We all want to feel luxurious and relaxed after a long day of hard work, and what better way to do that than soaking in your hot tub? Before buying a hot tub, it’s essential to know that they require high maintenance, meaning you have to take good care of it.
You wouldn’t want your skin to feel itchy and irritated. You need to learn the basics of hot tub maintenance, one of which is adding chlorine to the water.
We use chlorine every day to help prevent illness and kill bacteria. It is a powerful water sanitizer, which is essential since it lowers the risk of bacterial exposure. But if you’re new to using a hot tub, you probably won’t know how much chlorine to add. That’s what we’re going to tackle in this article.
You’re probably wondering if it’s okay to add chlorine to your hot tub every day or if it’s safe to put chlorine in the water.
It’s essential to get the chlorine levels right when setting up your hot tub, mainly if it’s new or has been sitting empty for some time. Don’t worry. We’ll guide you throughout your first time adding chlorine to your hot tub.
Why Do You Need To Add Hot Tub Chlorine?
Chlorine consists of sodium hydroxide, hydrogen, and regular table salt. This chemical allows you to clean the tub or spa water as a sanitizer. Chlorine is necessary for any hot tub, pool, or spa maintenance routine because it is a good sanitizer.
Out of many hot tub chemicals, chlorine is used to maintain water hygiene. It’s commonly found in drinking water, spas, hot tubs, and swimming pools.
Almost all manufactured water apparatus depend on chlorine to shield users from potentially harmful waterborne microorganisms.
As long as you use chlorine properly, it won’t harm you. It is one of two very efficient compounds that filter the water and help maintain and balance the water chemistry, specifically in filtration systems of hot tubs.
Hot tubs have dissolved particles such as dead skin, oil, hair products, lotions, and organic waste. Bacteria and germs float freely in the water and can accumulate if the water is not cleaned correctly.
What Is The Best Hot Tub Chlorine?
While you can add several kinds of chlorine to a hot tub, chlorine granules made especially for hot tubs and spas are the most effective and safe option. Let’s weigh your options for hot tub chlorines by laying out the different choices with their advantages and disadvantages.
Chlorine Granules
Chlorine works by oxidizing contaminants and eradicating them. The chlorine evaporates and transforms into a byproduct called chloramines, known for lessening the sanitizer’s efficiency.
To reduce chloramines, you’ll have to add chlorine frequently, typically once a week. However, if the situation worsens and the chlorine cannot remove the chloramines, you could shock your hot tub.
To keep your hot tub water clean, you should do this regularly. It’s also more convenient to use chlorine granules than liquid chlorine.
Bromine Granules
Bromine functions by ionizing contaminants, breaking their chemical bonds and removing them completely. Even after finishing its job, a sizable portion of bromine remains functional.
However, bromine also creates a byproduct known as bromamines. They lessen the potency of the bromine in your hot tub water, although they’re not as harmful as chloramines.
Effectiveness Of Chlorine And Bromine
Chlorine granules get rid of contaminants faster than bromine. Although less reactive than chlorine, bromine still kills contaminants, but slower than chlorine.
Bromine can assist in maintaining the balance of your water’s chemistry due to having lower pH than chlorine, meaning you won’t have to do much altering with your hot tub chemicals.
Stability Of Chlorine And Bromine
Bromine is reportedly more stable in warm water than chlorine, but the latter still works the best. Compared to bromine, chlorine loses its potency more quickly, requiring more repair or replacement. However, bromine kills bacteria and germs longer than chlorine.
How Much Chlorine Should You Add To A Hot Tub?
Even though city water usually contains enough chlorine to maintain the spa and hot tub sterilized, it won’t be enough for every hot tub.
If your hot tub is new, know they require more chlorine than usual because the water hasn’t been circulating through the pipes, pumping, and plumbing system.
To start, you put a lot of chlorine in the hot tub to shock it, raising the free chlorine levels, killing any harmful contaminants, and rendering the tub safe for usage.
Chlorine should be present between 1 and 3 parts per million (ppm), with an advisable dosage of 3 ppm. If your hot tub has too much chlorine, you can use a few methods to reduce the chlorine levels. You don’t have to start with fresh water anymore.
How Many Chlorine Tablets Can You Add?
As a basic rule, as advised by manufacturers, you can add up to 1.5 the amount of chlorine to your hot tub. If you’re unsure how many chlorine pills you’re allowed to use, check the instructions provided by the manufacturer.
How Long Do You Need To Wait After Putting Chlorine?
There is no designated time limit before you can use a hot tub after adding chlorine, but you should check the chlorine level before getting in. Before you run your bath, the chlorine levels should be at or below five ppm.
Although it has been suggested that 20 minutes is sufficient time, it’s best to wait at least 24 hours before stepping into the tub.
When Should You Add Chlorine To Your Hot Tub
Depending on how frequently you use your hot tub, you must typically add chlorine every 1-3 days. While it can be necessary to add chlorine every day if you plan to soak for only 15 minutes once a week, you’ll only need to add chlorine for 2-3 days.
How To Determine If You’d Add Too Much Chlorine?
Contrary to popular belief, the smell of bleach does not indicate that a hot tub has high chlorine levels; instead, it’s the opposite. Your hot tub’s chlorine level is stable if you can detect the distinct bleach smell or the pungent odor of chlorine.
Testing your hot tub’s chlorine and pH levels is the best approach to knowing if they’re sufficient. If there’s too much chlorine in the water, there are always alternatives to lessen the amount of chlorine.
Conclusion
If it’s your first time adding chemicals to a hot tub, you must thoroughly clean and disinfect it with a heavy dose of chlorine. The chemicals in chlorine will sanitize the water of all germs and bacteria while also helping them circulate through the pumping and plumbing lines of the hot tub.
Additionally, regularly shocking the hot tub water will help eliminate germs, pollutants, and chloramines in your hot tub. Following this routine guarantees that your hot tub soaks will be hygienic and soothing all season.
FAQs
What does hot tub shock mean?
Shocking your hot tub means you should add more chemicals to the water before using it. This process means adding chlorine or non-chlorine chemicals to your hot tub to kill water contaminants. This process is called oxidizing, where pollutants and chloramines are eliminated using shock dosage.
Can I shock my hot tub with chlorine?
You can shock your hot tub using chlorine tablets and granules. You won’t have to start over by using fresh water. It’s also okay to use liquid chlorine if you don’t have any chlorine tablets.
How often should you add chlorine to your hot tub?
It depends on how often you use your bathtub; if you use it once a week, it’s advisable to add chlorine every 2-3 days.
How do I know if the chlorine level of my hot tub is too low?
Utilizing a test strip is the most effective method for determining a hot tub’s chlorine level. Compare the test strip’s color to the edge of its container immediately after dipping it in for 2 seconds and shaking off the remaining water. If your chlorine level is too low, a variety of colors is shown to let you know.
Can too much chlorine damage my hot tub?
Sanitizing your hot tub effectively only requires a minimal amount of chlorine. Adding too much chlorine can damage your hot tub and irritate your eyes, skin, and lungs.
How much chlorine can I add to my hot tub after I use it?
Your bathing habits and how many gallons of water your hot tub contains will determine the amount of chlorine you should add and how often. At all times, it’s ideal for keeping your level around 3 and 5 milligrams.
You might need to add more chlorine daily, every few days, or once a week. To maintain 1 mg of chlorine per liter, add 2 g of chlorine for every 1000 liters of water.
Do I need to shock my hot tub before winter?
No, there’s no need to shock your hot tub if you won’t be using it for a long time.
