Spa Supplies
SPA SUPPLIES
Hot tubs work by drawing water through a system of pipes into a heating element and then dispensing the water into the tub itself.
Modern hot tubs have
digital keypads that allow you to select the water temperature. Regulations are in place to prevent modern hot tubs from heating the water past 104 degrees F. Once the temperature has been selected, the data goes to the hot tub's control box, which will then regulate the various parts of the hot tub.
The water that fills the hot tub must be drawn from the surface and then filtered, which is done either with a suction
filtration system or a pressure filtration system. Suction filters skim the water for impurities as it is being drawn through the pump, while pressure filters use cartridges to filter the water.
Once the water is filtered, it is pumped through the
heating element. Inside of the heater housing, the water is warmed to the desired temperature. The heater is outfitted with flow switches and an overheat high-limit switch. These are to prevent damage in the event that the water flow becomes restricted or that the water is heated too much.
After the water passes through the heater, it goes through a series of
PVC pipes until it reaches the
jets. Hot tubs have several jets that shoot the water into the tub itself. Modern hot tubs have better, more adjustable jets that use air induction, a technique that allows warm water to mix with air. This makes the stream from the jets more robust. Most hot tubs allow you to control the proportion of air to water to fine-tune the setting.
The final important device is the
drain, which obviously comes into use when you are finished using the hot tub. Drains on hot tubs work very similarly to drains on sinks of showers.
Hot tubs could also be outfitted with
several other options. Ozonators filter the water, resulting in less chemical. Hot tub lights allow the tub to be used in the dark.
Just as with a swimming pool, maintaining
proper water chemistry is crucial.
The factors that shape your spa water quality are:
- Sanitizers are used to effectively disinfect and keep water smelling fresh. The two most popular ones are chlorine and bromine. You can test these by using a test kit or test strips.
- Shock treatments eliminate odors and reduce irritating contaminants for fresh, clear water.
Some consider
pH to be the most important component of water balance. It measures how acidic or basic your water is. If it is not kept in check you run the risk of damaging your equipment, i.e. heating elements, pump seals, and the internal works on gas fired heaters. Before adding any chemicals to adjust your pH levels, the total alkalinity must be balanced first.
Total alkalinity is the ability to control pH. Here is a simple way to understand the difference between pH and total alkalinity: Think of the pH as the thermometer on your furnace's thermostat. The thermometer measures the exact room temperature. If it's a little cooler than you like, you turn the thermostat up. You have just displayed the ability to control the temperature. Total alkalinity is like the thermostat, in that it gives you the ability to control pH. This is why you test and adjust the total alkalinity before even touching your pH test kit.
Sometimes referred to as "total hardness",
calcium hardness is a measurement of minerals in your water including calcium and magnesium. You do want your water to have some level of hardness. If the water does not have enough calcium, the water will draw from other minerals, including copper, aluminum and iron, (e.g., heating elements, pump seals, and internal parts on gas fired heaters). This will result in equipment corrosion. If there is too much hardness, you will see scale formation on the spa's interior and the water will take on a cloudy appearance. Because of this, it is recommended that you fill your spa with water from a softener instead of tap water.
