Most jacuzzi owners dream of a chemical-free cleaning method for their pools. Moreover, it shouldn’t have a bad smell or cause any skin reactions. Benefits and drawbacks of salt water hot tubs.

The same applies to the swimming pools. In this field, the market for chlorine alternatives is flourishing. The solution most people choose to avoid chemicals is salt water sanitation.

But the question is: are salt water hot tubs really better, or is this simply another whim that’s bound to cool down in several years? To help you make a decision, below are some of the advantages and disadvantages of salt water spas.

Working principle of a salt water hot tub

First of all, we should explain what a salt water hot tub represents. This is an alternative method of introducing chlorine into your hot tub. However, you need to know that it isn’t chemical- or chlorine-free.

Salt water hot tubs generate chlorine via a technique known as electrolysis. In short, instead of adding chlorine straight to the jacuzzi, you introduce salt used by the system to produce chlorine. Although the mechanism may vary, the result doesn’t change – chlorine in the water, destroying bacteria and algae.

Actually, salt water systems are also called salt water chlorinators. If these terms don’t look familiar to you, it’s perhaps because producers don’t want to flaunt that chlorine has something to do.

Benefits

In spite of the above statements, there are some significant distinctions between salt water hot tubs and their conventional equivalents. Below are the main reasons salt water spas are so popular today:

• Softer sensation. The first thing you note right after entering into a salt water hot tub is that the water feels like silk. Since the main thing about jacuzzis are sensory pleasure and serene relaxation, the sense of the water is not just a small detail.
• It is gentler on sensitive eyes. There are separate records that salt water chlorination is softer on the eyes and skin. To tell the truth, the majority of the bitter experiences, the clients have with chlorine-treated pools and jacuzzis are caused by improper maintenance, and not the chemicals as such.
• Less smell. If you don’t like the odor of conventional hot tubs, you may be satisfied with a salt water unit. Moreover, the majority of hot tub owners inform that their skin reacts better to it as well.
• Simpler maintenance. It is believed that salt water spas are simpler to maintain. There’s a real benefit in not having to deal with chemicals or keep them at home. Nevertheless, there are other maintenance challenges that are specific to salt water systems, so it is not yet clear whether they’re more or less effective at all.

Drawbacks

Salt water spas have their opponents as well. Below are some of the possible drawbacks:

• More costly. No matter if we speak of autonomous devices or embedded systems, salt water chlorinators are expensive (they cost at least $500). But at the same time, you will cut down on spa chemicals, which partially compensates for the start-up costs.
• Aggressive. Salt is destructive to metal fixtures, which is particularly worrisome for the owners of the salt water hot tubs. Usually, this is not a problem if the system appropriately, but in reality, things don’t always occur properly.
• Very Weak? Some people are uncertain about whether salt water chlorination is as efficient as conventional forms of water treatment. As jacuzzis are famous for attracting microbes, this is an important issue.
• Saline water against bromine. Ultimately, there’s already an efficient chlorine alternative available to jacuzzi owners – and it is not expensive. Bromine has almost the same drawbacks as chlorine, but many people find it more tolerable.

If you have sufficient space and enough money, a jacuzzi provides advantages that are both entertaining and healing. But whether you should choose saline water against chlorine (or saline water and bromine) is a difficult question. One thing is for sure: you’re more prone to make a good choice if you’re equipped with all the information.