Hot tubs are a great place to relax and usually if there is one at home, everyone in the family wants to get in, and of course with public hot tubs like those at hotels and other lodging facility there is no telling who was sitting in there before. Hot tub chemicals are used to disinfect the water and to prevent buildup in the hot tub.
The List of Hot Tub Chemicals
The sanitizers or disinfectants are probably the single most important chemicals that go into the hot tubs. Hot tubs can be a breeding ground for bacteria because of the warm water. Chlorine is one of the hot tub chemicals that are used in both pools and hot tubs. There are different concentration levels of chlorine that is used for the different applications. There are non chlorine sanitizers that are available. Biguanide is a chemical sanitizer that is non chlorine. The Biguanide releases fewer odors than chlorine based products.
Shock oxidizers are used to get rid of organic material like dead skin particles, oils, lotions and other products that people bring into the hot tub.
PH levels are the measure of the hydrogen ions in the water. PH can be controlled with the use of PH additives. Measuring the PH in the hot tub is done with water test strips. If the PH is to low than the water will irritate the skin it is too acidic. If the pH is too high then the water is too alkaline and it will cause mineral scaling in the hot tub and corrosion to the metal parts. There are chemical additives that can correct the PH in the water. We were told that they are working on the same calculator for spas and hot tubs.
Some local water may have high concentrations of minerals and metals in it like iron and calcium they can build up in your hot tub and cause deposits and discoloration. There are specific formulas of hot tub chemicals that can reduce the incidence of this.
Hot Tub Chemicals and Hot Tub Care
Using hot tub chemicals to care for the hot tub is the best way to insure the life of the hot tub and to keep the water sanitary. Hot tub chemicals are readily available at any pool or hot tub supply store. Using the hot tub chemicals as instructed and frequently changing the water will insure the long life of the hot tub and a clean soaking environment.