The Best Hot Tub Maintenance Tips

This guide walks you through effective maintenance techniques to improve the longevity of your hot tub 

Key takeaways: 

• Maintaining your hot tub is essential to ensure it works correctly. 
• Create a flexible, easy, and practical maintenance schedule. 
• Do a weekly, monthly, and quarterly check on your hot tub. 
• Keep the alkalinity between 125-150 ppm and calcium hardness between 100-200 ppm. 
• Routinely check the water, filter cartridge, jets, and refill your hot tub. Also, take care of your swim cover.

Taking care of your hot tub is essential to keep it running properly for years to come. A maintenance schedule ensures you can use it wherever you want without worry. Leaving it unattended for too long will lead to damage that can compromise the quality of your hot tub as well as your health. Remember, hot tub ownership and usage require some maintenance. If done consistently, you'll spend much more time soaking in it than cleaning it. 

It’s important to come up with a maintenance plan to clean the cover, rinse the filters, and keep the chemical levels in check. A simple cleaning schedule will help keep your tub working better longer and prevent it from becoming a breeding ground for germs. Most importantly, be consistent with the plan. Let’s dive into the best hot tub maintenance tips!

How much maintenance is required? 

Maintaining a hot tub isn't that hard. Owners just need to stick to a schedule. Create a schedule and follow it regularly. There will be days when you find yourself stuck with other tasks. That’s alright as long as you can find some time later to compensate for what you missed. 

Cleaning your hot tub less often may mean more rigorous work the next time you clean it. However, simply cleaning it often means you don’t have to put as much effort into sanitizing it thoroughly. You just need a simple schedule, some cleaning hacks, and a basic understanding of your hot tub’s dynamics. All it takes is some time, testing supplies, and chemicals. 

Ignoring hot tub maintenance will reduce your unit’s lifespan. Your upkeep influences the water clarity, the inner components, and the health of anyone who uses it. An unsanitary, malfunctioning hot tub with murky water is no use to anyone. 

What do you need to do on an ongoing basis? 

Sticking to a consistent maintenance plan will save you a lot of money in the long run. Here's everything you need to do to keep your unit running smoothly. 

• pH Level: Check the pH level with a test strip. Add a little pH Up if the pH level is low, or else add a little pH Down if it is high. The pH level on any given day must stay within 7.2-7.6. Anything less, and the water becomes too acidic, which can affect your skin and the hot tub’s internal parts. If the pH level is too high, the water gets too basic. 

• Spa cover: Check your cover every week for any wear and tear or heavy damage, and wipe the cover of any debris. Secure the cover in place to lock in all the heat and to keep the floor of your hot tub clean. Wipe the inside of your spa cover to prevent any moisture build-up and algae growth. 

• Cabinet: Your hot tub shouldn't become an eyesore. Besides cleaning your cover, you need to clean the exterior of your hot tub as well. You can do this every quarter – wipe the cabinet with a sponge and check for any cracks or dents. This keeps your hot tub looking brand new. 

• Shock: Shock the spa water once every week. Add some Spa Shock to kill skin cells, grime, bacteria, and other organic materials. Shocking the water helps to neutralize all the contaminants introduced into it. Follow this procedure if you use your hot tub a lot or use it after a long period of inactivity. 

• Filters: Water continuously passes through the filters, which leads to a build-up of dirt. Rinse the filters with a garden hose every week and spray them with a filter cleaner. Every quarter, soak them in a chemical solution. This exercise helps loosen any gunk and gives them the thorough cleaning they need. 

• Jets: Keep the jets running for at least one minute whenever you add a chemical into the hot tub to help circulate the chemicals across the tub. Always remember to flush the jet lines to remove any remaining water; this helps protect the equipment and lowers the risk of freeze damage. Remove the jets and suck out any residual water.

• Drain and refill: To ensure water quality, drain your hot tub water every quarter. After draining all the water, clean the surface of the tub. Once done, refill the unit, and you are now ready to enjoy it as often as you want. If you use a garden hose to fill the hot tub, run the water for a few minutes to flush out any bacteria present in the hose.

Follow all the hacks mentioned above to keep your hot tub spotless, hygienic, and in great working condition. These tried-and-tested measures are known to extend the life of units and give you peace of mind. 

Hot tub maintenance schedules 

Break your hot tub maintenance into a manageable, straightforward schedule that fits into your life and creates a seamless balance. Having a written-out schedule will make it easier to track and check things off. Plus, it keeps you more productive and committed. 

When it comes to cleaning a hot tub, your schedule will fall into three different intervals – weekly, monthly, and quarterly. The weekly tasks are light and won't take too long. The monthly ones may need a little more time and effort. The quarterly chores require complete care and attention and may even need an extra hand. Whenever possible, look to combine common tasks to save time.

Wrapping up

Keeping your hot tub in good working condition requires a little bit of maintenance. It’s essential, though, for the health of your unit and your body. Following the tips above will keep it sparkling clean and working great for the long haul.