Why Shocking Your Hot Tub Is Essential
Shocking your spa is an essential part of keeping the water clean and healthy. No one wants to relax in smelly, dirty water, and if your water is smelling a little funky or is looking a tad cloudy, it’s probably time to give your hot tub a shock treatment.
Doing a regular shock treatment is one of the best ways to ensure your water is staying safe and free of contaminants. After a period of inactivity or heavy bather use, it is a good idea to do a shock treatment. You also want to ensure you are doing a regular shock treatment about once a week with average bather use.
Four Key Reasons to Shock Your Hot Tub
Remove Organic Matter From the Water
If you use your spa a lot or have several bathers at a time, the amount of organic matter in the water can quickly increase. Removing these compounds from the water is important to keeping your water clean and clear.
Kill Bacteria and Boost Sanitizers
If you are using a bromine or chlorine-based shock, it will help to kill bacteria in the water, assisting with the sanitizer you are using in your spa.
Remove Residual Chemicals
Shock will also help to remove residual bromine and chlorine. Adding shock once a week helps to break the bonds that form these compounds so they can be removed from the water.
Reactivate Bromine Sanitizers
If you are using a bromine-based sanitizer, you can actually reactivate the disinfecting properties by adding shock once a week.
Types of Hot Tub Shock Treatments
Sanitizer-Based Shock
The sanitizer-based shock is both a sanitizer and an oxidizer, which kills germs and burns off contaminants in the water. This type of shock is not a type you would want to use every time you shock your spa, as it brings the sanitizer levels very high in the spa and can make the water harsh and is therefore hard on the plumbing. This would be used if you are doing a very deep clean or have a much higher bather load than normal.
Non-Sanitizer Oxidizing Shock
Non-sanitizer-based shock is not going to sterilize your spa. These are designed to oxidize the water to remove other contaminants and clear up the water. This type of shock is recommended for a weekly shock treatment with regular spa use.
Step-By-Step Guide to Shocking Your Hot Tub
To shock your spa properly, there are a few simple steps to follow:
- First, you want to ensure your water’s pH is within an appropriate range.
- Remove the spa cover, allowing the spa to breathe while being shocked.
- Turn off blowers and air to the jets, but leave the circulation pump running, moving the shock through the water.
- Measure the correct amount of the shock, and wait the appropriate amount of time before bathing based on the instructions on the bottle.
- Add shock to the spa carefully.
- Always keep spa chemicals out of the reach of children and pets, clean up any spills immediately and use protective gear when necessary.
Incorporating Shock Treatments Into Your Spa Routine
Understanding when and why to shock is important when it comes to hot tub water maintenance. No one wants to soak in smelly, dirty water, so making a regular shock treatment part of your water routine will help to keep your water crystal clear and safe and clean.