Poolman "Free Salt System" worth it?

[Mary Contrary]

http://poolman.com/free-salt-system/

Does anyone have feelings on this deal? I've always balked at people who paid someone to come do their pool chems but it might be nice to have a salt system in addition to someone else doing the chems. It's $40/4 weeks (chems only, incl. "free" salt system which they remove when you stop service).

I've always done chemicals in my pools myself without problems before but am in 'ungreen' mode at this new house, so am not sure how hard this pool will be to maintain. I have to drain it tomorrow so I imagine starting from scratch it won't be that bad. So I'm really only considering the deal above because if the water really is nicer for swimming. We don't use the pool much. Maybe we would use it more.

Thanks!

 

[PoolGuyNJ]

Do you want to trust them with your money?

Do they do proper testing?

Who pays for the salt?

Can your equipment pad accommodate an install and rip out?

Does the removal cost anything to normalize?

Scott

 

[Mary Contrary]

It's a big company so trusting them not to abscond with my money or wreck my existing equipment isn't a huge concern. All good questions, though. Thanks!

80 people having read this and no one's saying, "Do it. Salt systems are awesome." To me that means it's a no. I've never been much for renting systems anyway.

 

[ping]

I think most people are staying away from answering your question because it is more of a question do you trust this pool service company to properly service your pool. We don't have referrals to go by and that is something that you should look into.

There are a couple of things that make me question them as they say they balance the water every two weeks and you have fewer algae blooms with a salt system. My water needs to have acid added every week to keep my pH in line and if they only added acid every other week problems would definitely start to show up sooner or later. If you keep your water properly chlorinated you shouldn't get any algae blooms instead of fewer blooms. I have a feeling that the salt systems are keeping the pools chlorinated better than their other systems and lead to fewer problems for their techs. It might depend on what type of pool you have and how much maintains it needs now.

If you do go with the service just keep them in check with your own testing. Make sure you know the answers to Scott's questions if you are not satisfied with their service.

 

[RobbieH]

What Ping said. Salt systems are awesome, but I personally would be nervous handing over control of my pool and equipment to someone else. I have around $900 in my system (eqipment and salt) and nobody touches it but me.

 

[Mary Contrary]

Thanks. I was thinking pros would do better than me, who has little interest or training in it, but the more "pros" I see in the business the more I wonder.

 

[RobbieH]

There's another thread here that nails it, not all shops are bad. My experience hasn't been good. When I first moved in I called on a recommended pool company to maintain my pool for me. He didn't tell me anything about my pool other than they were going to charge me 2x the regular rate to maintain my pool because I have a sand filter and not a cartridge or DE system. Made no sense to me, so I found this forum and do it all myself. Knowing what I do now, I'm glad I have a sand filter, don't know why they'd have an issue with it.

 

[Sofadude]

It seems like a good marketing approach to attract new accounts and retain old ones. I am a pool serviceman, handling a mid size route. I personally prefer salt pools to conventional chems. Most people prefer salt water pools once they've been in one, but there are associated costs. Also, your pool service person will need to keep an eye on different variables in order for the pool to function properly.

If you are going to have a service, its not a bad deal. I wish I could run the same promo.