Spa Maintenance: The Importance of Water Balance

The longevity of your spa and the effectiveness of the treatment depends primarily on good water quality. Well-balanced water will not damage equipment or cause skin and eye irritation.

You should therefore check the water quality in your spa regularly. The following parameters should be checked the dosage of disinfectant, pH, alkalinity and hardness of the water. A kit containing the necessary equipment for these checks is available from the manufacturers.

The optimal pH value

When the pH of your water is between 7.2 and 7.4, then you have nothing to worry about. Indeed, above or below these values, acidity and basicity are harmful factors to your skin and materials. By being more acidic, the water will cause burns to bathers. If it is too basic, it causes corrosion of equipment.
If this value range is not respected, you can always add pH correction products to your spa. There are two types of products for water that is too acidic as well as for water that is too basic.

Alkalinity and its control

This parameter, also called TAC, corresponds to the buffering capacity of the water, in other words to ensure a stable pH value. This leads chemically to the preservation of good water quality.
As long as the value of your TAC is between 125 and 1150 mg/L, this implies that your water is in good balance. The following indications are similar TAC is between 10 and 30°f or French degree. It is also possible to rectify the TAC value with suitable corrective products that you can obtain at the same time as buying a spa. A good alkalinity value corresponds to a good pH value.

Water hardness

Also called TH, this indicator shows the proportion of mineral salts contained in the spa. More precisely, it is calcium and magnesium. The harder the water is, the harder it will be. Corrosion and scaling are favoured by water that has less hardness. For this, the TH must be between 10 and 20°f or 100 to 200 mg/L.
If this value is exceeded, you can add anti-scaling products to correct this excess. Otherwise, you can add calcium sequestering agent to regain the right balance.
Disinfectants

While it is useful to disinfect the water, the dosage of the products for this must be well controlled. Indications for each type of product already exist. For chlorine, for example, the dosage should not exceed 5 mg/L. Test strips can help you to identify the level of disinfectants in your spa. These can be purchased from your dealer or spa manufacturer.

Draining Your Spa

Regularly renewing the water in your spa is imperative for your hygiene as well as for the longevity of the spa. Depending on the frequency of use, draining may vary from one spa to another, but on average it should not exceed 3 months.
A very effective alternative is to replace part of the water every two weeks. This replacement may only involve 25 or 30% of the total water. Taking a shower before entering the bath prolongs the proper water balance.
Maintenance of the equipment

The proper maintenance of equipment and various accessories also influences the good quality of the water. The operations to be carried out are mainly cleaning operations such as cleaning the pipes and drains, the walls of the spa and the cover and cushions.

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