Swimming Pool Technology

Salt Water Pools

• Chlorine and bromine used to be the only affordable and efficient ways of sanitizing pools. Now, the installation of a chlorine generator allows homeowners to use regular table salt for sanitizing their pools. Pool water is filtered through the generator, which uses an electric current to begin a chemical reaction that turns the salt into a compound called hydrochlorous acid. This compound is the active ingredient in chlorine, but these salt water chlorine generators present it in a form that is odorless, tasteless, and will not irritate skin or eyes. The salt water in a pool is about one-eighth the strength of the ocean's salt water, and pools that are converted to this type of system are not only less likely to irritate bathers but are also extremely low-maintenance.

Automatic Chemical Controllers

• Keeping the chemicals in the pool at the levels needed to maintain healthy, sanitary water used to mean testing the water at least every few days. Now, automatic chemical controllers can be used to monitor a wide range of information critical to the upkeep of the pool. Simple models will measure the pH and chlorine levels of the pool, while more complex controllers can log information, monitor the pressure in the pool's hoses and filtration systems, and maintain the pool's temperature by turning heaters on and off. Many controllers can be linked to chemical feeding systems, which will add chemicals as needed to keep the water levels within the programmed range.

Ozonation

• Advances in swimming pool technology have brought another alternative to chlorine and bromine. Ozone generators take oxygen from the air, convert it to ozone and discharge it into the water. Ozone works in much the same way as chlorine to disinfect pool water. It kills everything from bacteria and fungi to algae and will also neutralize other potentially hazardous contaminants, such as fertilizers, pesticides and other garden sprays. Mineral buildup can be a problem for many pools, especially those that use well water or water that passes through older pipes. Ozone can neutralize minerals such as iron and manganese, common causes of water and liner discoloration.

Swimming Pool Alarms

• Swimming pools have long been viewed as safety hazards, especially for children. Technological advancements have led to the development of several kinds of swimming-pool alarms, designed to alert the homeowner in a matter of seconds if there is an unauthorized entry into the pool. Surface wave sensors sound an alarm when the surface of the water is broken, while other types, submerged beneath the water, will register alarms if there is a change in the pressure of the pool water. Both types of alarms are designed to go off within seconds of disturbances in the water. For people with young children in the home, there are also pool alarms in the form of wristbands that the children can be fitted with; these wristbands give an alert when wet.