Professional
Home Inspection Service
Professional
Home Inspection Service
The home experts in Binghamton New York
Members of the American Society of Home Inspectors
Whirlpool
Tub Safety and Maintenance
The following information was originally
provided by the National Council for Whirlpool Bath Health and Safety in 1994.
While we believe that this organization is no longer in existence, the
information continues to be valuable.
STANDARD PRECAUTIONS
·
Do not allow small children to be unattended while in a
whirlpool bath.
·
Never operate electrical appliances in or near a bath.
(Within 6 feet)
·
Do not operate a whirlpool bath pump unless the suction guard
is in place.
·
Avoid prolonged immersion in hot water. Hyperthermia can
result from prolonged exposure to excessive heat and may be hazardous to your
health. Symptoms may include cramping, exhaustion, or faintness.
·
Children, elderly, pregnant women, and anyone under a doctors
care should consult their physicians before using a whirlpool bath.
·
Whirlpool baths should not be used by persons having a
communicable disease, persons under the influence of alcohol, or by persons
taking medications which induce drowsiness.
·
Whirlpool baths should be properly cleaned and maintained to
prevent the risk of bacterial infections.
·
The use of oily bath products (e.g. bath oils) enhance the
build-up of bath residue within a whirlpool bath’s circulation system. These
products should not be used in a whirlpool bath regardless of whether or not the
whirlpool bath’s pump is in operation because the circulation system piping
will be coated with the oily residue.
CONSUMER WARNINGS:
·
Danger of Drowning:
Do not immerse hair in a whirlpool bath. Do not put hair near any suction
fitting, hair immersion can cause hair entrapment which can result in drowning.
·
System Contamination:
Failure to follow proper maintenance and cleaning procedures for a whirlpool
bath circulation system can result in the growth and transmission of infectious
bacteria.
Notice: Bath residue contains soap
scum, dirt, body secretions, skin oils, and bath oils. With each use of a
whirlpool bath, these organic materials combine with mineral deposits from water
and contribute to the build-up of scale deposits. The warm, dark and humid
environment of a whirlpool bath circulation system provides an ideal location
for the growth of microorganisms that can cause many different types of ailments
(e.g. vaginal, kidney, bladder, skin, eye. and lung infections, just to name a
few). Scientific reports show that household products such as bleach, vinegar,
baking soda, and automatic dishwasher detergent are ineffective for the
purpose of cleaning bath residue and scale deposits from whirlpool bath
circulation systems.
·
Water Retention:
Claims of "fully draining" whirlpool bath circulation systems are
misleading.
Notice: Because water has an adherent
quality about it, it cannot "fully Drain" from a piped circulation
system. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) that governs the
construction of whirlpool baths recognizes the fact that a whirlpool bath
circulation system, piped with either rigid or flex piping, cannot completely
drain. According to their own standard, ANSI permits design of whirlpool baths
that retain up to "1 1/2 fluid ounces of water for each jet and suction
fitting". For a whirlpool bath with only 4 jets and 1 suction fitting, this
manufacturing guideline permits up to 7 1/2 fluid ounces of water (nearly a full
cup) to remain inside the circulation system after the tub is allowed to drain.
However, many whirlpool baths do not even conform to this manufacturing
guideline and actually hold over a gallon of water within the circulation system
when "fully drained". Water retention in any whirlpool bath
circulation system can be increased with the bath residue and scale deposits
unless the circulation system is properly cleaned and maintained.
·
Air Induction System:
Due to the design of many whirlpool bath circulating systems, a complete
flushing of the air induction system cannot be performed. It is recommended that
any air induction system be terminated at each jet fitting if the air piping can
backfill with bath water and cannot be flushed by the consumer.
STANDARD MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES
·
Regular Flushing:
To remove bath residue and guard against system contamination, a whirlpool
bath’s circulation system should be flushed after every use with a
cleaning solution specifically formulated for this purpose.
Notice: To properly flush a whirlpool
bath circulation system, fill the whirlpool bath with water to its minimum
operating capacity, add the recommended amount of cleaning solution specifically
formulated to remove bath residue, and activate the whirlpool bath’s pump to
allow the cleaning solution to circulate throughout the entire circulating
system according to the product’s directions. This recommended flushing of
a whirlpool bath’s circulation system will remove the majority of bath residue
and prevent a significant accumulation of scale deposits for up to one year,
however, scale is able to adhere to pipes and can thus persist even when there
is constant flushing of a piped-water system.
·
Professional Cleaning:
To remove the accumulation of scale deposits, a whirlpool bath circulation
system should be professionally cleaned on a regular basis. A professional
cleaning should consist of flushing, descaling, and disinfecting the entire
circulation system.
Note: Scale deposits attach firmly to whirlpool bath system fittings and
piping. Piping material that scale cannot adhere to is yet to be discovered.
Specialized equipment is required to heat a descaling solution to the
appropriate temperature to effectively remove accumulations of scale from a
whirlpool bath circulating system. Descaling cannot be achieved by adding a
descaling product to a tub full of water and activating the whirlpool bath’s
pump because of the inability to maintain the appropriate descaler concentration
at the required temperature. An effective descaler solution could damage the
surface and components of a whirlpool bath unless the appropriate cleaning
equipment is utilized.
·
Residential use:
A whirlpool bath used privately in a residence should be flushed after every use
with a cleaning solution specifically formulated to remove bath residue, and
professionally cleaned at least annually.
A new whirlpool bath should
have a clean and scale free circulation system. It should be initially
maintained with a regular flushing.
A used whirlpool bath should
be professionally cleaned to remove bath residue and scale deposits before
being used because no inspection method is available to assure that proper
maintenance procedures were previously followed.
·
Commercial use:
A whirlpool bath used commercially (e.g. lodging industry, hospitals, nursing
homes, etc.) should be flushed after every use with a cleaning solution
specifically formulated to remove bath residue and disinfect. Also, two
professional cleanings are recommended annually. Various occupants of a
particular whirlpool bath may use products such as sun tan lotions and bath oils
which increase the build-up of scale deposits and the
risk of cross infections.
This information is provided by the National
Council For Whirlpool Bath Health & Safety, Washington, D.C. (202) 362-1534.
It should be read carefully before using a whirlpool bath..
Professional Home Inspection Service
1278 Vestal Avenue
Binghamton, New York 13903
office@professionalhome.com