Did Santa bring you a brand new hot tub? If so, you will want to know all about how to properly care for it. There are plenty of things to learn about spa maintenance, especially when you are tackling it on your own for the first time. But don’t worry. Goodall Pools & Spas is here to help you succeed as you care for your wonderful gift. Our company has been around for nearly 60 years. We have 5 locations to help the wonderful people of Pennsylvania with all of their pool and spa needs. Here is “Hot Tub Maintenance 101” to get you started with successful spa care.
Foundational Hot Tub Information
Let’s begin with a very common topic that hot tub owners ask, “How often should I drain & clean my hot tub?” This is very important information to know from the get go. If your hot tub is not a salt water system, you will want to do a drain and fill once every 3 months. Now that you know how to plan your reminders for this crucial part of spa care, we can look at what you will need to do when the time comes.
Emptying
As the name suggests, you begin the process of a drain and fill by emptying the hot tub. Failure to empty the water regularly can lead to many issues, which we will address below. This also allows you to prepare for step 2 without having to worry about getting soaked in the process.
If you want, (this step is optional, but we do recommend it every 3 or 6 months), before you empty your spa, flush the plumbing for a really deep clean. Stop by one of our stores to pick up one of our cleaning products that cleans out the system. You’ll simply add it to the water and allow the jets to run, which will pull the cleanser through the plumbing. Then drain like normal.
Scrubbing
You don’t want to sit and soak in a dirty spa. The best time to thoroughly clean it is when there is no water inside. When the hot tub is empty, you can easily scrub off any scale or chemical buildup.
Filling
In no time at all, you’ll have the hot tub clean and ready for the filling process. This means you will soon be back to soaking and relaxing to reward yourself for a job well done.
Solutions for Hot Tub Issues
As you learn all about hot tub ownership, you will want to familiarize yourself with possible issues that you may encounter with your hot tub from time to time. Once you know what the right look and feel is, you will be able to easily determine if something is off.
Unusual Odors
The nose is a very helpful tool to utilize when it comes to having a healthy hot tub. Your nose knows when something is off with the water. If you are smelling any unexpected odors, then you want to determine what is causing the issue.
- Bacteria buildup can smell akin to rotten eggs. This is a result of excessive contaminants being left in the water when the available cleansing agent has been used up. To correct this, begin by adding bromine or chlorine — whichever sanitizer you use. A water test is the next step to see how the chemistry is doing.
- Mold can make the water smell musty, similar to dirty socks. If mold has made its way into the water or the spa itself, a drain and fill is necessary to eradicate the problem.
- Covers can also be the source of bacteria or mold odor issues. Be sure to clean and keep an eye on your cover periodically as well. A cover that is damaged or waterlogged needs to be replaced.
Unexpected Feel
Next, your sense of touch is also a reliable source for determining hot tub issues. As you get a feel for your hot tub, you will know that nothing feels quite like clean, clear spa water. When you start to see foamy hot tub water around you, then you need to address the problem. Foamy hot tub water can be the result of a few different factors.
- Spilled drinks can contribute to an unwanted foam in your spa. Contaminants like this gradually build up, making the water “full” and foamy.
- Hygiene products also slowly make their way into your hot tub. The “old” water, full of all kinds of pollutants, hits the jets and gets stirred up. The agitation causes foam to make an appearance.
The foam itself is not dangerous. However, when you see foam then you know there is something that needs to be adjusted in the chemical content of the spa water. Here are some preventative measures to try to eliminate foam from your hot tub.
- Rinse off before you get into the spa. Also avoid washing the suits that you wear in the hot tub with detergent — just rinse them with hot water and dry them for reuse. Every ounce of prevention is worth the effort.
- Allow oxygen into the spa on a regular basis too. Lifting the cover often allows chemicals to be released into the air instead of just swirling around in the warm environment.
Uncommon Look
Finally, rely on what you see in your spa water. A lack of clarity in hot tub water can indicate an issue. When you know what causes cloudy spa water, you will be well on your way to preventing your hot tub from clouding up.
The main culprit of cloudy water is usually the filter. You want to check for a dirty or clogged filter first. If that’s not the problem, sometimes it is just the position of the filter and reinserting it correctly will fix the issue. Hard water can also be behind your cloudy water issues. In this case, adding a scale control product can help keep your spa clear.
Regular Hot Tub Water Tests
The last thing we want to cover in Hot Tub Maintenance 101 is the importance of regular hot tub water tests. The more you use your spa, the more you will want to test the chemical levels to ensure that the water is safe to use. Our knowledgeable team can help you learn what the ideal levels for a balanced hot tub are.
At Goodall Pool, we have quality SpaGuard® chemicals to make all of your DIY spa maintenance tasks as easy as possible. Goodall Pools has 5 retail locations across Pennsylvania, from Carlisle to Lebanon and down to Lancaster. We are here to help you with all of your hot tub questions and maintenance issues, anytime.
