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Written by / February 1, 2021 / Posted in Hot Tub Maintenance

How to Remove Calcium Flakes from Your Hot Tub

man cleaning hot tub

Have you spotted little white flakes in your hot tub? It’s not dandruff, and it will only continue to accumulate unless you remove it. Typically, these little white flakes are calcium deposits that have collected in your water and started to clump together. Or, it may be biofilm, the result of mold growth in your hot tub. We’ll tell you how to get rid of both of these problems, whether it’s calcium flakes or mold. 

Which Do You Have? 

First, you need to figure out which kind of white flakes you have. Take a cup of water and pour a small bit of bleach or chlorine into the cup. If the flakes disappear, they are mold. If they remain unchanged, they are calcium deposits. 

How to Remove Calcium Flakes 

When you have calcium flakes it is typically due to a pH imbalance in your hot tub. Your pH levels are likely too high. So, you need to use a test strip, and then add pH down chemical to balance it out. Keeping your hot tub water more consistently balanced will help prevent the calcium from clumping up, but it won’t remove it from the water. Scale preventer will help the flakes break down faster, but they also won’t remove it from the water. 

If you are frequently getting mineral deposits in your hot tub water, you may want to consider installing a water softener in your home’s water supply. Calcium build-up is likely affecting the other parts of your home, like your water heater and your other plumbing. You can save yourself a lot of maintenance by softening the water, which removes calcium and other materials from it. You may also notice it tastes better! 

If you are noticing white flakes in your hot tub, don’t wait too long to attend to it. Instead, call our professionals at Oakville Home Leisure today for any issues with your hot tub. 

foamy hot tub

How to Remove Biofilm 

What if you have biofilm instead of calcium flakes? In this case, the entire hot tub needs to be cleaned out. Here’s the process you should follow: 

  • Shock: Your first step is to shock the water to kill the mold and bacteria living in it. You’ll be draining the tub, but if you don’t shock first, the mold will stay on the sides and in the plumbing. The white flakes will return after you pour in new water. 
  • Drain: Removing all of the water from the hot tub will remove the white flakes with it. As the mold is dead, it shouldn’t reoccur. 

Still, there are some things you should do to prevent white mold from reoccurring. Keep your hot tub cover closed when it is not in use. Shock and sanitize the water regularly to prevent mold growth. Washing off before you enter the hot tub can help too. 

Contact us today to learn more about calcium flakes and how to ensure your hot tub water is clean all year round. 

Sources: 

https://spamarvel.com/blog/white-water-mold-hot-tub/ 

https://www.globosurfer.com/remove-prevent-white-flakes-hot-tub/ 

https://www.risingsunpools.com/hot-tub-information/prevent-remove-white-flakes-hot-tub/ 

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