Back-to-basics: Simplifying hot water chemistry and conserving sanitizer

by jason_cramp | June 22, 2021 12:37 pm

John Bokor

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The global pandemic has created a plethora of new hot tub owners in the market who need to understand how to properly care for their hot tub water. With sanitizers in high demand, retailers and service professionals need to take a ‘back-to-basics’ approach with their customers to provide them with the simplest plan for hot water treatment. The goal is to educate new hot tub owners on how to minimize chlorine use while still properly maintaining their water chemistry to avoid the pitfalls that can occur should their water fall out of balance.

Back-to-basics 1: Stay balanced

It all starts with water balance. Making sure hot tub customers have the correct mineral balance (total alkalinity to calcium hardness) to support a proper and stable pH is key. Balanced hot tub water is the best way to ensure chlorine, and most other sanitizers, can keep the water sanitized. To help maintain that balance, especially for new hot tub owners, using a blended borate specifically designed for the hot water environment can help keep the chemistry in balance. Some hot tub retailers include a borate product with the initial ‘start up’ chemistry package they provide to their customers for this reason—not only does it help maintain water balance, it also makes the hot tub water feel more soothing.

Borates can, in fact, help lower chlorine consumption because they have a buffering ability allowing hot tub water to remain at a more stable pH level for a longer period. In turn, borates allow chlorine to be more efficient and effective at sanitizing the water. In addition to using borates as a water-balancing tool for pH control, new hot tub owners also like the way it makes the water look and feel. One of the reasons hot tub water treated with borates has more ‘sparkle’ is because the borate product increases the refractory index of the water so more light is reflected and ‘sparkly.’

Finally, borates help improve the overall bather experience. All borates can be considered derivatives of boric acid, the active ingredient in eye drops, and this soothing ability translates into hot tubs treated with borate. Further, as borates are a mineral salt, they help make skin feel softer and help reduce ‘red eye’ that is common from the hot water steam.

Back-to-basics 2: Keep clean filters

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Simply rinsing the filter with water does not remove the contaminants that become embedded in the pleats of the cartridge. Keeping filters clean allows them to operate properly and remove contaminants from the water so chlorine is not tied up with floating debris. Water clarity is only as good as the filter will allow it to be. Chemicals can resolve many different water quality problems, but if the filter is not working properly, neither will the water treatment program. The pandemic has led to homeowners using their hot tubs more frequently, especially those who have purchased a new hot tub. As a result, filters have been working overtime, so they need even more frequent cleaning.

Although it is not a favourite topic of conversation with new customers, it is important for retailers and service pros to point out to new hot tub owners soaking is not a substitute for bathing. Not showering before getting into a hot tub is a bad habit that can severely impact water quality. As chlorine and bromine react with bather waste it causes turbid or cloudy water, and chloramines to form that give hot tubs a distinctive odour. Further, when sanitizers react with organic compounds (contaminants) that settle along the waterline it leaves a coating where bacteria can grow.

Even when bathers shower before entering a hot tub, contaminants from their bodies can cause the sanitizer to be used up quickly. The more people there are and the longer they stay in the hot tub, the faster disinfectant levels decrease. This results in a lower concentration of sanitizer levels than what needs to be present in the water to kill harmful bacteria. Further, chloramines can cause irritation to the eyes, skin, and respiratory tract.

Additionally, it is important to remember having jets in a hot tub increases the need to sanitize and clean filters regularly—as the jets pound contaminants off the skin’s surface. For example, one must remember although body wash feels great on the skin, it leaves a film on the body that is removed by the jets, which quickly mixes into the hot tub water and clogs up the filters.

Back-to-basics 3: Oxidize often

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Oxidize on a regular basis. The term commonly used for this step is ‘shocking.’ This is the part that gets rid of the ‘yuck.’ Oxidizing breaks up chloramines and bromamines, and restores sparkle and clarity to the water. Many service professionals include a weekly dose of enzymes that can reduce the frequency of shocking, because the material helps keep the organic load from building up in the hot tub water.

In keeping with the goal of reducing the use of chlorine, routinely oxidizing hot tub water with a non-chlorine shock can be beneficial to controlling contaminants and allow chlorine to work more effectively. As a reminder: Disinfection is also referred to as sanitizing, while oxidation is the destruction of non-living waste materials like skin, urea, and hair follicles.

Chlorine demand is much higher when organic contaminants are present. Therefore, it takes longer to remove demand and create an effective free-chlorine residual. This is why oxidizing with a non-chlorinated shock is important. Since non-chlorine shock does not contain chlorines, it will not combine with chlorine to create unwanted disinfection byproducts—such as combined chlorine (chloramines) or, even worse, di- or trichloramines. The odour from combined chlorine or chloramines is carcinogenic and causes eye and lung irritation. Higher bather loads can lead to a bigger demand and more sanitizer consumption. So, it is important to regularly oxidize this non-organic waste to free up chlorine to sanitize.

Back-to-basics 4: Sanitize continuously

Hot tub owners should never say, “Hey, the water looks good, so it must be fine.” Sanitizer is what protects bathers. No matter what type of sanitizer one is using, it is extremely important to maintain the proper level. Proper water balance, regular filter maintenance, and routine oxidizing will reduce the amount of sanitizer that will be consumed. That said, protecting bathers is the goal; therefore, it is extremely important to always maintain the proper sanitizer levels in the hot tub.

Service techs and retailers should start by educating their clients that hot water does not kill germs. Hot tubs are typically maintained between 38 and 40 C (100 and 104 F). This temperature may feel scalding on the skin at first, especially if one jumps into the hot tub immediately after walking through a snowy backyard or swimming in a cold pool. However, this temperature is certainly not high enough to kill bacteria and other germs that may be present in the water. In fact, the warm, wet environment of the vessel fosters bacterial growth. Germs living at typical hot tub temperatures can survive for days, even weeks. The goal of retailers and service pros should be to educate clients, especially new hot tub owners, on the importance of consistent water sanitation. Hot tub water that is not disinfected is far less forgiving than pool water that is not balanced.

Disinfectants, or sanitizers, will kill germs in a hot tub assuming they are not being used up quickly on organic waste in the water. It is important to remember the heat of a hot tub breaks down chemicals more rapidly than in cooler water, creating the need to add these same chemical products more frequently. Ideally, the sanitizer in a hot tub should be adjusted after every use, and the filter should be cleaned and/or replaced regularly. Although technicians should ensure the filters are clean, they must also encourage their clients to keep an eye on the sanitizer levels.

Many retailers and service techs will send regular reminder emails and texts to their new hot tub clients, reminding them, for example, to clean their filters the first day of every month. Not only will this help ensure the customer continues to have clean hot tub water, it is also a great way to build customer loyalty.

Pro Tips

[4] To ensure the overall wellness of the clients’ hot tubs, the following are a few tips for service pros to keep in mind. Service tip 1 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends checking and adjusting hot tub chemicals every hour when bather load is high to make sure chlorine is at two to four parts per million (ppm) and the pH level is 7.2 to 7.8. In the case of bromine, the sanitizer level should be between 4 and 6 ppm. Service tip 2 Service techs should be sure to include a note on their maintenance checklist to scrub off any slimy bacteria (biofilm) appearing on hot tub walls, so it does not continue to circulate in the water. Service tip 3 One should also make a note of the installation date and any hardware changes or major repairs on the customer record. Many newer hot tubs come from the factory or have options to add secondary disinfection devices, which can help improve the water quality and lessen the amount of maintenance work. That said, these devices require regular upkeep that is often overlooked, such as replacing solarized ultraviolet (UV) bulbs or replacing an ozonator as they have a limited lifespan.

Back-to-basics 5: Keep testing

Lastly, test, test, test. There are several methods available in the industry today and retailers/service pros should help their clients choose the one that suits their needs best. Small adjustments are easier to make than large ones; therefore, it is important to make sure clients are also testing their water every few days. This can be done with a simple test strip and it is especially important to train new hot tub owners to do this routinely. Many retailers include a three-month supply of water test strips in their initial ‘start up’ chemical package for their new customers, just to ensure they have clean hot tub water and are more likely to feel satisfied with their purchase. Additionally, some service companies include onsite water testing and training for an additional fee, or they build in the cost of new hot tub owner training into their pricing or service contracts. These onsite testing and training sessions can help ensure the client understands and participates in the wellness of their hot tub water.

[5]John Bokor is the host of Haviland Pool and Spa Products’ “Legendary Pools and Spas,” a web series that promotes the fun of owning a pool or hot tub. He is also the company’s director of sales and has more than 25 years of experience in the pool retail industry. Bokor, a certified pool operator (CPO), regularly speaks to professional dealers and pool owners within his territory about water chemistry and maintenance. He can be reached via email at jbokor@havilandusa.com[6] and on Facebook @LegendaryPLS[7].

Source URL: https://www.poolspamarketing.com/trade/features/expert-advice/simplifying-hot-tub-chemistry-conserving-sanitizer/

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