Whether you already own a hot tub or you’re looking to buy one, knowing how to balance your hot tub’s chemical levels is essential for ensuring that your tub is clean and safe to use.
This blog will explain what pH is, what pH your hot tub should be and why It is important to keep your hot tub’s pH within this range. We will also give some advice on how you can balance your hot tub chemicals and check your tub’s pH at home. Let’s get started!
What Is pH?
Ph is a scale ranging from 0 to 14 that measures how acidic or basic a substance is. On this scale, a pH value of 7 is neutral (neither acidic or basic) and a pH value below 7 indicates acidity, while values above 7 indicate alkalinity (also called basicity).
What Should a Hot Tub's pH Be?
The ideal pH level for a hot tub should be between 7.2 and 7.6.
Why Is This Important?
User Comfort
A hot tub with improper pH levels can lead to skin and eye irritation. Acidic (low ph) water can cause dry, itchy skin and alkaline (high pH) water can cause stinging and burning.
Equipment Protection
An acidic pH can corrode the hot tub’s heaters, pumps, jets and other vital metal components, while an alkaline pH can lead to scaling and cloudiness. Corrosion and scaling can lead to costly repairs and replacements of hot tub components.
Effective Sanitisation
Sanitisers like chlorine and bromine work best within the 7.2 to 7.6 pH range. If the pH is too high or too low, these sanitisers may become less effective, leading to algae growth, bacteria build up and generally unsafe water conditions.
How to Test and Adjust Your Hot Tub’s pH Levels
1. Use a pH test strip
The best way to monitor the chemicals and pH levels of your spa is to use hot tub test strips. All you need to do is dip the test strip into the water and you should get an accurate pH result in just 15 seconds.
2. Adjust chemicals as needed
If the pH is outside the healthy 7.2 to 7.6 range, use a small amount of pH increaser to raise it or a small amount of pH reducer to lower it. You can then retest the water after 30 minutes to ensure proper balance – it’s as simple as that!
If you have any questions about hot tub pH levels or the hot tub chemicals we offer at Premier Hot Tubs, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!
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