If you’re fortunate enough to have a hot tub, you understand the need for keeping it clean, clear and odorless. By maintaining your hot tub regularly, you ensure that you and your family relax in healthy, chemically balanced water. Proper maintenance of your spa, also increases its longevity and reduces costs
The Importance of Water Balance in Your Hot Tub
You keep hot tub water clean by measuring and adjusting the pH level. If the water has a low pH level, it’s too acidic. This causes corrosion of the hot tub components and your plumbing system. Corrosion leads to costly repairs or replacement parts.
A high pH also means the water is poorly sanitized. This results in a hot tub full of harmful bacteria, potentially leading to skin and eye irritation, or even Legionnaires’ Disease, and other health risks. High pH levels cause cloudy water due to scales forming on the hot tub surfaces.
The First Step is Measuring Total Alkalinity
The maintenance of your hot tub begins with measuring the total alkalinity or TA of the water. The TA neutralizes acids and works as a pH buffer to help keep the water in range during high bather loads. If you get the TA at the proper level, this can help to keep pH readings in the optimal range of between 7.2 and 7.6.
After turning on the hot tub, place a sample of the water in a clean cup and wait for it to cool before using the test strip. The ideal range for alkalinity in North Carolina is between 80-120ppm (parts per million) or between 120-150ppm, depending on the region you live in, and the source of your water, whether from a municipal supply or a well. Your water type complicates keeping your spa clean and clear. You need to find the right product for your water type and for getting the alkalinity level balanced.
The TA has to be adjusted before any other chemicals are added to the hot tub water.
Adjusting the pH Levels
The next step is to test the hot tub water’s pH level. Depending on whether it’s too high, or too low will determine what chemicals to use next. Many products on the market can help to balance the chemistry of your spa by either increasing or decreasing the pH levels.
Adjust the Calcium Hardness
You will want to balance the calcium hardness because if it is too low, the water will try to pull the minerals out of the acrylic, pumps, and gaskets shortening the life of the spa and if the calcium is too high it will leave deposit on the acrylic in the form of a calcium ring.
Finally Sanitation
Proper sanitation is what keeps algae and slime out of the tub. Typically this comes in the form of chlorine, bromine, or a mineral solution.
As a hot tub owner, you want a safe and clean spa, but there is a lot to do. If you find all of this overwhelming or time-consuming, you may want to hire a hot tub expert who can regularly maintain your spa. You want to enjoy and unwind with your hot tub, not be stressed over pH and TA levels. Let the professionals do what they do best. Contact us today to learn more. We also offer complementary water tests as well as can provide all the advice and chemicals you need.
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