Tips for New Hot Tub Owners

Adding a hot tub to your property can genuinely be a life-changing experience, but there’s no doubt that it adds some extra responsibility to your daily routine. Covering all the bases with your hot tub care isn’t too difficult, but there are a few things you need to know and a few tricks of the trade that can make hot tub care even easier for you. 

To help you better understand the ins and outs of hot tub ownership, take a look at these simple but indispensable tips.

Regularly Test Your Water

One of the most crucial aspects of hot tub maintenance is regularly ensuring your water is balanced, which can be done with some simple test strips. Stock up on strips, and make sure to dip them in two or three times a week, depending on how heavily your spa is being used. 

You don’t want to wait until you’ve got scale buildup, foam, or green water to start testing and balancing. By then, it will be a far more time-consuming and costly task to take care of. Test every two or three days (and make sure the jets are running while you do), and then balance as needed.

Stay Stocked Up on Chemicals

It may seem excessive to load up on every chemical you may possibly need in the future. But when you’ve been dreaming all day of relaxing in your hot tub, only to find your water is imbalanced, you’ll be thanking yourself when you’ve got everything you need waiting for you. 

Also, it’s important that you store your chemicals and test strips properly so that they don’t degrade and start working less efficiently. Store them indoors, and avoid any places that are too hot, too cold, or too humid.

Tips for Adding Chemicals

There’s a little more to adding the necessary chemicals to your tub than simply dumping them into the water. If you want your chemicals to work as efficiently as possible, then you’ll want to do the following:

Don’t Add Them All at Once

Add each chemical individually, and give each one around 15 minutes to become absorbed into the water. Otherwise, you may make the chemicals less effective than they could be.

Always Run the Jets While Adding Chemicals

Dumping chemicals in when the water isn’t flowing can result in them failing to circulate and even collecting in one spot on the floor or tub seats. Run the jets with the air controls off while adding chemicals to get them flowing throughout the tub.

Regularly Clean and Replace Filters

Filters are one of your hot tub’s most crucial components, and they need regular attention from you to remain working efficiently and effectively. You should be removing your filters once or twice a month to rinse them and once every three or four months to chemically clean them. Once per year, they’re going to need to be replaced entirely.

When you’re cleaning your filters, it can be useful to throw in some backup filters to keep your water clean and clear. You can also swap the filters back and forth (one set for three or four months, then the other for another three or four, and so on) to make things simpler and allow you to replace them once every two years.

Other Useful Hot Tub Tips

You’ve got most of the basics down now, but there are still some other little tips that can make your life as a hot tub owner easier, including the following:

Close Air Controls and Open Jets When Not Using Your Tub

Adding air to your hot tub’s water can raise its pH levels, so close off your air controls whenever you’re not using it. However, you will still want to maintain water flow as any stagnation can build bacteria, so leave your jets and waterfalls open when not in use.

Close and Lock the Cover When You’re Done

Your hot tub’s cover prevents dirt and debris from getting into the water, but it also insulates your tub and reduces energy use, which can make a big difference in your utility bill. Ensure you have your cover closed and locked up whenever your tub isn’t being used.

Hot Tubs From Great Bay Spa & Sauna

If you’re interested in learning more hot tub tips, reach out to Great Bay Spa & Sauna today.