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Hot tubs are a fantastic way to relax and destress, but they’re also an investment and require maintenance to ensure they work correctly and last you as long as possible. While hot tubs are luxurious, they require additional care and maintenance than other home appliances and fixtures. What’s frightening is not knowing the proper ways to care for your hot tub after all that investment because you don’t have any prior idea.
Maintaining a hot tub can intimidate even the most seasoned hot tub owner, but it’s easier than you think to keep your hot tub running in tip-top shape with these helpful tips and hot tub care techniques!
This hot tub care for beginners guide will help you keep your hot tub in perfect working order to enjoy this luxurious amenity every day without worrying about whether or not your hot tub needs repair or cleaning. You’ll find instructions on cleaning and maintaining the water in your hot tub and keeping your hot tub’s plumbing in working order.
Hot Tub Maintenance Basics
There are no hot tub experts—hot tub maintenance is about finding hot tub solutions. So don’t be afraid to try something new if your current routine isn’t cutting it. You shouldn’t have to think about maintaining your hot tub more than once a week, but having a basic understanding of what to look out for will help you troubleshoot any potential problems.
You’ll want to learn how to maintain a hot tub through basics, like using spa chemicals and understanding filtration. Spas aren’t self-maintaining—and if you leave them unchecked, they can become so overgrown with bacteria that they could be deemed unsafe and shut down by health inspectors if you are running a business.
You also need to know your spa model as this is important to get parts when it becomes faulty. Consider the spa vitals too. These include age, water, capacity, and water challenges.
Buying a spa is usually just the beginning of your hot tub ownership. Like most other appliances in your home or business, proper care maximizes performance and reduces potential downtime or costly repairs.
- Chemical Maintenance – The first step to proper hot tub maintenance is managing water chemistry through appropriate chemical use. Know what chemical to use on your spa and use the right amount.
- Filters and Filtration – Hot tub filters are an essential part of spa care, and they should be changed out at least once a year, depending on how often you use your spa.
Keep in mind that some people may recommend additional chemicals for specific circumstances (such as supplemental algaecide if you live in a mainly sunny area). Still, these basic steps will help keep your hot tub healthy and clean.
Hot Tub Maintenance Schedule
Maintaining a hot tub is essential to ensure a relaxing, enjoyable experience. To help you remember when it’s time to clean your hot tub, set up a maintenance schedule with reminders so that you don’t forget!
Depending on the usage, a hot tub needs to be maintained once a month if you are a private owner. However, businesses need to maintain it every few days or weekly as this will help preserve the equipment and safeguard your client from bacteria.
If you decide to maintain your hot tub daily, you need to add a registered sanitizer after daily usage to maintain the hot tub sanitizer levels.
You also need to check and maintain the sanitizer level. Likewise, check the water level temperature to ensure it’s compatible with the hot tub specifications.
You need to test and adjust the water alkalinity, pH levels, and sanitizer for weekly maintenance. The next thing is to shock the water. In one of our previous posts, we talked about how to shock a hot tub.
You can also add stain and scale control. Wipe down the hot tub to prevent mold and the debris in the water to prevent water contaminants. Finally, rinse the filter if need be.
You can also maintain the hot tub monthly and quarterly; it depends on what you want. You may need to add some chemicals, especially if you are a frequent user.
Is A Hot Tub High Maintenance?
Hot tubs are undoubtedly high maintenance, but not in a bad way. They need to be cleaned and maintained regularly. If you don’t want to constantly spend your weekend cleaning and maintaining your hot tub, I suggest you purchase some accessories or hire someone who will do it for you.
A little maintenance goes a long way so that your hot tub stays in tip-top shape. You may need some chemicals and testing supplies for monthly maintenance, which will only cost you about $20 per month.
The Three (3) Beginner Rules of Hot Tub Maintenance
You can minimize your maintenance chores if you maintain good hot tub circulation. Hot tubs need to be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized once a week. The best way to accomplish regular cleaning is by setting aside one day a week to perform an hour-long job that includes soaking, brushing, vacuuming, and scrubbing interior and exterior surfaces.
Keeping your hot tub clean is essential for many reasons. First, it helps prevent the growth of bacteria or other organisms that could make you sick or even cause infections if they enter cuts or scrapes on your skin.
At this point, you should have already decided how many times you want to maintain your hot tub, either daily, monthly, or weekly. However, a rudimentary weekly schedule should include all 3 basic rules:
- Always ensure that your hot tub water is always well circulated.
Always fill your hot tub with water up to 30 percent higher than its average operating level (this allows water to circulate more freely). Run pumps and filters continuously until the water temperature reaches 100 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius).
Hot tub circulation is important because it helps prevent bacteria growth. When water sits still in a spa, bacteria can multiply quickly and cause an unpleasant odor or even skin infections if they enter cuts or scrapes on your skin.
Circulation also helps keep you safe from burns caused by scalding hot spots in a spa’s heater or jets. Likewise, hot tub water needs to be drained, cleaned, and replaced at least three to four times monthly to prevent foul odor or blockage.
- Have a maintenance schedule
As we earlier mentioned, it’s essential to know how many times you want to maintain your hot tub – either daily, weekly, monthly or quarterly. But don’t imagine cleaning it every six months or yearly if you wish the tub to look healthy.
For frequent users, we will recommend cleaning it weekly. You also need to check your water filter every time you clean your hot tub. We’d love to go into details, but one of our previous posts talked about how to clean your filter. You should check it out for comprehensive information about how to do that.
- Make sure your hot tub chemistry is well maintained
Always test your hot tub water to determine its pH and alkalinity levels. You can use a pH water increase or decrease to adjust the pH level. Use an alkaline increaser to prevent the water’s alkaline level from dropping.
Use a sanitizer to kill bacteria and other contaminants. Shock your hot tub (pick from either a non-chloride option or the di-chloride) to boost your sanitizer by adding oxygen and removing chloramines and bacteria.
Also, use a test strip to test the water chemistry after carrying out all of the above to check for the chemical levels. Finally, use a defoamer to remove foam from your hot tub.
How To Clean A Hot Tub Step-By-Step
Cleaning a hot tub isn’t rocket science and doesn’t take much time, but if you don’t do it properly, you could have a buildup of toxins in your hot tub.
Here are step-by-step instructions on hot tub care for beginners!
- The first thing you want to do is remove all people from your hot tub area.
- After that, turn off your pump and filtration system so they won’t be damaged by chemicals.
- Drain as much dirty water out of your hot tub as possible using buckets or hoses (if available).
- Fill it again with new, clean water. This water will be used to flush out any loose or decaying particles of debris and cleanse your hot tub filter.
- The next step is to scrub down your tub itself. You’ll want to use a soft-bristled brush and any chloride or non-chloride chemical you desire as long as you have read the guidelines to avoid scratching or otherwise damaging your spa.
- After you’ve cleaned off all visible debris from your tub, take some time to remove all visible dirt from your hot tub.
- If your water looks cloudy, it’s time to clean your filter. A hot tub is no place for dirty water! To clean out your filter properly, remove loose debris from its surface before soaking it in warm water with baking soda mixed in.
- Rinse with clean water and enjoy your sparkling clean hot tub again!
We have a comprehensive guide on maintaining your hot tub in one of our posts. It will provide you with everything you need for a successful cleaning. These steps are only a guide; each type of hot tub will have its own unique care requirements and cleaning techniques.
Be sure to consult your owner’s manual before beginning any type of maintenance. If you find yourself struggling with how to clean a hot tub correctly, don’t hesitate to contact us—even if you’re just having trouble locating those elusive filters! They can help keep your water sparkling clear for years to come.
Hot Tub Water Maintenance
Your hot tub is an expensive investment and one that you’ll likely use daily. Knowing how to maintain your hot tub correctly is essential in ensuring it lasts as long as possible.
Here are some steps to help you maintain hot tub water effectively.
Hot tubs contain various chemicals, including chlorine, bromine, pH reducers, and stabilizers. These chemicals should be kept at optimal levels to properly sanitize your water, which will keep you safe from any bacteria or germs that may cause illness or disease.
To ensure proper sanitation levels: Test both total alkalinity (TA) and total hardness (TH) every two weeks to provide enough of each chemical in your hot tub water. The TA level should range between 80-120 ppm, while TH should range between 250-350 ppm. If either reading falls below these ranges, add more chemicals accordingly.
Chlorine and bromine are chemicals added to kill off any microorganisms that might grow in your hot tub water if left untreated. The ideal amount of chlorine needed varies depending on how often you use your hot tub.
Maintaining water temperatures above 104 degrees Fahrenheit helps ensure that no germs or bacteria can survive in your hot tub. Additionally, check filters regularly and replace them once a month if necessary.
Filters catch any debris floating around in your hot tub before it has a chance to settle into the bottom of your spa, where you won’t be able to reach it easily. As such, replacing filters frequently is vital for maintaining good hygiene standards within your spa.
Finally, always shower before entering your hot tub and wash your hands thoroughly after leaving. Not only does showering beforehand remove sweat and other impurities from your body, but washing hands after exiting prevents you from bringing contaminants back into your home.
And remember—taking care of your hot tub doesn’t stop when you turn it off! While many homeowners forget about their spas when they aren’t being used, neglecting maintenance will only lead to problems.
How to Keep Your Hot Tub in Great Shape
There are two main steps to keeping your hot tub in tiptop shape:
- removing items that decay over time (like dead leaves and other small pieces of material),
- followed by disinfecting or shock treating both the inside and outside of your tub.
Takeaways
Once you purchase a hot tub, it’s essential to keep up with proper care and maintenance. Keep these tips in mind, and your hot tub will continue to give you enjoyment for years to come.
The health benefits of a hot tub are numerous—relaxation, pain relief, and improved sleep—and taking good care of your investment can help ensure that you reap all those rewards.
Happy soaking!
