8 Proper Spa Maintenance Tips for Fewer Spa Repairs

8 Proper Spa Maintenance Tips for Fewer Spa Repairs!

Congratulations on being a hot tub owner!

According to a pool and spa survey, 98.4% of spa owners said they would replace their spa if it was ever broken (not worth fixing). Spas can provide hydrotherapy, muscle and pain relief, and relaxation. To keep your spa working well, here are 8 proper spa maintenance tips for fewer spa repairs:

1) Water maintenance. We all know this needs to be done for the health of bathers. However, it is also crucial to protect the equipment in your spa. You need to invest in a water test kit or water test strips. Test the water every 2nd or 3rd day and adjust chemicals as needed. Your pH should remain between 7.2-7.6. If it falls below 7.2, you will be exposing your spa equipment to corrosion. If it goes above 7.6, you will notice the water getting cloudy and scaling may occur. Stay on top of water maintenance and add your sanitizer and chemicals as necessary to keep spa water within the right levels. See our spa water care guide for more on water maintenance.

2) Filter maintenance. This is part and parcel with water maintenance to keep your spa water safe. Your spa's filtration system is key to keeping the water heated, chemicals mixed and contaminants removed. Take your filter out and hose it down once every week. Soak it overnight in a chemical solution (you will need to put your spare filter in the spa while you do this). Change the filter every year or when it becomes dark grey/frayed - since it will no longer be effective at trapping small particles. If you get a 'FLO' message on your topside controls, it is probably due to a clogged filter.

3) Protect your pillows. This means keeping the water level below the pillow line, so they are not soaking in the hot water and chemicals. Pillows will deteriorate over time, but keeping them out of the water will help.

4) Protect your spa cover. Invest in a cover lifter to help remove the cover, which also keeps it safe and off the ground when the spa is in use. Keep the cover locked when spa is not in use - to prevent unwanted entries, protect it from blowing off in the wind, and to keep debris out of the water. Leaving the spa with the cover off in extreme heat can also lead to bubbling in some spa shells.

5) Protect your plumbing. Best practices are to have bathers shower or rinse off before going in the hot tub. This helps remove sun lotion, perspiration, cosmetics, perfumes, dirt and more. Do not use any products that are not specifically meant for jetted spas since they may cause build up and clog the lines. For instance, only add aromatherapy fragrances that are specially made for spas. Many also have therapeutic benefits. See our lineup of hot tub aromatherapy fragrances.

Once a year, flush out the plumbing lines or use a product that helps remove the gunk that has built up. The Ahh Some spa cleaner is the newest and most effective treatment to do this.

6) Protect your jets. When you drain and clean your spa, make sure to hose down your jets. If you have any rotational jets, manually rotate them to break up any build up. Jets that are removable should be taken out and cleaned once or twice a year. You can buy a product like Leisure Time's Spa Jet Clean, or use a solution of white vinegar and water and let them soak overnight. If you have scale clogging the jet orifices, you can get a solution like Stain and Scale to help remove it.

7) Watch for leaks. Hot tubs have a lot of plumbing and they will leak at some point. Proper water maintenance will help prevent calcium buildup, which can deteriorate your 0-rings, unions, seals, etc. If these items are not addressed, the leak may get into the spa pump motor and quickly burn it out. It is cheaper to check and replace the pump parts then to wait until the motor has to be replaced. Leaks can also come from a crack in the jet housing. This may be fixable with silicone around the outer edge of the jet housing, or the jet gasket may need to be replaced. Poor water maintenance can also cause jets to fail or the plastic tabs to deteriorate.

8) Use Common Sense (or horse sense as we call it! Protect your spa from overheating or freezing. Have your hot tub installed by a qualified electrician (unless it is a plug and play spa). Always turn the spa off and shut it off at the breaker if you are going to do any repairs involving the equipment, electrical, etc. If you don't know a pump wet end from a horse's end - then call someone who does!

A few more spa tips:

Check out spa minerals to reduce bromine/chlorine usage.

Clear out the accumulated gunk in the plumbing lines at least annually to remove hazardous biofilm from the unseen nooks and crannies in the spa hoses and pipes. Check out Ahh-Some.