Salt Pool and Concrete
- Thread starter richmgreen
- Start date
There is a very small chance it could affect concrete ... although I am going to guess that you get enough regular rain that it will not build up and be a problem.
I've been using a SWG for years now and love it. However, we are redoing the cement around the pool and don't want to do anything that could damage it. The old cement was so rough and beat-up that you wouldn't be able to tell if it was being effected or not. The new patio will be stamped concrete and will be cantilevered edge along the pool. Just don't want to damage it.
Concrete is probably the most resistant material of all around saltwater. Our rock salt finished concrete deck around the pool has had no change at all in 4 years. Our flagstone coping hasn't either other than some minor erosion on some pieces that is clearly due to the composition of the stone and not from saltwater because adjacent pieces are not impacted.
What about some old threads I'm reading about salt crystallizing and freezing and damaging the cement? I can always spray the patio with a garden hose after swimming, but my real concern is for the cement that is right on the edge of the pool. (Cantilevered). The pool compnay that is changing my liner also said it would void the warranty of the liner ???? I thought salt systems helped make the liner last longer. Not sure who or what to believe anymore. 
I am going to guess you get more regular rain than those of us in TX or AZ. In those dry locations, the salt can build up some a potentially cause issues. But if you get rain fairly regularly, that is going to wash small amounts of salt away.
- May 23, 2015
- 24,379
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
What about some old threads I'm reading about salt crystallizing and freezing and damaging the cement? I can always spray the patio with a garden hose after swimming, but my real concern is for the cement that is right on the edge of the pool. (Cantilevered). The pool compnay that is changing my liner also said it would void the warranty of the liner ???? I thought salt systems helped make the liner last longer. Not sure who or what to believe anymore.
Concrete is mostly immune to salt damage except in instances where very high concentrations are involved (like using road salt for de-icing). You live in CT where there is more than enough rain to keep your new patio safe from any kind of salt build up. There will be very little danger of recrystalization pressure causing cracking or spalling. Your bigger concern is water permeation and freeze/thaw damage; that is way more of an issue for your climate.
If you're worried about protecting it, then use a concrete sealer after it is laid and cured. It adds expense (especially if you use the good stuff) but it makes the concrete impervious to water infiltration.
As far liner warranty goes, that's just idiotic. Salt has no effect on vinyl. That's nothing more than the liner manufacturer adding an out for themselves on warranty claims. What matters is the track the liner fits into and whether or not it is metal. If it's a cheap aluminum track then salt water can sometimes enhance corrosion of the track. In that case, the pool frame and track should be properly bonded to a sacrificial anode to avoid galvanic corrosion.
Guess what? If you use chlorine and/or muriatic acid in your pool then you already have a salt pool because all chlorine products eventually turn into chloride, aka, salt.
As Matt mentioned, everything adds salt. It is not uncommon for a pool chlorinated with bleach to get up to a 500-1000ppm salt level. SWG pools are around 3500ppm, and the ocean is 10x that at 35,000ppm.
Near the ocean, a lot of the problem is from sea spray where the wind is blowing the high salt content ocean water onto furniture, etc. This leaves the salt behind and allow corrosion. You will not have this issue with furniture, etc near the pool, unless you are doing a LOT of cannonballs
Near the ocean, a lot of the problem is from sea spray where the wind is blowing the high salt content ocean water onto furniture, etc. This leaves the salt behind and allow corrosion. You will not have this issue with furniture, etc near the pool, unless you are doing a LOT of cannonballs
