Essential Tips for Maintaining Your Hot Tub

When it comes to fostering a safe and healthy hot tub, it is crucial that you maintain the pH levels of the water. When the pH levels of your hot tub water are off balance, they can cause damage to your hot tub and can even result in irritation to the users. This is why hot tub maintenance is so important. It will protect hot tub users and your hot tub from damage. With the right tips and hot tub supplies from Seaway Pools & Hot Tubs, balancing your hot tub water can be easy. If you are unsure of how to deal with your hot tub water, simply call us for a service! Contact us today to book!

What Throws off Hot Tub pH?

One way that your hot tub's pH may be thrown off is by the use of chemicals. If you are unsure of how to utilize your hot tub chemicals effectively, you may end up causing an imbalance in the tub.  

More often than not, imbalance hot tub water is the result of natural factors:

• Every time the hot tub is used, the bather's skin care products, makeup and lotion will be washed into the water. This can change the pH, especially if many people are using the hot tub at a time. 
• The water source can also impact the pH of the water. If you are naturally supplied with hard or soft water, the pH of your hot tub water will be slightly too high or low.
• Natural elements such as rain, grass or dirt can also change the pH of your hot tub water if they enter the water. The pH of rainwater and soil tends to be on the lower side, so they can effectively change the pH of your tub.

Issue With High or Low pH Levels

Having inconsistent pH levels in your hot tub may not seem like a large concern. However, imbalanced water can actually pose a great issue. 

High pH

When the pH of your hot tub water is too high, it means that it is too basic or alkaline. This can cause calcium scaling in your hot tub. This mineral can build up on your hot tub and its pump and can cause damage. Basic water can also cause a great deal of itching and skin irritation.

Low pH

When the pH of your hot tub water is too low, it means that it is too acidic. This can lower the efficacy of your sanitizers. Acidic water is also known for corroding metal elements of your hot tubs, like your jets and pipes. Additionally, low-pH water can also cause skin irritation and burning eyes.

How to Remedy pH Issues

In order to avoid skin/eye irritation and extensive hot tub damage, it is crucial that you take measures to balance your hot tub’s pH levels accurately. This can be done by:

Testing

Before attempting to balance your hot tub water, you will need to test it to determine what type of balancers it may require. At Seaway Pools & Hot Tubs, we offer a variety of testing options for hot tub and pool owners. We recommend using Olympic Test Strips, which can simultaneously measure pH, chlorine, alkalinity, hardness and cyanuric acid. Simply dip the strip into your hot tub and watch it change colour. Then, you can use the colour guide to determine the reading. This will allow for accurate balancing. 

Balancing Basic Water

If it is determined that your hot tub water is too basic, you need to bring the pH of the water down. The ideal pH is between 7.2 and 7.8. In order to reach this level, you need to add a balancer such as IPG pH minus, which will help bring down high pH levels.

Balancing Acidic Water

If it is determined that your hot tub water is too acidic, you need to bring the pH of the water up. In order to reach a neutral level close to 7, you need to add a balancer such as IPG pH plus, which will help bring up low pH levels.

Master pH Balancing with Seaway Pools & Hot Tubs

In conclusion, keeping up with hot tub maintenance is essential for both the longevity of your hot tub and the comfort of its users. With the right tools and knowledge, maintaining proper pH levels can be simple and stress-free. If you're ever in doubt or need expert assistance, Seaway Pools & Hot Tubs is here to help with all your hot tub supplies and maintenance needs. Don't hesitate to reach out. Contact us today to book a service and enjoy your hot tub worry-free!

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