Got a Foam Party Going on In Your Hot Tub?
| April 12, 2011 | Posted by h20articles under Hot Tub Maintenance |
Hot tub foam looks fun and you see many kids enjoying the “bubbles” in a spa but did you know that the most common cause of foam in your hot tub is the particles that are released from bathers when they first enter the spa. Examples of these are, dead skin cells, bacteria, residue from swimsuits and particles from tanning or body lotions. Foam is also caused by many different things that you may not realize. Below are listed some common causes of foam and suggestions for ways to minimize foaming in your spa.
Common causes of foam are:
Hair Products – Residue from shampoo, gel, hair spray and mouse will all cause foaming. If you use a lot of these products, you may want to consider showering before you use your spa.
Deodorant & Lotions – Products you put on your skin also cause foaming.
Laundry Soap Residue – If you use soap when you wash your bathing suits, the residue will cause foaming.
Cheap Chemicals or Excessive Chemical Use – Chemicals bought at a discount type store often have fillers in them. These fillers dilute the chemical effectiveness and often cause foaming. Try to buy your chemicals from a trusted hot tub store because most hot tub stores carry higher quality chemicals than what you find at a hardware store. Also, read the instructions on the chemical bottles and try to follow them as close as you can. Adding too much of some products can cause foaming.
Spilling Drinks In Your Hot Tub
High Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) – A high amount of dissolved solids in the water will cause foaming. The level of dissolved solids increases every time you add chemicals. The TDS also increases from all of the soap products mentioned in this article and from particles flaking off your skin. The only way to reduce the TDS is to replace your spa water with fresh water every 3 months. It is also important to clean your filter every month.
| If you are concerned with the way your hot tub looks with the foam, a defoamer will be an effective solution to your problem. Be careful though because if you add too much defoamer, you may actually cause more foam to build up in your spa! If you are concerned with the health issues related to the foam, a defoamer is not an effective solution. Different types of defoamers on the market are effective in eliminating the foam, however the unhealthy particles remain in the water even though the foam may be gone after using a defoamer. The best way to ensure both the foam and the health concerns are eliminated is to completely empty the existing water in your hot tub and replace it with new, fresh water. This should be done approximately every three months in order to ensure healthy water, even if there is no foam in your hot tub. |
i have read all the above regarding foam in your hot tub. i am fairly new at hot tubbing and i bought a H2O ISIS bromine generating system from Gopoolandspa.com
the system seems to be working properly but i am getting a lot of foam. the company states it may phosphates. my question is according to the company i do not need to drain for 6 months but if Im getting these bubbles in only a month of operating and all my readings are normal PH, total bromine, etc Even My amount of bromide is on par. what do i do?. Im very confused because there is not a lot of info out there regarding Sodium Bromide systems
can anyone help please?
Thank you!!!!
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I have had a salt water system on my tub for about 4 years and only change the water twice a year. Spring and Fall. We love it…
You probably have soap in the water. Maybe a rinse off first? We always seem to get foam when we have a bunch of company and we forget to ask them to rinse off first or if their swimwear is washed in Tide or something.
Only a drop of soap – creates a lot of foam when it goes through the jets of your hot tub.
I would just give it a good bromine shock to get it out.
Happy tubbing!
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thank you very much for the help.
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Can you suggest a good hosting provider at a fair price?
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Rackforce is the hosting company we use.
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