Using Chlorine in a Hot Tub

Chlorine is the traditional pool and spa sanitiser, but unfortunately it is also the nastiest and one of the the hardest sanitisers to use correctly. Chlorine is very sensitive to pH fluctuations and doesn't work effectively if the pH is outside of the optimum range. In addition, chlorine is toxic, it is smelly and it can cause skin and eye irritation.

Chlorine is the cheapest form of sanitiser for your hot tub water but did you know that it is probably the worst choice you can make? Chlorine is the most difficult and time-consuming sanitiser to use and it is not well suited to the hot water in hot tubs. Just take a look at some of the reasons why you might want to look for an alternative to Chlorine...

There is a wealth of evidence that chlorine is harmful to health. For example, the United States Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry (ATSDR) has published data that shows that the following effects have been observed in humans briefly exposed to chlorine (Nov 2010 Cas#:7782-5-5) : - mild nose irritation at 1-3ppm - eye irritation at 5ppm - throat irritation at 5-15ppm - immediate chest pain, vomiting, changes in breathing rate and cough at 30ppm - lung injury (toxic pneumonitis) and pulmonary oedema (fluid in the lungs) at 40-60ppm - death after 30 minute exposure at 430ppm - death after a few minutes exposure to 1,000ppm The concentrations listed above are approximate. In general, people who suffer from respiratory conditions, such as allergies or hay fever, or who are heavy smokers tend to experience more severe chlorine exposure effects than healthy people or non-smokers. Manufacturers of hot tub chlorine recommend a dosage of 5ppm of chlorine in your hot tub during daily use and significantly higher levels for regular shocking. There is overwhelming evidence that these levels of chlorine exposure are harmful to your body.