Maintaining and Enjoying Your Hot Tub
It really is one of life’s great pleasures…. The warm water of the hot tub on a cold, clear night. Perhaps you will enjoy a cold glass of wine while watching the stars through the swirling steam rising from the tub. The warm water relaxes you, and the bubbles carry away your cares.
Unfortunately, the definite pleasures of the hot tub aren’t quite as simple as they seem. But they aren’t that complicated, either. Taking care of your hot tub does require a few minutes of regular care every week or so, but the rewards will be years of trouble free relaxation.
There are two basic considerations with hot tub maintenance ; taking care of the water, and taking care of the tub itself. While taking care of one, you are often taking care of the other.
The most important consideration in maintaining your hot tub is sanitation. If you think about it, the reason the hot tub is so comfortable is because it is a warm, moist environment. Unfortunately, these very conditions can make your hot tub attractive to a wide variety of organisms; some of them may be harmful, and some simply slimy and smelly.
Your first line of defense is to be as careful as you can about what goes into your hot tub. Try to encourage users to take a good rinsing shower before entering the tub. This will minimize the introduction of soaps and greasy moisturizers. The shower will also remove loose hairs that will other wise get stuck in your filter.
Speaking of the filter, this is one of the most important elements in keeping your hot tub clean and safe. Not only does the filter help to clean the water in the tub, but it protects the pump mechanism from damage by foreign debris. It is a good idea to invest in two sets of filter cartridges. This allows you to use one set while cleaning the other. Gently brush debris from the outside of the filter, and use a garden hose or the handle held nozzle in your shower to rinse it thoroughly. Soak the filter in a bucket fill with a weak bleach solution, or a filter cleaning solution from the pool supply store. TIP: If you use the solution in a resealable bucket, you can reuse the solution several times before throwing it out.
For many, the most frightening aspect of hot tub maintenance is the water chemistry. Thankfully, the chemical manufacturers have taken a lot of the complication out, but water chemistry will take some vigilance. Simply do the required tests and follow the recommended response on a regular basis and you will be fine. Choose a chemical program that is simple to follow and fits your lifestyle and budget.
© Copyright If you take care of the filters and the water chemistry, the water in your hot tub should last several weeks to several months between changes. This is good because it is can be difficult to dispose of 300-600 gallons of dirty water. Not only that, it requires less energy to maintain the temperature of the water than it does to raise it to your preferred comfort level. When the tub is empty, you may want to clean soiled surfaces with a gentle cleanser. Be wary of aggressive cleansers that could damage the fiberglass surface of the tub. Be sure to wash the hot tub cover as well; use a mild bleach solution to hold off mildew.
If this all seems somewhat overwhelming, don’t panic. There are services available that will come to your home and take care of your spa maintenance; however, they are usually far from cheap. Rather than paying for a service, you can get advice and learn everything you need to know for hot tub maintenance by visiting with the friendly staff at Black Pine Spas.
