Hot Tub Buying Guide

How to raise PH in your hot tub

Are you struggling with keeping your pH in the proper range? The range for pH is from 0 to 14, same as you learned when you were going through puberty in science class. The middle of that range, 7, is considered neutral. The best place for your hot tub's pH to be is in the range of 7.4 to 7.8. As always, please follow your manufacturer's instructions for levels and their guidelines for how to fix problems when they arise.

If your water falls below this level, it is acidic and can become corrosive. If it rises above, other problems such as scale and cloudiness may occur.

Be sure to test your water's pH regularly. This will vary depending on use, but weekly is a good start. You want to be sure to test because even though the water in the hut tub may appear clean and clear, it may still have issues. When you have tested your pH and know you need to adjust the levels, you need to be sure to adjust them properly. Various things can affect your water's pH - adding new water can throw this number off by quite a bit. Your sanitizer can change the pH and, of course, the people who get in and out of the tub.

To raise the pH, you can use products sold to do just that - pH up chemicals. You can also use baking soda - yep, the stuff you add to baked goods will work as well. Just add a small amount, wait a bit and retest the pH.

When you need to lower the pH, there are products for that as well - pH decreaser chemicals. You can also use another common household item typically found in the pantry -- white vinegar. Add a small amount and check your pH levels after a while.

Whether you choose to use household products to adjust your pH levels or chemicals sold specifically to do that, it is recommended that you check the levels of your hot tub regularly and keep your tub cleaned and well maintained so that it's ready when you are ready to get in and enjoy the relaxation it offers.