biguanides, which were introduced in the ’90s, experience initial rapid growth and then settle into a niche category. A few become really popular because they create real value. Over time their popularity grows and they become established as they evolve to match changing consumer expectations.

Saltwater pools fall into the latter category. They became popular about 10 years ago and have continued to grow throughout Canada, simply because pool owners love them and they deliver real value.

It is not hard to see why, either. With only one-tenth the salinity of ocean water, saltwater pools are gentle on bather’s skin and eyes, and most consumers prefer it over traditional chlorinated pools. Pool maintenance is also more convenient, since pool owners do not have to test and adjust chlorine levels daily. They also do not have to purchase, transport, handle, and store chlorine.

While consumers may not like working with chlorine or swimming in chlorinated water, research has shown they trust it to sanitize their pools. Chlorine has a long history of saving lives through treated drinking and wastewater. In swimming pools, it acts as both a sanitizer and oxidizer. It works at low levels (just one part per million [ppm] of free available chlorine [FAC] sanitizes pool water and kills pathogens). Further, it can be measured via simple, inexpensive testing, which is important for pool sanitation systems.

For these reasons, chlorine is the most effective method for sanitizing pools. While both traditionally sanitized pools and saltwater pools rely on chlorine for sanitation, saltwater pools produce chlorine at poolside, within the electrolytic chlorine generator (ECG). This means saltwater pool owners have the confidence of chlorine without the feel of chlorinated water or the hassle of adding the chemical on a daily basis.

So, saltwater pools are here to stay, and they are growing in popularity each year. In this regard, the following are some general trends pool professionals can leverage to their benefit.

Maintenance, renovation, and repair markets

During recessions, new pool construction typically declines. Consumers focus on protecting and repairing what they currently have rather than splurging on new purchases—particularly luxury investments like swimming pools. However, if consumers already have pools, they are likely to protect and maintain their investment.

Pool professionals can leverage this mindset to create new opportunities for salt systems. For example, if a pool needs to be partially drained for repair, it can be a good time to recommend a switch to salt, particularly if customers travel and cannot be tied to daily chlorine testing during the season. Or, perhaps customers cannot justify an expensive vacation, but they can justify making minor upgrades to their swimming pool so they can vacation at home (i.e. the ‘staycation’). Even if consumers are cutting back elsewhere and avoiding new purchases, maintaining their pool is still important to them.

Another trend worth mentioning is the increasing conversion rate of traditional chlorine pools to saltwater pools—even if a repair or a renovation is not necessary. This represents additional opportunity for equipment, salt, and treatment product sales for retail businesses.

Understanding general trends and customer mindsets can help a pool store provide its customers with the best pool experience possible. As trusted experts, pool professionals can recognize opportunities like these to solve problems and provide value.

Pairing with other sanitation systems

While alternative sanitation systems like ozone and ultraviolet (UV) disinfection systems are growing in popularity, they are not considered standalone systems because their residual cannot be easily tested and measured. Each of these alternative systems has certain strengths as well as weaknesses that make their sanitation process incomplete.

For example, while chlorine kills micro-organisms, UV systems sterilize them so they cannot reproduce and, therefore, simply die out. This can be somewhat effective in the long-term, but results in slower kill times.

Pairing these alternative systems with an ECG unit gives pool owners the best of both worlds:

• First, it gives them an easier way to measure residuals. This is critical for commercial pools, but it also gives residential pool owners peace of mind that proper levels of sanitizers are present;
• Second, it provides a strong balance between sanitization (killing micro-organisms) and oxidation (eliminating micro-organism remains). Coupling an ozone system with chlorine provides extra oxidation, allowing the chlorine from salt systems to do less oxidizing and more sanitizing; and
• Third, it improves kill times for UV systems, which simply sterilize rather than kill.

Many pool professionals are leveraging these combinations to differentiate their business from their competition, while at the same time helping customers upgrade their pools.

WHAT ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT?

[2] Perhaps the largest question about the future of saltwater pools—particularly in Canada—relates to how they affect the environment. Will regulation prevent saltwater pools from being practical? The evidence suggests not. It is true that certain Ontario regulations prevent the discharge of swimming pool water into storm sewers if the water contains chemicals such as chlorine (Cl)/bromine (Br), chemical algaecides, copper (Cu), and salt. Most swimming pools contain at least one of these elements, so the regulation applies to practically all swimming pools rather than just saltwater pools. In areas where discharge is restricted, there are other ways to address pool draining, such as draining onto the owner’s property (provided there is no runoff to adjacent properties), or discharging into the sanitary sewer system. If customers are requesting saltwater pools, it is important for pool builders/retailers to understand the regulations and bylaws that affect their business area as well as be familiar with the appropriate alternative discharge methods for compliancy purposes.

Following the automation and integration trend

These days, consumers are becoming familiar with the idea of integration and automation in their homes and cars. They purchase mobile phones and expect those phones to sync easily with their computers. They purchase cars and expect those cars to sync with the data and music stored on their mobile phone or tablet. And newer appliances contain computer chips that constantly monitor activity, turning on and off as needed to conserve energy.

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This expectation is also translating to swimming pools. For instance, any part of a pool that must be turned on or off can be programmed and automated for convenience. This applies to lighting, running the pump, monitoring and adjusting chlorine and pH levels, and more. Automation makes it easier to maintain the pool, which ultimately increases enjoyment and free time for the pool owner.

ECGs are easy to automate and allow pool owners to combine two popular trends: saltwater pools and automation. Offering this type of automation becomes a point of differentiation for pool professionals, providing more options to sell, and positioning the business and its products as technologically advanced—similar to the homes and cars consumers are buying. Training for these new automation applications is generally available from the product manufacturers and distributors.

It is important to note, pools compete directly with other uses of discretionary income, such as luxury cars, boats, and recreational vehicles (RVs). If these types of products meet consumer’s expectations for advanced technology, pools should as well.

The need for saltwater pool products is increasing

When saltwater pools were first introduced in Canada, many pool owners and even pool professionals thought the same treatment products used in traditionally sanitized pools would work in saltwater pools. They also thought all salt was the same, so they used whatever products they could conveniently obtain.

It was soon obvious these products were not working as well as anticipated, and as industry knowledge caught up, the reasons became clear. Treatment products designed for traditional pools often contain sulfates or phosphorous-based sequestrants, which can contribute to scale in the ECG. Because the ECG produces high pH levels, temperature, and chlorine levels, these products break down and become useless in fighting scale, and they can actually denature into compounds that form additional scale in saltwater pools.

Salt designed for other purposes, such as water conditioning, and even some commodity pool salts, contain additives as well as organic and inorganic contaminants that can contribute significantly to scale, stains, and cloudy water. The chemistry of salt crystals or sodium chloride (NaCl) is the same for all pool salts. However, where it comes from and how it was produced affect the levels and types of contaminants that are embedded in the salt crystals.

As more manufacturers recognize saltwater pools are here to stay, and how these pools require high-quality salt and treatment products, which are formulated specifically for saltwater pools, they have seen opportunities to create new products. Examples to date include premium salt products that are blended with non-phosphate based scale- and stain-fighters that hold up against the extreme conditions within the ECG, powder-coated ladders and other rail goods that resist corrosion in a saltwater pool, and even parts that contain more plastic rather than metal.

The result is easier maintenance for pool professionals, more enjoyment for pool owners, and continued momentum behind the saltwater boom.

 

 

Bob Harper is vice-president of sales for Compass Minerals’ consumer and industrial business and also serves as general manager of the company’s Pristiva subsidiary. He has 25 years of experience in the pool and spa industry and is an expert in saltwater pool systems. He can be reached via e-mail at harperb@pristiva.net[4].

Source URL: https://www.poolspamarketing.com/trade/the-future-of-saltwater-pools/

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