Sometimes the easiest part of maintaining a pool is buying the materials online. However, there are certain items that are worth the purchase, while others can be avoided in favor of more cost-effective or alternative solutions.
Online shopping provides convenience, variety, and competitive pricing, but knowing what to buy and what to skip can save both money and effort.
What to Buy Online
Items such as pool pumps, filters, automatic pool cleaners, and pool covers are often available at better prices online. These products tend to have higher price tags in physical stores, and online retailers frequently offer discounts, promotions for their pool products online.
They also include customer reviews that help in making an informed purchase, which makes it easier to choose which one suits your pool maintenance needs and budget. .
Saltwater Systems
If you want to reduce chlorine usage, a saltwater system is a great investment. Buying one online can be advantageous due to the wide selection and lower prices compared to local pool supply stores. Saltwater systems generate chlorine naturally, reducing the need for traditional chlorine products.
Pool Test Kits and Strips
Pool test kits and strips are essential for maintaining water chemistry. Online retailers often provide bulk options, making it more affordable in the long run. Digital pool testers, which are generally pricier in physical stores, can also be found online at competitive rates.
Chlorine Alternatives
While chlorine is necessary for sanitation, purchasing alternative sanitizing systems like mineral systems or ozonators online can help cut down the need for constant chlorine purchases. These systems reduce chlorine usage and can be sourced more affordably online.
Bulk Pool Chemicals
Purchasing chemicals like chlorine, shock treatments, and algaecides in bulk from online retailers can result in significant cost savings. Many online stores offer deals on large quantities that are not typically available in smaller local stores.
Pool Toys and Floats
Pool toys, floats, and other recreational accessories are often more affordable online. Many brands offer direct-to-consumer sales with free shipping, making online purchases more cost-effective.
Products You Don’t Have to Buy Online
But there are also products you don’t necessarily have to buy online. The following have cheaper alternatives that you can buy directly from regular supply stores and even supermarkets.
Alkalinity Increaser
Alkalinity increaser, commonly sold at pool stores, is essentially baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). Instead of buying expensive branded versions, purchasing regular baking soda from a grocery store is a much cheaper alternative.
pH Increaser
pH increasers, often sold as sodium carbonate (soda ash), can be replaced with laundry soda ash or borax, which are available at a lower price in grocery or home improvement stores.
pH Decreaser
Sodium bisulfate, commonly sold as pH decreaser, is another product that can be substituted with muriatic acid. Muriatic acid is available at home improvement stores and is often cheaper. However, it must be handled with care due to its hazardous nature.
Chlorine Stabilizer
Cyanuric acid, also known as chlorine stabilizer, is unnecessary if using chlorine tablets or granules since they already contain stabilizers. Buying additional stabilizer is often redundant and an extra expense.
Calcium Hardness Increaser
Unless you have a permanently installed pool, calcium hardness increaser is often unnecessary. If you take down your pool at the end of each season, the long-term effects of low calcium hardness won’t be a concern.
Phosphate Removers
Phosphate removers are marketed as a way to prevent algae growth, but regular pool cleaning, balanced water chemistry, and routine shocking are sufficient to keep algae at bay. This makes phosphate removers an avoidable expense.
Buying Online is Easier Now
When purchasing pool products online, it’s crucial to differentiate between what is necessary and what can be substituted or avoided. High-ticket items are great online buys, while everyday chemical treatments can often be replaced with cheaper alternatives from grocery or hardware stores.
Making informed choices can save money and enhance pool maintenance efficiency, and BestBuy Pool Supply gives you a range of choices that make buying supplies online easier!
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