Sunday, March 15, 2009

{The Pool Boy}

David is my pool boy, and he's been hard at work out there
since he decided to switch the pool from chlorine to salt water --
A project he's had in his mind since we moved in two years ago.

Last weekend, he:
- drained the pool completely
- installed the salt cell himself
- acid washed the tiles (it was dark out by the time he got to this)
- refilled the pool





Then, this week, he:
- ordered a new circuit board for the salt cell since he fried
the one it came with (after confusing the voltage -- which I'm
sure is totally safe)

- received the new circuit breaker in the mail
- decided he'd have an electrician over to help him finish the job

He came home on Friday with a tool that helps you read voltage.
So, I thought he was going to try to finish it himself, but he says
his electrician friend will be here next week.

Hey, I give him credit for the DIY. He actually saved us a lot of
money. (Do people actually pay $3.50 a foot to have their tiles
bead blasted?) It'll be so nice when it's all done. No more red
eyes and dry, itchy skin after swimming.

6 comments:

Lis said...

Thats AWESOME! I love the do-it-your-self attitude you guys have over there! You will LOVE the salt! I swear, it makes me feel SOFTER!!! Oh! I want a POOL!!!!

Kristi @ Mi Vida Ocupada said...

I'd be totally excited for a almost-new-again pool!

Sue Thomas said...

What a cool project!!! I never would have thought of a salt water pool but it sure makes sense!!!

Anonymous said...

wow - that is a BIG project. way to go David! we never used chlorine either in our old pool and it made a big difference.

TruJen Phtography said...

Ok, please explain something to us Michiganders who have only swam in fresh water lakes... Why salt? I mean I get not having itchy skin or red eyes but doesn't the salt make your skin feel funny? Is it anything like the ocean?
(Ok, so I've swam in the ocean. That makes my skin feel funny.)

Other than that, Go D!!!

Samara Link said...

Jen, that's a good question.
This is something David has been really sold on, and he knows a lot more about then I do.
So, I can't totally answer your question now. I'll let you know what the difference is to me
once the pool water warms up enough for us to get in. What I think though --

- chlorine is obviously all chemical. it dries your skin, wears down the material in your
bathing suits. is tough on your eyes. and very tough on your hair, espcially when it's
colored. salt is natural. softer. less abrasive. i've heard it leaves your skin feeling really
soft, and it doesn't have all the nasty effects of chlorine.

- with chlorine, you constantly have to check the levels in your pool -- adding chlorine,
acid, this, that. the salt cell means you don't have to buy any of that stuff. so, I think
in the long run, it's cheaper and you avoid supporting the manufacture of all those
harsh chemicals that aren't particularly good for the earth.

- the dogs swallow a lot of pool water when they're in there playing. this way,
what they'll be swallowing will be natural instead of loaded with chemicals.

- i don't know how salty it'll be, but i would guess it isn't as salty as the ocean

i'll let you know how it is once we're swimming!