While you may enjoy lots of bubbles when you’re taking a bath, you don’t want your hot tub to be filled with excessive foam. This usually means that your hot tub water is unbalanced, dirty and possibly unhealthy. If you notice that foam and bubbles are persistently accumulating on the water’s surface, it’s time to take action and rectify the situation. In this article, we’ll try to answer the question of what causes hot tub bubbles as well as providing some solutions for reducing the amount of foam that floats on the surface of your hot tub water.
Water Impurities
When your hot tub water gets dirty, it increases the chances that foam, and bubbles will begin to form. As long as your hot tub is getting used, the water will eventually get dirty. The main culprits for introducing impurities into the water are the bathers themselves. Body oils, soap residues, hair care products, deodorants, lotions, perfumes, and dirt are all tracked into the hot tub by those who use it. Bathing suits that have been freshly washed can also introduce soap residue into the water. All these impurities will increase the likelihood of foam and bubbles, so reducing the amount that gets into the water will keep it fresher for longer. The best way to do this is to shower before entering the hot tub. You might also consider rinsing freshly laundered swimsuits in clean† water before getting into the tub.
Imbalanced Water
Part of the job of owning a hot tub is keeping the water properly balanced. You’ll need to keep an eye on the pH levels, the calcium hardness levels, and total alkalinity. These are the main measurements that you’ll want to test for regularly. When it comes to foam and excessive bubbling, make sure your calcium hardness, or total hardness, levels are in check. This is a measurement of the amount of calcium and magnesium in the water. If this level gets too low, the water is known as being soft, and it can cause foaming as well as etching and rusting of the hot tub components. If you have a water softener in your house, make sure to turn it off before you fill your hot tub. If you find the total hardness is still at the lower end of the scale, you’ll need to add calcium increaser to get it back into line.
Hot Tub Shock
Shocking a hot tub is simply the process of adding chemicals to clear the water of organic materials and waste products. Organics can cause the hot tub water to become cloudy, foamy and smelly. Shocks can be chlorine or non-chlorine based. You’ll generally use a chlorine-based shock when you first fill up your hot tub and then rely on non-chlorine-based shocks to be used on a more regular basis. Depending on how much use your hot tub is getting you should shock it at least every week or two.
Chemical Quality
Although you won’t need a degree in chemistry to keep your hot tub water balanced, you will need to do regular water tests and add chemicals based on their results. The quality of your chemicals can play a role in how easy it is to keep your water balanced. Chemicals that are old or have spent too much time in direct sunlight may not be as effective as brand new and properly stored chemicals. Keep your chemicals in a cool, dry place and keep them out of the sun as much as possible. You may notice a wide range of prices when it comes to hot tub chemicals, but you usually get what you pay for. Cheaper chemicals often have lower concentrations and you’ll end up using more to create the desired effect which will end up costing you more in the long run.
To learn more about keeping your hot tub water balanced, download a free hot tub buyer’s guide below today, or visit us at our London hot tub store.