Hot tub causing me lung problems, I think

[Rolacoy]

I am pretty sure our hot tub is the cause of my lung problems. We have have had the hot tub for a little less than a year. We used it on a daily basis, usually about 8:30pm for about 20 minutes. I never had any lung problems before we got the hot tub. Every time I get in the hot tub the mist off the water makes me start coughing. I just went out and opened the lid took three deep breaths and started coughing. We have only used the hot tub a few times over the last couple of months and my lung problem is much better. I still use oxygen at night, but seldom in the day time.

I have had he water tested and it is right where it should be as far as the chemicals. I have tried using oxygen while I am in the hot tub and that helps, because I am only breathing thru my nose and have to take in less air since I am getting a constant flow of oxygen. The tub is located in our garage so the air is trapped.

I am 74 and have a lot of issues with my joints and back problems that the hot water really helps. Any of you have similar experiences? We have tried a product called "The Frog" for hot tubs and it put a calcium scale all over the bottom of the hot tub. Any suggestions, I really don't want to give up the hot tub.

[Vinny]

What type of sanitizer are you using?

Also possibly install an exhaust fan in the garage for when you use the tub, crack the garage door and hopefully that will lower the concentration of whatever the water is giving off.

[Dr. Spa™ Ret.]

"I have had he water tested and it is right where it should be as far as the chemicals. "

This tells us ABSOLUTELY nothing. We need to know EXACTLY what chemicals you're using, and EXACTLY what the numbers are.

[Rolacoy]

 I have been using Bromine/Bromide, except when we used the Frog. Opening the garage for ventilation is an option. We can open the two garage doors in front 5 or 6 inches. However, when we open the back door the people behind us might have us arrested. When we first got the hot tub we used bathing suits, too much trouble. It's just her and I that have ever used the tub. We have been married over 55 years, we don't need bathing suits. I did try a box fan to blow the mist away, it helped.

I can test the water with a test strip and do. As far as the "Exact" composition of the water I will have to take a sample to our nearest Spa place, and I will do so, but it's 40 miles. I will take a sample the next time we go that way and report back with the numbers.

[Jacuzzi Jim]

 One other question would be, how old is the water?  Can't be more than a year by the sound of it, but a year can e a really long time for water,

[Rolacoy]

I think that I have changed the water and the filter three times,maybe four times. I am guessing the water is 4 months old. Also I ddid not state that I had added some Silky Swim that is supposed to keep the water from drying your skin. That caused it to foam and I added foamer. The two solved the dry skin.

[Tman122]

Are you using bromine in a floater? Dump the bromine and use chlorine as one of the methods suggested here.

[Vinny]

Are you using bromine in a floater? Dump the bromine and use chlorine as one of the methods suggested here.

I agree, use chlorine. I have been told that bromine does have a smell to it and it is in the water all the time. With chlorine you can soak with very little in it, put the correct amount in after soaking and it should be OK for your next soak. If you do smell chlorine then the tub needs to be shocked and you have 2 options - a higher level dose of chlorine or chlorine free shock.

As far as the exhaust fan, anything that will allow air to stop being concentrated will help. Since you can't open doors then you need mechanical ventilation. Just make sure that the air flow is across the tub to keep the air moving.

[Rolacoy]

I just checked the water, the bromine is depleted as I said, because I had not added any in several days to the floater. The PH is 8.4 and the Alkalinity is 240. I have chlorine that I can shock it with and no doubt it comes in pellets for a floater. Or I can do al you say and just add chlorine when we get out.

I really want to keep the hot tub, because it help in other ways. But, I can not keep breathing the mist/funes if it is going to kill my lungs. Thanks for the help.

[Vinny]

First off your PH is way too high, it should be around 7.4 not 8.4. Alkalinity seems very high as well

Bromine is never depleted in hot tub water; as it gets used up it turns into another form of bromine; adding chlorine to the spa turns the bromine active again. Maybe someone with more bromine experience can be more descriptive. In order to have your tub a chlorine tub you'll need to drain the tub and start fresh - and by chlorine I am talking about dichlor not trichlor or cal hypo.

Here's a link to what some of us do: http://www.rhtubs.com/bbs/FAQ.htm look for the name Vermonter and read what he does. I have used this method for 9 years very successfully. I have only had 1 person claim the got the dreaded hot tub rash from my tub ... it was my son's girl friend at the time - she got it and my son didn't; can't really explain why she got it.

At this point I see no reason why you can't keep the tub. You said a box fan helped - great but the air went nowhere. If you are considering an exhaust fan and depending on how your garage is situated I may look into a gable mounted fan like this: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Master-Flow-1540-CFM-Power-Gable-Mount-Vent-in-Mill-PG2/100014195 or if you have access to a roof and can put an opening maybe something like this: http://www.fantech.net/FR-140_enus-411333.aspx  I have heard a lot of good things about inline fans and am currently in the process of a bathroom remodel and have bought a fan from this company but I haven't had it installed yet.

[clover]

By all means, keep the tub, just fix the water. 

Vinny is right, it is your pH and alkalinity. 

ANY TIME YOU SMELL anything in the water, the water is telling you the pH and or alkalinity is out of whack.  It causes "gas" to come off of the waters surface and you are inhaling a chemical gas.

Vinny also refers to Vermonter who is a strong proponent of ozone, and he addresses all of the various issues of concern when using ozone.  I would strongly advise seeking out advice on ozone applications to reduce the dependency on the chemicals.

Again, Vinny is right, there is only ONE chlorine chemical used in hot tub and that is di-chlor.  It is in a granular form, everything else is for POOLS.  Di-chlor is pH neutral, and Bromine has a low pH constantly changing your pH level.

Your first test is sight and smell, your next test is a dip strip.  This 40 mile trip to check your water is a bigger problem than you think.  Buy a Taylors Test Kit, or buy some test strips, and pay attention to the pH and Alkalinity of the water.

If you can "smell" the water, or "see" the water, test your water, there is something wrong.

[Spoiledrotten]

I say it's an over concentration of bromine. My wife had the same problem. The bromine was off the charts. I changed the water; got the bromine where it should be, and no more problems. She had to go to the doctor due her lung problem being so bad.

[Rolacoy]

I went to ER 4 times 6 months ago and am on oxygen every night and have oxygen to use in the daytime. I don't blame all of that on the hot tub, I think that I may have been having breathing problems for some time and the hot tub just pushed me over the edge. This I say, because the last two times I have been above 8000 feet in Colorado I got altitude sickness. I am doing much better now, but for the last two months we have only used the hot tub a few times.

I am aware that the PH is way too high and we never used the tub when it was that high. Up till a couple of months age we used the tub ever night and I kept the water in the correct limits. since we have not been using the tub I have kind of let it go. And I agree if you can smell the water something is wrong. I know something is wrong, that's why I am asking the questions. I have it running right now I have added bromine to bring it back up and will see where the PH goes. I have been told to get the bromine right and the PH will come back in limits by one of the local spa places.

The only chlorine (shock) that I have on hand is HTH and all it says is that the contents is calcium hypochlorite. This hot tub has been a battle of chemicals, we had an 18'x32' above ground pool years ago when the kids were young and it was never this much trouble.

[Rolacoy]

I just came in from the garage, I turned off the pump. I will check the chemical levels tonight. The water is cloudy and there is a scum line around the tub. I have 11 bottles of stuff that are supposed to keep it so I can get into this sparkling clear water and take a soak.

We are going out of town for a few days this week when I return I will drain the water, clean the tub, change the filter and refill it with water. Each time I have refilled it the water would be easy to keep balanced for about a month. Then it seems like I have to keep adding something and pretty soon we are not soaking in water, but floating on chemicals.

[Vinny]

The HTH chlorine is the wrong chlorine to use - it is pool chlorine and you are adding calcium every time you are adding it.

Here is how to use bromine: http://www.rhtubs.com/BROMINE.htm  I am not trying to insult you but it's possible that you are using it wrong; I don't know anything about bromine as I use chlorine.

If you are soaking every day, it is quite possible that you do need to drain the spa every month, especially if you are adding various items to make your skin soft and adding various chemicals because things aren't "right" ... and you are correct - a pool is MUCH easier to maintain until you get the spa down pat. The reason is you have 13000 gallons vs 400 gallons. 11 bottles is way too much stuff to have on hand unless you are dealing with problematic water and even then I think it's too much.

I would start with your tap water readings and post them and if you decide to keep at it with bromine, please read the link I put here. For whatever reasons why you use chlorine, go to a spa store or buy online - sodium dichlor. If your spa is funky you may want to clean it using some type of plumbing cleaner like Ahh-some.

My advice to you and only it's because it seems more people are using chlorine than bromine is to switch and see how it goes. By soaking every day you don't have any worries about your tub getting out of control ... the only advice about that as well is to use non chlorine shock mostly but then shock with chlorine every couple of weeks. Non chlorine shock will burn up the combined chlorine and allow you to use the tub in 20 minutes, chlorine will be high for at least a day or so.