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How to Shock a Hot Tub
Keeping your hot tub water topped up with sanitisers is essential for everyday maintenance, but sometimes it’ll require a bit of extra TLC to remain in good shape. This is where hot tub shock treatments come in.
Shock treatments are used alongside your usual sanitisers to help ensure your water stays clean and safe to bathe in. They introduce a highly concentrated dose of free chlorine/oxidiser to your hot tub water. The concentration will be much stronger than your usual sanitising chemicals.
There are a couple of reasons why you should shock your tub:
You should aim to shock your hot tub at least once a week. In most cases, this will be often enough to keep your water and chemical levels on track, but if your hot tub is frequently used by lots of bathers, it may be necessary to shock your tub after every or every other use. Iit is recommended to use non-chlorine shock if you are shocking your water more regularly.
There are two main types of hot tub shock:
Typically, both will come in granule form which can be easily added to your water.
Chlorine shock is a fantastic weapon against dirt, bacteria and cloudy water. It provides a much stronger concentration than your regular chlorine, increasing the overall levels of chlorine in your water. So, you will have to wait for the levels to decrease to 3-5 ppm before it is safe to get back into the water.
Non-chlorine shock or oxidiser breaks up combined chlorine/bromine to reactivate the sanitiser, which, in turn, kills contaminants – non-chlorine shock does not contain sanitiser itself but revitalises the sanitising chemicals that already exist in your water. It is also effective at removing organic contaminants, such as skin cells, oils and lotions. You can use your hot tub pretty soon after adding non-chlorine shock.
Shocking your hot tub is a pretty simple process, but it is possible to add too much shock and damage your hot tub, so it’s worth bearing in mind a couple of general guidelines.
Once you’ve uncovered your hot tub, start by testing the water. Use test strips to establish the pH levels – it should be between 7.2 and 7.6. If it’s not within this range, readjust with pH Plus/Minus.
Turn off the air jets and valves but keep the pump and filter system running. This means the water will keep circulating to distribute the shock, but it won’t be too agitated, causing the chemicals to dissipate too quickly.
Carefully read the instructions for your shock granules before adding them to your water. The granules should be easy to measure out – you can sprinkle the shock granules over the surface or alternatively, you can pre-dissolve them in a plastic container of water and add them to your tub.
Leave the hot tub uncovered and allow the shock to circulate. Ideally, you should re-test the water once it’s had a chance to filter through the entire system to establish whether it’s ready to bathe in again.
Too much chlorine can cause damage to your hot tub, as well as leading to skin and eye irritation, so it’s important you get the dosages right:
As with any kind of pool or hot tub chemicals, you will need to remain cautious when applying the shock. Wearing gloves, goggles and full-coverage clothing is always a good idea when handling chemicals.
You should never mix any chemicals together as this could cause dangerous chemical reactions that can quickly get out of control. After you’ve used the shock, wash your hands and carefully store the chemicals away in a dry, dark and cool place.
Properly maintaining your hot tub is fairly straightforward once you’ve got a routine in place! Need to stock up on hot tub chemicals? We stock everything you may need, including shock, sanitisers, clarifiers and balancers, which are perfect for keeping your hot tub happy and healthy.
