Transforming your backyard into a personal oasis with a luxurious hot tub is an exciting investment that promises relaxation and rejuvenation.
However, owning a spa comes with the responsibility of regular hot tub care to protect your investment and ensure it remains a source of blissful indulgence for years to come.
Why Hot Tub Care is Important
Maintenance is a crucial aspect that cannot be overlooked, as neglecting it can lead to water quality issues, diminished performance, and even potential health hazards.
The serenity of soaking in warm, bubbling water after a long day is incomparable. To preserve this idyllic experience, a well-planned hot tub care routine is essential.
By dedicating time and effort to maintaining your spa, you can prolong its life, reduce repair costs, and enjoy a consistently clean and inviting environment.
In this comprehensive guide, we will take you through the ins and outs of weekly hot tub care.
Discover how a simple fifteen minute routine every week will keep your spa in pristine condition for years to come.
Whether you are a seasoned hot tub owner looking to fine-tune your routine or a new enthusiast embarking on this hydrotherapy journey, our maintenance tips and insights will prove invaluable.
Additionally, this guide will address common maintenance FAQs, and also offer the best products to keep routine maintenance fast and simple.
Read on to learn about our hot tub care best practices!
Weekly Hot Tub Care: A Solid Foundation
This weekly maintenance checklist serves as the foundation for a well cared for hot tub.
These simple but crucial tasks help ensure the water remains clean, balanced, and safe for your enjoyment.
Your 15-Minute Checklist
Consistent and diligent weekly hot tub maintenance is the backbone of keeping your hot tub in excellent condition, and ensuring a clean and enjoyable soaking experience.
By dedicating a short amount of time each week to these tasks, you can prevent major issues from arising and maintain the pristine condition of your hot tub water.
1. Check Chemical Balance
Testing the water’s chemical balance is a critical step in maintaining a safe and inviting hot tub.
Using water testing strips, assess the levels of alkalinity, pH, and sanitizer (bromine or chlorine), in that order.
Alkalinity affects the other two measures, and should always be balanced first.
Based on these levels in your hot tub, refer to your bottle of test strips to gauge the amount of spa chemicals you need to add.
Keeping levels within their recommended ranges will prevent the growth of harmful bacteria and algae while ensuring the water remains gentle on your skin.
2. Top Up the Water Level
Monitoring your hot tub’s water level is essential for optimal spa performance.
Make sure the water level is at the appropriate height, as specified in your hot tub’s manual. Usually this is just below the pillows or headrests in your spa.
Low water levels can strain the pump and heating system, affecting their efficiency.
Pro tip: If you’re losing a lot of water every week, take a closer look at your hot tub cover. A secure and well-fitting spa cover prevents excessive evaporation.
Additionally, if it feels heavy or dense, your spa cover is likely waterlogged and will need to be replaced.
3. Wipe Down Your Cover
Your hot tub cover serves as a barrier against debris and contaminants. Including this in your weekly hot tub care routine is a good idea.
Regularly wiping down the cover with a non-abrasive cloth will help keep it clean and prevent unwanted particles from entering the water when you remove the cover for a soak.
4. Rinse the Filters
The filters in your hot tub play a crucial role in keeping the water clear and free of debris.
Every week, remove the filters and rinse them thoroughly with a garden hose. Consider purchasing an attachment for your hose to reach between the pleats.
If you’ve opted to use an attachment, ensure it was made specifically for hot tub filters. Standard hose attachments can produce a stream that’s too strong and damage your pleats.
As you rinse your filters, be sure to remove trapped particles effectively. If your filters are excessively dirty or worn out, consider replacing them for improved filtration.
5. Spa Shock
Adding a non-chlorinated shock treatment to your hot tub every week helps to oxidize and eliminate contaminants, such as body oils, lotions, and organic matter, that can accumulate in the water.
This process assists in keeping the water clear and sparkling, ensuring a pleasant soaking experience.
6. Stay Consistent
Last but not least, maintain your consistency!
By adhering to this weekly maintenance routine, you lay the foundation for a well-maintained hot tub that delivers consistent relaxation and enjoyment.
These straightforward steps not only protect your investment, but also provide a hygienic and soothing space to unwind and recharge after a long day.
Remember, regular hot tub care is the key to a worry-free and satisfying at-home spa experience.
Other Periodic Tasks: Maximize Longevity and Performance
Weekly hot tub care will help you stay ahead of most issues, but if you want to be really diligent, keep these other periodic routines in mind.
Monthly Maintenance:
Dive deeper into sustaining cleanliness and hygiene by doing an overnight filter soak.
This helps to maintain proper function and minimize the risk of contaminants accumulating over time.
Quarterly Maintenance:
Aim to maintain a balanced environment, with a focus on replacing essential components like filter cartridges to ensure optimal water quality.
Furthermore, you should drain and deep clean your shell every three or four months to keep your water easy to balance, and free from excessive chemical buildup.
Every Year:
On an annual basis, there are some steps you can take to further preserve the longevity and performance of your hot tub.
This is a comprehensive maintenance session that includes draining and refilling the tub, including extensive interior and exterior cleaning.
Be sure to speak with your hot tub dealer and only use approved cleaning products. Avoid abrasives and corrosives at all costs.
Think of this step as a complete overhaul, bringing your hot tub back to new, and ensuring your hot tub remains in peak condition.
By adding these extra periodic steps to your routine, you can feel confident in your spa, and enjoy your backyard oasis to the fullest.
Remember, hot tub care equals peace of mind.
Maintenance FAQs
Hot tub care can sometimes raise questions and concerns, especially for new spa owners.
Let’s address some common questions to help you navigate the waters of hot tub care with confidence.
How Can I Clear Cloudy Water?
Cloudy water is often the result of suspended particles and oils on the water’s surface.
To clear cloudy water, consider using a product which neutralizes dirt, leaving your water crystal clear.
You can also check and balance the alkalinity and PH levels, and perform shock treatments to help restore water clarity.
What Should I Do If My Water Is Foamy?
Foamy water in your hot tub can be caused by lotions, oils, and detergents from swimsuits.
To combat foaming, encourage your guests to shower before entering the hot tub, removing any potential contaminants from their bodies.
Additionally, ensure swimsuits are thoroughly rinsed with water, as detergents can contribute to foam formation.
Why Aren’t My Jets Turning On?
If your jets are not turning on, or maybe they’re making strange sounds, there might be an airlock in the hot tub plumbing.
An airlock prevents water from properly flowing through pipes. But not to worry! This is easily resolved, by bleeding the lines.
Simply locate the water intake, loosen the coupler, and let any trapped air escape. Repeat the process if you have multiple pumps.
Recommended Hot Tub Care Brands
To ease the maintenance process, look for reputable brands to aid in your defense.
Always check for compatibility with your hot tub model, and seek advice from professionals, such as those at your hot tub dealership, if you’re unsure about which products to use.
Our Top-Three Choices
With the support of trusted maintenance brands, you can maintain your hot tub with confidence.
Consider these products in your hot tub care routine to be sure the water is consistently clear, clean, and ready to provide you with the ultimate relaxation experience.
Bright & Clear: Limit the Need for Excessive Sanitizers
Leisure Time is a well-established brand known for its commitment to hot tub water care. Their Bright & Clear product is a game-changer when it comes to maintaining sparkling, clear water.
This unique polymer-based formula effectively neutralizes dirt, oily films, and suspended particles in the water.
By using Bright & Clear, you can significantly reduce the amount of sanitizer needed in your hot tub, making water maintenance hassle-free and cost-effective.
It also improves the efficiency of your hot tub’s filtration system, keeping your water pristine and inviting.
FROG@ease: A One-Step Sanitizing Solution
This system offers a convenient and innovative approach to hot tub sanitation.
Sit back and relax, knowing that your hot tub water is adequately sanitized for an entire month.
FROG@ease is designed to use less chlorine, reducing the strong chemical odors often associated with traditional sanitation methods.
This results in a more comfortable and enjoyable soaking experience, and lightens your weekly hot tub care routine considerably.
Orenda: Spa Purge Scrub Solution
Orenda’s Spa Purge Scrub Solution, also known as SPA-500, is a potent and effective concentrate specially formulated to deep-clean your hot tub and its internal systems.
Enriched with powerful enzymes, this product is designed to scrub and cleanse the spa’s pipes, jets, and other internal components.
This deep-cleaning process not only enhances water circulation, but also improves overall water quality, allowing your hot tub to function at its best.
Consider using this product during annual maintenance, when you drain and refill your hot tub.
Hot Tub Professionals in Washington
With two locations in the Washington region, Black Pine Spas is waiting to serve you!
Speak with our team of trusted professionals for everything maintenance.
Whether you need to purchase hot tub care supplies, or you need sound advice on troubleshooting error codes, the experts at Black Pine Spas are here to help.
Too complicated to DIY? No problem! Black Pine Spas operates a five-star service center.
Schedule routine maintenance or more complicated repairs, or let our comprehensive parts department source uncommon components for a permanent fix.
Serving you since 1981, join our trusted community of hot tub enthusiasts, and let the masters of the spa industry take care of all of your outdoor leisure needs.
