Can Too Much Chlorine in Hot Tub Damage it?

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Chlorine is essential to having a healthy and safe hot tub experience, but it can be a dangerous chemical if not used correctly. Will high chlorine in hot tub damage it?

Consistently having chlorine too high in hot tub can damage it by corroding pipes and eating away at acrylics, such as the filter as well as also causing health problems.

Unlike a swimming pool, hot tubs have a relatively small volume of water, so it is easy to overdo the chlorine level if you are not careful. Knowing the amount of chlorine to use to keep the hot tub clean and what issues it may cause if you use too much is crucial to having a safe hot tub.

too much chlorine in hot tub side effects

So, how much chlorine is too much? Just what are the effects of too high chlorine levels? And how can we adjust the chlorine level if it’s too high? Continue reading as we take a deep dive into the effects of chlorine on you and your hot tub and just what to do if you made a mistake. 

That being said, there is more to the picture. We’ll talk about the specifics of how it can damage your hot tub, what health issues it could cause, how much chlorine to use, and other extremely important knowledge, so keep reading.

Too much chlorine in hot tub side effects

Many hot tub owners often don’t bother to pay any mind to the amount of chlorine they are putting into their hot tubs, but that’s a big mistake as too much sanitizer can lead to problems.

While chlorine is a regularly used chemical and is safe in small amounts, it must be used properly. Too much chlorine could cause issues for both you and your hot tub. 

The effects of high chlorine in hot tub water can cause multiple issues with your hot tub, costing you quite a bit of money in repairs:

  • Too much chlorine may throw off the pH levels in the water, creating a high level of acidity, and corroding any metal pipes carrying water to the unit. 
  • High levels of acidity can also eat away at hot tub surfaces, filters, and pillows. Spotting the damage is easy; darker surfaces will become bleached and soft surfaces will harden and become brittle. 

Thankfully, if you realize your mistake soon enough and fix it, the likelihood that your tub will sustain any actual damage is low. Most of the issues occur when there is consistently high chlorine in hot tub.

You should not panic though if your hot tub water chlorine levels are normally correct and then suddenly you find they are high, perhaps because you added too much chlorine in one go. Damage will occur to your hot tub over time if the chlorine levels are consistently high. If it is just an unusual situation that lasts just a few days then don’t worry about it.

Is it safe to go in a hot tub with high chlorine?

Is high chlorine in hot tub dangerous? It can be so an important reason to make sure you aren’t using too much chlorine is for your own health or that of your family.

If you exceed the safe limit of chlorine (2-4 parts per million), then do not get in until you are sure that the levels have gone down. There can be serious side effects that you wouldn’t want to take a chance with. 

High chlorine in hot tub side effects:

  • Asthma attack 
  • Lung Irritation 
  • Skin Irritation 
  • Eye Irritation
  • Hot tub rash (see CDC’s advice on hot tub rash)

In rare cases, too much chlorine in hot tub symptoms could be:

  • Vomiting
  • Throat Irritation or burning
  • Dizziness
  • Shallow breathing
  • Coughing
  • Even chest pains

So, if you are experiencing any irritation of the eyes, skin, or lungs, you need to hop out and check the chlorine levels immediately. 

How much chlorine is too much?

To figure out how much chlorine you should use, you have to measure it by parts per million. To get this measurement, you’ll need to pick up a reliable test kit. They are simple to use and you can find them at any pool store or department store that carries pool supplies.  

When testing your chlorine levels, you should see between 1.5 and 3ppm and the water in the tubes should be clear. The amount of chlorine additive you need will change based on the manufacturer, and you should always check the manufacturer’s guidelines before adding chlorine to your hot tub. 

On average, you’ll need to add a teaspoon of chlorine per every hundred gallons. Make sure that you add your chlorine to the hot tub while it’s circulating to help raise the chlorine levels quickly. That will ensure that your readings are more accurate and you don’t overdo the chlorine. 

How to lower chlorine in hot tub

If you find that you have an over-chlorinated hot tub, it’s not the end of the world. There are a few ways that you can correct this easily:

  • You can let the hot tub deal with the issue on its own. If you aren’t planning on hopping right in, just let it sit for a day or two and come check levels. You can speed up the process by turning on the jets and removing the cover. It isn’t the fastest way, but it is the easiest and cheapest solution. Just be careful not to continuously overdo it because that is when you’ll start seeing damage to the hot tub. 
  • Another good option might be to just drain the hot tub and fill it with fresh water. This method is still a little time-consuming but doesn’t require anything extra. You may just be able to do a partial drain and top up with fresh water.
  • If you need a quick fix, then find a chemical chlorine neutralizer that can bring the chlorine levels in your hot tub water down to where you need them. The chlorine neutralizer you need is called Sodium Thiosulfate. While this may be the fastest way to knock the chemical levels down, it isn’t the best, and you should only use it if you have to bring down the chlorine quickly, perhaps if you have friends coming around to use it.

These three solutions should get you back on track with no issues. Ensure that if you have the time to let the hot tub deal with itself and that it isn’t happening consistently. 

high chlorine in hot tub side effects - use a test strip

How often should you maintain your hot tub?

It’s not a bad idea to get into a routine with your hot tub maintenance so that you can make sure that you’ve always got just the right amount of chlorine in your hot tub. 

To keep it at the proper levels, it’s not a bad idea to add chlorine every two or three days, if that is what the water test suggests (ie. chlorine levels are low). You should also perform weekly maintenance on it to make sure you don’t have any damage occurring. This should include:

  • Clean your filter and remove any debris that might have accumulated.
  • Check your pH and alkaline levels, being sure that they are between 7.2 and 7.6.
  • Check your chlorine levels; you should have a pretty good idea of where they are if you’ve been keeping up with them.
  • Use hot tub shock regularly

Recommended Test Strips

AquaChek 7-Way Pool and Spa Test Strips - Silver Pool Test Strips For pH, Total Chlorine, Free Chlorine, Bromine, Alkalinity, Total Hardness, and Cyanuric Acid - Water Quality Testing Kit (100 Strips)

Aquachek 7-way test strips

I use these test strips that can tell you the total chlorine/bromine, free chlorine, pH, total alkalinity, CYA and hardness levels.

You can also prevent damage by changing the water every few months and filling it with fresh water and soaking the filter. Wear and tear will happen, but if you take these few precautions, you’ll be able to minimize and catch issues before they turn into real problems.

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I bought Swim University’s Hot Tub Maintenance Course a while after I bought my first hot tub and struggled to maintain it. It was money very well spent and it has paid for itself many times over the years as I have saved by not needing to use as many chemicals as I did previously.

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Can Too Much Chlorine in Hot Tub Damage it? 1

Conclusion

If you do accidentally overdo your chlorine, don’t worry about it too much. It will go down with time, and you’ll only need to worry about whether excess chlorine damages a hot tub if you make that mistake regularly.

If you need a quicker solution, then you can drain the tub and refill it with fresh water, or purchase a product meant to neutralize chlorine.

Here are a couple of things to do that will help you minimize damage to your hot tub from chlorine:

  • Get a good test kit and test the water every two or three days.
  • Don’t allow your chlorine levels to go over 3 ppm. 
  • Ensure that you are doing regular maintenance on your hot tub (that includes checking any pipes susceptible to corrosion). 
  • Create a schedule and stick to it!

Keeping up with your chlorine levels is very important. If they start to exceed acceptable levels, fix it as soon as possible to avoid further damage to your hot tub.

Also read my article Can Too Much Chlorine in Hot Tub Damage it?

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