After months of going back and forth, you’ve finally decided on installing a new swimming pool. However, you have a modest budget and wish to install a traditional chlorine pool with an affordable installation fee. Concerned whether you’ve made the right choice? We can help you decide by analyzing the pros and cons of a chlorine pool.
Traditional pools were the standard for several decades, with chlorine acting as the main sanitizer for pool water. Chlorine in water will break down into a variety of chemicals that are able to kill the algae, viruses, and bacteria. But how often should you add chlorine, and what if it’s harmful to swimmers?
We’ll take a deep dive into the pros and cons to answer all of these questions.
Pros of Chlorine Pools
Chlorine pools are in a tough competition with saltwater pools, but they typically cost less to install. This encourages a lot of homeowners to go with a traditional pool system. Let us expand on the positives of chlorine pools to get a better understanding.
✓ Lower Upfront Cost of Installation
Chlorine pools are called traditional because they’ve been the standard, go-to pool system. They are cheaper to install than saltwater or other sophisticated types of pools. The fact that they’ve been around for decades means chlorine pools are properly understood by the majority of pool service companies.
But does the pool surface material play a role in the affordability of traditional pools? We’ll answer this in the following section.
✓ Suitable for all Pool Materials
Chlorinated water is compatible with all types of surface materials, including the most budget-friendly options. Vinyl pools – the cheapest of all surface materials – are not compatible with saltwater systems, meaning you’ll need to stick with a traditional chlorine system.
Chlorine systems are also recommended for homeowners looking to install an above-ground pool, which typically costs less than an in-ground pool.
These two examples show how you can enjoy swimming in your backyard on a modest budget.
✓ Standard Pieces of Equipment
Chlorine pools do not require specialized pumps and filters to keep them running cleanly and properly. You won’t have to deal with a salt chlorine generator, which is a key component required to operate a saltwater pool system. Traditional pools are rather straightforward; all you need to add is chlorine and pool chemicals and maintain basic equipment.
✓ Easy to Maintain
Given their straightforwardness, chlorine pools are much easier to maintain than alternative pool systems. You’ll need to purchase chlorine – which can be found in pool supply stores or your nearest outlet store (Lowe’s, Home Depot) – and manually add it to the pool water as needed. For common pool problems, most repairs are DIY-friendly. You won’t need to worry about high labor costs.
However, chlorine and alkalinity levels need adjusting on a weekly basis. We’ll talk more about chlorine pool maintenance in an upcoming section.
✓ Few Problems With Corrosion
This is a great advantage that could save you money on repairs and replacements. Chlorine pools are less corrosive to pool equipment, surfaces, and accessories. As long as your pool water contains the right amount of chlorine and chemicals, it will not cause major damage to common pool materials.
✓ Chlorine is Easy to Store
You can purchase chlorine in the form of liquid, tablets, or granules. In contrast to bulk salt for saltwater pools, the amount of chlorine needed to maintain your pool is not difficult to store. You won’t need help carrying chlorine tablets around, nor would you need large areas to store them. There is, however, a significant downside to chlorine storage, but more on this later.
✓ Low Energy Consumption
Chlorine pools use less electricity than saltwater pools, mainly because they don’t need a salt chlorine generator. Traditional pools can run properly with basic pool equipment such as filters and pumps. If you own a small-sized, vinyl above-ground pool, your monthly energy bill will be significantly less than that of a saltwater pool owner.
Cons of Chlorine Pools
When it sounds too good to be true, it often is. Chlorine pools may have a lot of positive attributes, but we cannot discard the disadvantages of owning a traditional pool system.
✗ High Annual Maintenance Costs
The initial installation cost may be low, but chlorine pools require far more maintenance than saltwater pools. We’re talking about maintenance on a weekly, monthly, and seasonal basis.
Here’s a list of what’s required to keep your chlorine pool running properly:
- You’ll need to regularly add chlorine to maintain appropriate levels of sanitization
- Chlorine, alkalinity, and pH levels must be measured regularly
- Use shock treatment every week to get rid of algae
- Lots of pool chemicals needed, such as cyanuric acid (chlorine stabilizer)
As you can see, traditional pools are high maintenance. Pool chemicals needed for maintenance can cost thousands per year, depending on the pool size and how often you need to balance the water.
✗ Chlorine Levels Need Weekly Adjusting
With traditional pools, you’ll have to carefully manage existing levels and add the right amount of chlorine. You can add it in liquid or tablet form to help fight bacteria, cloudy water, and algae. But things can get a little tricky at this point.
Improper levels of chlorine in your pool can lead to the production of chloramines after binding with human sweat and other contaminants. Chloramines are mainly responsible for the irritation effect on swimmers. To make matters worse, high levels of chloramines may lead to the development of asthma and allergy issues.
Eliminating chloramines means you’ll need to add more chemicals in the pool water, further raising your pool’s maintenance costs. Avoid this scenario by properly managing the chlorine levels in the pool water.
✗ Strong Chlorine Smell
Every swimmer or swimming pool owner knows exactly what we’re talking about. It may surprise you that what you’re smelling isn’t chlorinated water, but chloramines. As mentioned above, they occur when chlorine disinfectants combine with sweat, oils, skin cells, and urine in the pool. Indoor chlorinated pools can make the smell more unbearable.
Whenever your pool starts smelling bad, take it as a sign that you need to reduce the levels of chloramine in the water.
✗ Harsh on Your Body
After spending a few hours in a chlorine pool, you will most likely experience one of the following:
- Itchy, dried-out, or irritated skin
- Red, burning eyes
- Aggravated allergic reactions or asthma (more severe cases)
- Swimsuit may eventually start to fade (bleached look)
All of these cases are a result of chlorine and pool chemicals in your traditional pool. But it’s not as bad as it seems, as long as you maintain the right levels of chlorine and eliminate chloramines.
✗ Environmental Impact
The discharge of chlorine and other harmful chemicals from traditional pools can harm aquatic life when released into the environment. Chlorine pools consume less energy than saltwater pools, but the pool chemicals highlight the fact that no pool system is flawless.
✗ Potential Hazards
Storing chlorine and pool chemicals may be easy, but you’re still dealing with poisonous materials. Be careful how and where you store potentially hazardous chemicals, especially with kids running around. Pets such as dogs may also be vulnerable to these harmful chemicals.
Different Forms of Chlorine
There are five different types of chlorine you can add to your traditional pool system, including stabilized and unstabilized chlorine. It’s important to know which type is best to sanitize your pool.
Let’s start with the three unstabilized chlorine types:
- Sodium hypochlorite: Best for pools with high calcium hardness, contains between 10% and 12% chlorine. It is highly effective in removing stains and fighting against microorganisms.
- Calcium hypochlorite: Most popular type that contains 65% free available chlorine (FAC) and dissolves easily in pool water.
- Lithium hypochlorite: Highly pure source of available chlorine, contains between 28% and 35% free available chlorine. It does not damage soft pool surfaces.
As for the stabilized chlorine types (contain cyanuric acid):
- Trichlor: Most popular type of chlorine for regular use. It contains 90% free available chlorine.
- Dichlor: Has a neutral pH and is more balanced than trichlor. It contains between 56% and 60% free available chlorine, and dissolves quickly in water.
Note: Free available chlorine (FAC) is the active form of chlorine that kills germs.
How to Maintain Your Chlorine Pool
Chlorine pools come with high maintenance costs, but most of the tasks are DIY-friendly. Chlorine pool maintenance is less about damage repair and more about keeping your pool running well. Here are some tips on maintaining your traditional pool:
- Skim your chlorine pool to remove debris as needed
- Shock the pool (process of adding chlorine to the pool to raise the level)
- Test it weekly for pH, alkalinity, calcium hardness, and free chlorine levels
- Add cyanuric acid (chlorine stabilizer) to reduce the sun’s impact on chlorine loss.
Pro Tip: Cyanuric acid is sort of a double-edged sword. Adding too much may cause a dramatic impact on chlorine efficiency and sanitization. You typically only need to add it once or twice a year.
Chlorine Pool vs Saltwater Pool
We promise to keep this section short and stick to direct comparisons. The following table will give you a better idea of the key differences between the two pool systems.
| Chlorine Pool | Saltwater Pool |
| Lower installation cost | Higher initial cost |
| Requires more pool chemicals and regular checks on chlorine content | Lower maintenance requirements |
| Chlorine granules/tablets don’t take up much space | Bulk salt is difficult to store |
| It only requires a pool pump which consumes less electricity | Higher energy consumption due to salt chlorine generator (and pool heater in cold climates) |
| Better suited for all pool materials | Will corrode metal components, unsuited for vinyl pools |
| Most repairs are DIY-friendly | Repairing salt chlorine generator requires expert technicians |
| Chlorinated water and pool chemicals may irritate skin and cause allergies | Gentler on the hair, skin, and eyes |
| You’ll need to regularly purchase chlorine granules and pool chemicals | Only requires inexpensive pool salt |
FAQ About Chlorine Pools
Testing the pH and chlorine levels is highly essential in maintaining your chlorine pool system. But to focus on the importance of pH levels, here’s a brief explanation:
● If the pH goes up (>8.0): Ability of free chlorine to kill germs and bacteria decreases.
● If the pH goes down (<7.0): Free chlorine will still be able to kill germs, but your pool pipes are more likely to corrode or break down.
It is recommended to maintain water pH levels between 7.2 and 7.8 (between 7.4 and 7.6 is ideal), and a free chlorine concentration between 1 and 3 ppm (parts per million) in pools.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides plenty of useful information on pH level and its importance in pool water.
The best water temperature for your swimming pool is between 78 degrees Fahrenheit and 82 degrees Fahrenheit. However, a water temperature of at least 82 degrees is more suitable for young children and the elderly.
Amounts of chlorine in a traditional pool do not harm dogs, even if they accidentally drink tiny amounts of pool water. As long as you maintain proper pH and chlorine levels, the pool water should be safe for you and your four-legged friend.
However, dogs with floppy ears can get an ear infection because of the dampness. Once they’re done swimming, be sure to give them a quick rinse to get rid of excess chemicals. Following that, dab their ears with a clean towel to prevent dampness and infection.
Is the Public Pool Crowded? Get Your Own Pool System
Chlorine pools have been around for decades, and despite their flaws, are still desirable to many homeowners. They don’t have a high initial cost, and run great with affordable pool materials like vinyl.
The costs of chlorine and pool chemicals may be unappealing, but most of the upkeep is DIY-friendly. You won’t have to hire pool experts to replace salt cells or fix the salt chlorine generator.
What’s the point of having all that outdoor space if you’re not gonna enjoy it? Hire a professional pool service company to enjoy a peaceful swim in your backyard oasis.
Main Photo Credit: jmsilva / Canva Pro / License
