Is it a bad idea to add essential oils to my hot tub?

[ThanksForTheAdvice]

First off, thank you to all the contributors to this site. You guys and gals are my heroes. It's been a deep dive into water chemistry, but, with your guidance, I've been (mostly) loving it.

So, my question: would it be a bad idea to add essential oils to my hot tub?

I imagine the answer is "yes," but I wasn't sure, and I would love to know why or why not from one of the sages on this site.

Thanks!

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Oils are mostly long chain fatty acids that will only be slowly attacked by chlorine or bromine. So from a chemical standpoint you probably won’t see a huge increase in FC demand. However, when chlorine or bromine reacts with these fatty acids, they tend to make by-products that are “gummier” than the original. So, what will likely happen is you see a build up of sticky residues on your filter elements which may be impossible to fully clean off. This could cause premature filter failure. If the flow rate and pressure fall far enough from a clogged filter, you might find that the heater will not turn on or do so intermittently. Foaming is also another issue you might run into.

Up to you, but you’ll probably want to exchange water more frequently to reduce side effects.

 

[ThanksForTheAdvice]

ahhh, got it. I'll steer clear of the stickiness then. Thanks!