There’s nothing better than relaxing in your hot tub when you have some spare time to pamper yourself. So, nothing can be LESS relaxing, than removing the cover and finding that your hot tub water smells weird.
This is going to need some investigation before you can enjoy your tub again.
If you haven’t been doing regular checks on your spa, then that could be the reason for the foul odor. It’s important to keep on top of the chemical levels with regular maintenance, as the water temperature can be a breeding ground for bacteria and algae growth.
There are a few things you can check before calling out your hot tub specialist that might fix the problem.
Checks
Let’s start with the basics and check the hot tub filter first. Filters need changing or cleaned on a regular basis. Its function is to collect all the debris and gunk that can build up in your spa water.
If you don’t have a spare you can clean the dirty one with a hose, by running fresh water over it to clean all the dirt off it
Now you can check to see if you have proper water chemistry levels to keep things safe for all your hot tub users.
The first thing you need to do is get out your test strips and check some of your water levels. You can buy strips that check more than one thing, which is perfect for keeping on top of your water maintenance.
We’re going to check and fix things one at a time, so that you know that you have balanced water chemistry .
PH Levels
Let’s start with checking the water pH level. What you’re looking for is the levels to be between 7.2 – 7.6. What is your strip telling you?
If you’re not at the right pH level then you will need to use correctional chemicals. PH increaser or pH decreaser let you bring your water back to where is should be. You can buy these individually or get them within a maintenance kit.
If you need to add any chemicals, give your tub a couple of hours to absorb it into the water.
Alklinity
Ok, so look at your strip and check the alkalinity level. You didn’t throw it away did you? The bottle will tell you if you’re in the right range, which should be 80-120 ppm (parts per million).
Again you can get a decreaser or increaser to correct your water balance.
Again, leave a couple of hours after adding for it to do its work.
Sanitizer Levels
Whether you use chlorine or bromine in your water, this is the next thing you are going to check from your test strip.
The chlorine level should be between 1-3 ppm and Bromine levels should be between 2-6 ppm. Adjust with the correct product. You can get chlorine tablets and bromine tablets for easy water treatment.
Once you’re happy that your levels are correct, leave that water to fully sanitize for at least a couple of hours.
Has this removed the weird smell? This is usually enough for a successful decontamination. If so you’re good to go.
If it still has a musty smell, you might need to use a shock treatment. If you bought a chemical kit when you got your hot tub it should be in there. If not, you can buy it separately.
Shock treatments oxidise the water. This helps to remove the organic matter that bacteria feed on keeping the water clean. It can help clear cloudy water too. It’s worth using a shock treatment on a regular basis.
Because of the chemical reaction when using a shock treatment, keep your spa cover off for a couple of hours.
Hopefully this helps you to solve your smelly water issue.
Keep checking your levels and you’ll always have an inviting tub whenever you want to use it.
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