Keeping a hot tub safe and clean enough to soak in requires a lot of measures and one effective method is the use of spa chemicals. When using these chemicals, there are important considerations like the type, quantity to add when to add them as well as the mode of application.
If you handle all these critical aspects very well, you will find it easy maintaining your hot tub. Most people ask questions about the need to add chemicals to a hot tub since they think it is a personal or family belonging. This assumption is wrong as the hot tub is different from the bathtub that one can fill, use, and drain.
Without the use of chemicals, the hot tub will turn into an incubation chamber where numerous organisms thrive and this is very dangerous to human health. If you are looking to maintain your hot tub, you can search for the best spa chemicals online to find a suitable one.
Top Chemicals to Use
The following chemicals will come in handy for proper maintenance of your hot tub:
Sanitizer
This is considered one of the important spa chemicals. This is because it keeps the hot tub sanitized and safe for use. When going for a sanitizer, you have to decide the one you want and how to use it. Some of the sanitizers to choose from include bromine, chlorine, biguanide, salt system, and minerals.
Chlorine
This is the most popular sanitizer and has some advantages when compared with others. It is affordable, kills bacteria and algae aggressively, and can easily be added to the hot tub. Chlorine terminates contaminants through oxidation and breaking them down into chemical components.
One drawback associated with chlorine is the smell as it gives off an odor. Just as the chemical reaction happens, the oxidation will give off waste products known as chloramines. This is the major cause of the chlorine smell.
Bromine
This is another common sanitizer that you can use to achieve a safe hot tub. It has one distinguishing advantage over other chemicals like chlorine as it doesn’t oxidize and this means that you won’t smell an offensive odor. The oxidation process is what causes the release of chloramines that are responsible for the odor.
Instead of oxidization, bromine ionizes pollutants, and the waste product produced here is known as bromamines. To learn more about bromine, you can find some helpful tips here: https://www.rsc.org/periodic-table/element/35/bromine.
Biguanide
This non-chlorine sanitizer kills bacteria very fast just like bromine and chlorine. It also has some advantages like zero smell, making the water feel smooth and it doesn’t require frequent usages like bromine or chlorine.
The drawback here is the cost of purchasing this chemical. It is expensive and also causes deterioration of spa parts such as rubber gaskets. It is recommended that you check the manufacturer’s guide to see if it is compatible with your hot tub before usage.
These are some chemicals that you can use to maintain your hot tub. We have also outlined some tips to help you maintain your spa.
How to Maintain Your Hot Tub
Here are some helpful tips to guide you:
Clean the Filter
Ensure that you clean the filter regularly. To do this, take out the cartridge and run clean water through each pleat to remove foreign materials that may have clogged the filter. Ensure that you allow the filter to get dry before you fit it into the spa.
If the filter is damaged, then replacing it will be the best decision to make. A damaged filter accumulates dirt shortly after it has been cleaned so when this starts happening, just know it’s time to replace it.
If you need a guide on how to clean a spa filter, you can check out this article.
Clean the Cover Regularly
The cover of your spa does the bulk of the maintenance work so keeping it clean is very important. You can use a soft sponge and a purpose cleaner to clean the spa cover. Avoid using dish soaps, abrasives, or other detergents during the cleaning process as it can affect the topcoat. Finally, do the cleaning on a sunny day so the spa cover will get adequate sunlight to dry.
Change the Water Regularly
Depending on the frequency of usage, you need to change the water regularly. If you don’t use it often, you change the water four to six times yearly especially if you use chemicals.
Conclusion
Using spa chemicals goes a long way in keeping your tub clean and safe for use. To walk through the maintenance process, there are certain chemicals to use like chlorine, bromine, biguanide, and other sanitizers to use. With these chemicals, you are sure to have a spa that’s safe for your health.
