Do hottub and chemicals make metal rust?

[squale]

I have a sundance hottub in my 2 car garage.  I keep 2 vehicles and some dirtbikes in my garage as well.  I use Dichlor and MPS in my hottub.  when I am using the tub I keep the garage doors open to let the steam vent out.  

My question is.. does hottubs and the dicholor and other chemicals cause metal to rust?  I am afraid it might corrode the metal in my car, dirtbikes, etc.?  I have had the tub in the garage for about a year now and haven't noticed any rust on any of my vehicles or dirtbikes.

btw.. I do NOT have an exhaust fan in the garage, simply just open the garage doors when using the tub..

 

[BauerN]

The increased humidity is bad for metal, even your tools and any parts around.

Depending on the location of the spa in the garage, and how well it ventilates with the door open, this could be very minor.

However, being an equipment guy before venturing into the spa world, I would recommend looking for an alternative place for my spa.

 

[squale]

well a garage is always going to be more humid than the rest of the house because it isn't heated or cooled in there and when it's raining outside, the garage is going to be humid inside anyhow.. no matter if the hottub was in there or not..

I guess I was more concerned with the chemicals.. would the Dichlor and things I use in the tub once airborn eat away metal, cars, motorycles, etc.?

 

[BauerN]

You're right about the garage being more humid.  Outside can be, too.  I'm just fussy about mechanical equipment.

I don't believe that the chemicals (in the concentrations they'll be in) will speed up the effects of the moisture that badly.

 

[squale]

do you know of any sort of vent fan that will mount to a wall and I can vent directly right out through the cinder block wall of the garage?  something that works on 110volt 20amp line?

I wanted something better and more powerful than your standard bathroom exhaust fan.. and I DONT' need a light in it..

 

[Steve]

Why is your spa in the garage? Are you moving soon or don't you have space in the yard? :-?

I don't believe that the humidity is a real concern due to the fact that the garage door is open while using the spa and the cover is on the remainder of the time. Installing a fan wouldn't be worth the time or trouble IMO. Now moving it OUTSIDE would be!  

 

[squale]

no place to put it outside and plus I like the privacy of having it in my garage.  It's in the rear right hand corner of my garage.  when I use it I just open the garage doors about half way.. then when I get out, I put a regular fan on high to blow the steam out of the area where the hottub is, and hopefully out the garage doors.  I don't seem to have any issues with humidity.  Actually the walls and ceiling around the hottub are barely wet when I'm done using it.  In fact, when I take a shower inside my bathroom, that creates more moisture on the walls and ceiling then my hot tub does in the garage..

 

[lets]

YES. Chlorine (dichlor) IS an oxidizer, and as it off gasses (cover or not) it will get into the air. Oxidizer... oxidizes metal... oxidation = rust

 

[squale]

honestly I don't think the level of oxidizer in the air is anything to worry about in a 20'x 23' 2-car garage..

 

[thearm]

honestly I don't think the level of oxidizer in the air is anything to worry about in a 20'x 23' 2-car garage..

You have received several answers to your question. Somehow it seems if they are not the answers you were looking for. IMO it most definitely will increase the process of corroding any metal in the garage. All the factors listed by posters above contribute to this. You can buy a industrial exhaust fan from many places eg: WW Grainger, Fastenal or many other general line Industrial Distributors.  

 

[East_TX_Spa]

 

[squale]

isn't salt an oxidizer too?  like people who have stuff near the ocean like cars and things, don't they rust faster because of the higher salt concentration in the air?

 

[Jacuzzi_Jim]

isn't salt an oxidizer too?  like people who have stuff near the ocean like cars and things, don't they rust faster because of the higher salt concentration in the air?

Yes!

 Doc is probably right, but personally I wouldn't worry about it.   Spray tools with WD-40, the dirt bikes well they are dirt bikes, if you bought them at Costco I might be worried about corrosion, your car is exposed to rain,snow salted roads depending where you live?  And if your collector car is parked in the garage 24/7 I might worry a bit.

 

[hottubdan]

Yes!

 Doc is probably right, but personally I wouldn't worry about it.   Spray tools with WD-40, the dirt bikes well they are dirt bikes, if you bought them at Costco I might be worried about corrosion, your car is exposed to rain,snow salted roads depending where you live?  And if your collector car is parked in the garage 24/7 I might worry a bit.

So what is unique about a dirt bike bought from Costco?

 

[Jack_L]

Maybe consider a dehumidifier?  For my cabin, which gets pretty humid in the spring I purchase the closet dehumidifiers that pull the water from the air using some little white balls that resemble styrofoam.  There are disposable ones, or some larger ones that can be refilled and they work good for my cabin and they are cheap.  (example below)

http://www.organizedliving.com/product/code/7092210413.do?code=NEXTAG

 

[Cyn]

Living in a very humid part of the country, St. Louis, I have to say that the humidity in and of itself it going to be your problem.  The houses here, no matter what the siding material, get mold/mildew build-ups.  You can't be getting all of the moisture out of your garage unless you basically dry the walls, ceiling, and every surface in the garage each time you use your tub.  If the siding on our houses grows mildew, mold, etc., outside, then you are going to have problems.  Just because you barely feel moisture or however you phrased it, you aren't touching all surfaces and over time this is going to create problems.  I would think that the moisture will most likely cause problems with some items in your garage that rust and coupled with the chemicals it might make things worse.  But, you will most likely have real mold problems at some point in the near future on all of the garage surfaces. Even with excellent fans venting moisture out of bathrooms, over time you get mold and mildew build up.  

 

[squale]

how do you get rid of mold mildew on sheetrock walls?

 

[Cyn]

You replace the sheetrock.