Hot tubs are an incredible investment, you can use them year-round, and they serve a variety of purposes. Hot tubs can be used for leisure, for pain and stress alleviation, relaxation and socializing. They are also incredibly easy to maintain. Maintenance is integral in keeping your hot tub usable and in good condition. Throughout the year you will need to dedicate a decent amount of time caring for and looking after your hot tub and the water inside of it. Here are seven maintenance recommendations to ensure that your tub is operating efficiently:

 

Perform Tests on Your Hot Tub’s Water on A Routine Basis

 

This is the most obvious maintenance tip to keep in mind; monitoring your hot tub’s water and ensuring its cleanliness is paramount in keeping your hot tub in good condition. Clean water keeps the people who use your tub safe from harmful bacteria. Clean water will not only help keep your hot tub in pristine condition, but it will also feel nicer on your skin. The water will feel softer, and it will prolong the life expectancy of the hot tub. Test your water every other day, or every two days, to monitor your chlorine or bromine levels. Be sure to check on the PH levels as well. Adjust your water levels depending on the test results.

 

Shock Your Water

 

Shock helps improve the efficiency of the sanitizer in your water. This means you will not have to add as much sanitizer to keep your water clean. However, shocking your water is not an everyday recommendation. If you are going to add shock, be sure that you only do so once a week, or once every two weeks. Be mindful when using shock in your hot tub; due to the gases that are produced during the shocking process, which includes nitrogen, you could severely damage your tub’s cover. Leave the cover off for at least 20 minutes after shocking to prevent physical damage to your cover.

 

Monitor Your Water Levels

 

Your hot tub requires a set amount of water to perform efficiently. If the water levels in your hot tub are too high or too low, the pumps will not be able to circulate the water effectively, which could also damage the tub’s motors. There should be a line inside of your hot tub that visualizes how much water should be inside of the tub. If the water level is higher or lower than the ‘maximum fill’ line, remove or add water to your tub. If you do remove or add water to your hot tub, ensure that you re-test the chemical levels; a readjustment in water levels could skew the chemical balance.

 

Have a Hot Tub Specialist Inspect Your Tub’s Condition

 

Although you can perform tests to inspect the condition of your water, enlisting the services of a hot tub specialist can be beneficial for your hot tub’s overall performance and sanitation. While you can independently fluctuate the chemical levels in your hot tub and adjust the water levels, a hot tub specialist will provide you with a much more detailed analysis of your hot tub. Unfortunately, home testing kits are not able to give feedback on possible metals or phosphates that may be present in your water. Your hot tub specialist will provide you with that information and ensure that all mechanical components are in working order.

 

Use A Vacuum to Remove Sunken Debris

 

Over time, your hot tub will accumulate all sorts of debris; from fallen leaves to sand and dirt, you may notice that there is an assortment of debris at the bottom of your tub. Sand and other forms of debris are uncomfortable to sit on top of and will also cause your water to become dirty. Purchasing a small vacuum from your local hot tub store will allow you to quickly and efficiently remove debris from your pool, which can be especially handy if you’re having guests over for a soak.

 

Completely Remove the Water

 

It’s not very often that you remove all the water from your hot tub as it’s not always necessary. However, every 4-5 months, it might be in your best interest to drain your water. As you use your hot tub, minuscule fragments will conjoin in your water and although these particles are safe to bathe in, they may cause your water to appear opaque and will make your water feel coarse. Regardless of how often you vacuum or use chemicals to remove these extremely tiny particles, the only real way to ensure they are removed is to drain the water in your tub. Thankfully for hot tub owners, the accumulation of these particles typically only starts to become noticeable every four months; if you drain your tub once every six months, the condition of your water should be fine.

 

Take Adequate Care of Your Hot Tub’s Cover

 

As previously mentioned, you should remove your hot tub cover when adding shock because you wouldn’t want to damage it. However, there are other proactive steps that you can take to preserve the lifespan of your hot tub cover. During the summer, when the sun’s rays are their most intensive, it is imperative to invest in UV protectant to safeguard your cover. UV protectant spray is relatively cheap; approximately $20 for a 500 ml spray bottle. Applying that your hot tub’s cover once every 3-5 months will clean the surface of your cover and improve its efficiency. As a hot tub owner, you must take adequate care of your cover; if your cover is damaged or lacks enough coverage, you will end up paying more in hydro bills.