Page 60WARNING: FAILURE TO MAINTAIN WATER QUALITYWILL:• Increase risk of contracting a waterborne illness (e.g. aninfection bacteria or virus) and/or respiratory ailments.• Damage the equipment, components and spa shell, whichare not covered under the hot tub’s warranty.!CAUTION: Never store hot tub chemicals inside the hot tub’sequipment bay. The equipment bay may reach elevated tempera-tures, this is where high voltage electronic devices are located. Thisarea is not intended for storage of any kind.14.1 pH ControlpH is a measure of relative acidity or alkalinity of water and is measuredon a scale of 0 to 14. The midpoint of 7 is said to be neutral, above whichis alkaline and below which is acidic. In spa water, it is very importantto maintain a slightly alkaline condition of 7.4 to 7.6. Problems becomeproportionately severe the further outside of this range the water gets.A low pH will be corrosive to metals in the spa equipment. A high pH willcause minerals to deposit on the interior surface (scaling). In addition,the ability of the sanitation agents to keep the spa clean is severelyaffected as the pH moves beyond the ideal range. That is why almost allspa water test kits contain a measure for pH as well as sanitizer. Jacuzzioffers products that help you maintain the ideal range. These chemicalsare for use in the U.S. only.14.2 SanitizingTo destroy bacteria and organic compounds in the spa water, a sanitizermust be used regularly. Chlorine and bromine are the two most popularsanitizers used to date. The “Proclear Mineral Spa Clarifier” designedespecially for your hot tub is a beneficial product for water maintenance.Many other additives are available for your spa. Some are necessaryto compensate for out-of-balance water; some aid in cosmetic watertreatment and others simply alter the feel or smell of the water. Yourauthorized Jacuzzi dealer can advise you on the use of these additives.When adding spa shock (chlorine or non-chlorine) or pH balancingchemicals activate the jet pump(s) and leave the spa cover open for aminimum of 20 minutes. By doing this you will allow excessive chemicalvapors to exit the spa, protecting pillows and plastic knobs from chemicalattack.