One of the most important things you need to do as a hot tub owner is to relax it in as much as possible because let’s be honest, who doesn’t love hopping in a hot tub after a stressful day? The next is keeping up with the maintenance and understanding the water chemistry, especially the pH levels.

What is pH and why is it important?

The pH levels in your hot tub water are the measure of how acidic or basic the water is. It’s recommended that you check your pH levels twice a week because there are many factors that can cause it to change. The level you want to see your pH level at is anywhere between 7.2 and 7.8. If it is above 7.8 then it is considered basic and can cause cloudy water and the sanitizer to work poorly. High pH can also cause health risks, such as eye and skin irritations. Plus, chlorine-based products such as bromine become less effective when the level is too high.

If it is below 7.2 your water is acidic, which will also cause sanitizer to work poorly, your eyes to burn, and can damage your hot tub. We have seen low pH corrode equipment and the inside liner of the hot tub.

Therefore, it’s very important to balance the pH in your hot tub. The last thing you want is for yourself or friends and family to get sick because you forgot to balance your pH levels. Not to mention that imbalanced pH can ruin your hot tub, which means no more relaxation time, just costly maintenance.

What causes pH balance to be too high?

It’s important to note that because a hot tub is a smaller body of water, the water is quickly affected by added chemicals. Here are a few reasons why your pH may be too high:
● The local water you use to fill it up may have high pH levels. Well water and fresh water will have different pH levels so be sure to check levels, especially if you use water from a hose.
● You may have added too much pH increaser solution when trying to balance levels

What causes pH balance to be too low?

Hot tub owners typically find that the pH is lower when they check the levels and that’s because there are a variety of things that can lower your pH, such as:
● You may have added too much pH reducer after trying to balance
● Sweat and natural body oils
● Grass, insects, and dirt and debris that commonly enter your water
● Using both chlorine and non-chlorine shock tablets

How does pH affect sanitation for my hot tub?

Whenever you go to clean your hot tub water, be sure to check the pH levels because sanitizers have different pH levels. For example, bromine has low pH and if you use calcium hypochlorite, that has a high pH level. Carefully add sanitizer as per directions and check your pH levels after to make sure the levels are where you want to see them. Don’t expect to just add in a sanitizer and think your water is safe and clean to use.

How do you check and balance out your pH levels?

You can test your pH by using test strips, which you can find at just about any local pool and spa supplies store. Different pH level kits and strips are different so be sure to follow the directions to see exactly how to test the levels.
Once you determine if the levels are too high or low, the next step would be to balance it out by using either a pH decreaser or increaser solution. You can find these solutions at major department stores or your local pool and spa supplies store.

It’s better to be safe than sorry – don’t forget to check your hot tub chemistry

Who would have thought that you become an amateur chemist by owning a hot tub, right? Okay, we won’t go that far but let’s be honest, maintaining a hot tub sometimes does feel like chemistry class. In the end, it’s important to check the chemistry and make sure your hot tub is safe and clean for chronic use. This also includes checking pH levels and being aware of the different scenarios that cause it to become imbalanced.

Remember, a chemically balanced hot tub is a happy hot tub. Order iONRx® today!