Five hot tub care secrets from the pros

Nothing beats finishing a long day with soaking in the spa under the stars. Your hot tub is an investment, and it’s important you take great care of your stress-relieving asset. 

Keeping a hot tub in tip-top shape takes some effort, but don’t let a little work keep you from having a great place for relaxation. We can help equip you with all the hot tub care secrets from professionals, so you can maintain your private oasis for years to come.

1. It’s all about the chemistry.

Take time to test the chemicals in your hot tub regularly, and clean out any debris floating on the surface. Whenever the chemical levels are off, it’s time to start adding chemicals one at a time. Leave the water running so it can circulate throughout the tub, and add a new chemical every two hours until the levels are correct.

Don’t underestimate the importance of measuring every dose of chemicals. The hot tub is a pretty small amount of water compared to a pool, so a little goes a long way. You might find yourself working harder than necessary if you decide to just “eyeball” the amounts.

If things really get out of hand in the water, then don’t delay draining the water and starting over. It will take time to fill up the spa, but even when you account for the water bill and the electricity needed to heat up the fresh water, you will save the several hundred dollars you would spend on chemicals trying to regain the upper hand on the water chemistry.

Pro secret: When it is time to refill the tub use a hose filter to help eliminate potential pollutants.

2. Change the filter.

If you put off changing the filter, you will find yourself fighting a lot of debris and imbalanced water chemistry. Consider dropping the filter on the top rack of the dishwasher and running it through a washing cycle. After ten or 15 cleanings, replace the filter with a new one.

Pro secret: Do you have a pressure gage attached to the filter? If so, when the pressure rises eight to 10 Lbs, then it is time to change the cartridge.

3. Maintain water levels.

Don’t let your hot tub water levels dip below the skimmer, and don’t overfill it. If the skimmer starts to suck air, then it could damage the pump.

Pro tip:  If you check the water levels, it should be in the middle of the skimmer intake.

4. Take off the cover for a few hours.

In a perfect world, you sit and soak in your hot tub every evening after work while sipping on your favorite beverage, but the world isn’t perfect. In reality, you probably take time to relax a few days out of the week. Some weeks, you might be too busy to even think about jumping in the water. It also might be too hot outside for a couple months.

Whenever you are not going to make it into the water for several weeks, then take a day each week to remove the cover to give it a reprieve from all the heat and moisture. This strategy will help your spa cover live a long healthy life. Also, take time to clean and condition the spa cover, especially if it is outdoors.

Pro tip: This the perfect time to add any chemicals or shock treatment to the water.

5. Keep out oil-based products

Avoid using cleaners with ammonia based degreasers because these products are bad for water chemistry. Also, try to keep out products like hair spray, styling gels, sunblock and skin creams. It helps if everyone takes a shower before jumping in the spa. It might be mildly inconvenient, but it will save you hours of fighting foggy water.

Tennis balls also help attract oils and keep them out of the filtration system, so add a few to the surface of the water or in the skimmer.

Pro tip: Keep ball caps or hair ties near the hot tub, so individuals with long hair have an option to pull their hair off their neck and consequently, out of the water.

Do you need more tips for keeping your spa and pool clean? Follow our blog for regular updates from our experienced team.