Hot tub maintenance tips
When you first get your hot tub, you can’t wait to fill it with water and enjoy the relaxation it provides. While your hot tub will become your very own oasis, it’s imperative that you take time to keep it maintained if you want to keep it in the same condition it was in when you made the initial investment.
Understanding Basics of Water Care
Water care may be intimidating, but you don’t need a Master’s degree in chemical engineering to keep your water fresh and clean. By understanding the basics in water care, you can easily avoid any bacteria growth or impurities that might cloud the water or damage the materials that make up the unit. Here is a breakdown of what you will need to know to keep the water spa-ready, fresh, and pure.
Prep the Water
The water that comes out of your hose is designed to travel through copper pipes and household water systems. Because of this, you will need to adjust the water to make it what experts call “spa-ready”. Adjusting the water is far from difficult and will require using testing strips that will measure the pH balance and calcium hardness of the water. With a water treating supply kit determine if calcium levels are too high or too low, and then add the chemicals until the water tests “just right”. Because water systems vary in each location, your local Authorized Dealer will be your go-to source of information on just what to look for in your water and what to use to adjust it properly.
Zap the Bad Stuff
After the water pH and mineral content is just right, you’ll need to learn how to sanitize your spa. Sanitizing is easy, you just need to know what products to use. Most maintenance professionals recommend that you use either chlorine or bromine. Each of these will kill what commonly grows in the water without damaging the unit itself. Be sure to consult your owner’s manual and, again, your local Authorized spa dealer.
Remove Impurities
After you kill the bad stuff, you then have to remove these impurities so that they don’t just sit in the hot tub. Failing to remove organic contaminants could lead to cloudy water and, in extreme cases of neglect, a musty odor. To remove these impurities, use chlorine or bromine-based shock that will oxidize dead bacteria and other organic compounds. You’ll also want to change the water once every 4 to 6 months just as a precaution.
Cover It
Be sure to keep your hot tub cover on the spa when not in use. This will keep out any solid contaminants like leaves and bugs. Also, make sure you clean the cover and the outside of the unit regularly and condition it with the approved conditioning product.
hot tub maintenance is simple
Maintaining your spa in pristine condition is really quite simple. The key is simply understanding the basics of what creates spa-ready water, learning to read a test strip, and taking a little time for regular maintenance.
