A beginner’s guide to hot tub maintenance

Understanding and creating a regular hot tub maintenance schedule is the key to hot tub longevity and maximum relaxation. If you keep on top of your water chemicals hopefully you will not encounter any unfortunate issues such as cloudy water and you will keep the internals of your tub in tip top condition.

Predominantly the internal workings of a hot tub are quite similar, however each brand will have maintenance requirements to uphold their warranty. Therefore, we suggest reading your instruction manual properly and keeping it on hand for any queries.

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There are three main elements of hot tub care:

• Water chemistry
• Filtration
• Cleaning

When people refer to water chemistry, they are referring to the various chemicals needed to maintain healthy water and the chemicals already found in your water such as calcium. Your hot tub supplier should provide you with a basic run down of what is required however it is not always as simple as it seems, for hot tub water troubleshooting check out our FAQ’S.

The main elements you will focus on will be: Your chosen sanitiser levels Ph, alkalinity.

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Let us begin our hot tub maintenace guide!

Your beautiful new tub has arrived, and you have started to fill it, fingers crossed the company is helping you set it up but if this isn’t the case then we are here to help.

The first thing you need to do once the tub is filled is test the water, this will give you a baseline reading where you can build upon to get the perfect water balance.

How to test your hot tub water:

Dipsticks:

These are the most common form of water testing, take one of your dip sticks and thoroughly immerse it in your water, swoosh it around for a few seconds and then lift it out (DO NOT SHAKE THE WATER OFF) hold it against the colour chart and compare. Note: Always read the instructions as test strips vary.

Pooltesters:

These use chemical reagent tabs to determine chlorine, bromine, or ph. They look like this

Shock Treatment:

Now you want to shock your water, shock is the term given to a high dosage of sanitiser. We advise you use a chlorine shock to begin with no matter what sanitiser you are choosing to use. This shock will dissipate as the tub heats up.

However, it is best to own both types of shock for future use as they do different things.

There are two types of shock – Chlorine and Non – Chlorine.

• Chlorine shock is used to remove excess waste, bacteria and kill algaecide.
• Non chlorine shock is used to oxidise organic matter and helps improve the functionality of your sanitiser. It can be used to regenerate spent Bromine. Use this for the treatment of cloudy water.

Once you have shocked your tub and let it dissipate, it is time to test again and add chemicals including your chosen sanitiser to reach the appropriate levels, you want your sanitiser to be around  1- 3ppm.

Tip: Add a little sanitiser at a time, it always easier to add more then wait for chemicals to dissipate. However, if you add too much, simply turn your tub on without the lid and let it evaporate.

The key to good hot tub water is test, test, test especially whilst you are learning about water chemistry and your usage. Remember that these are guidelines, if you are using your hot tub everyday then the sanitiser will be used up more quickly and therefore you need to replace it. As sanitiser levels change so will the ph. Over time you will get to know your tub and what it needs.

Tip: Minimise foam by making sure you do not wash swimsuits with soap and people rinse off before getting in.

Note: Changes in weather and changes in use will change the amount of sanitiser your hot tub uses. During hotter weather you may find your water can turn very quickly.

Filtration:

Your filter is the first line of defence against unwanted particles in your water, this not only helps reduce the amount of chemicals you need to keep your water clean, but it also protects your pump and heater. Generally new hot tubs will have various settings including a daily circulation setting. These usually last about 15-20 minutes which is the time needed to filter all your water, you want to filter your water twice a day.

Now for the cleaning:

Getting into a regular cleaning schedule will extend the life of your tub, protect the internals, and keep you and your loved ones safe.

Your tub will need a little love every week and every 3-4 months it will need a deep clean to make sure your pipes stay squeaky clean. This is also a good time to replace your filters. You may need to do this more frequently depending on your use.

Tip: If your filter is not clean after a chemical soak then it is probably time to replace it.

Before & After each use:

• Check levels and adjust
• Wipe down the water line
• Allow to rejuvenate overnight

Weekly:

• Check chemical levels and adjust
• Shock dose the water
• Clean your filter (We recommend having two filters, so you use one and clean one. Soak your filter in a filter cleaner solution, scrub, rinse, and use). A dirty filter can sometimes stop your hot tub heating up due to a flow error.

Quarterly:

• Use a bio film remover (Hot Tub Flush) to deep clean your pipes (Follow the instructions)
• Then drain, thoroughly clean the tub, inside and out including the cover
• Replace your filter

Yearly:

• Invest in an expert to come out and fully service your tub, combine it with one of your deep cleans.

Tip: This is a good time to inspect all your hot tub to make sure that there are no issues. Check pipe works and connectors for potential leaks.

Refill, start again but most importantly ENJOY!!