Strong Spas Hot Tub Maintenance for Beginners

A nice, relaxing evening in your private hot tub…it’s the perfect way to end a day. That is, until you notice how dirty the water is, the water won’t heat up or the jets fail to turn on. Hot tubs can experience a number of problems from a lack of hot tub maintenance, including but not limited to:

  • Hot tub water is cloudy, foamy, or murky
  • Hot tub jets are not working
  • Hot tub is not heating
  • Hot tub is leaking or losing water
  • Hot tub water is green or smells bad
  • Hot tub cover is mildewy

Before these and other issues ruin your relaxing evening, take the time to take care of your hot tub. Doing so through regular maintenance can greatly extend the life of your hot tub and make the spa experience more enjoyable for you and guests.

Some hot tub maintenance will differ by brand, but we’ve got you covered with general basics all hot tub owners should be aware of and some specifics for Strong Spas maintenance. This is hot tub maintenance for beginners, the perfect starting place for keeping your hot tub in its best working condition.

How Do I Clean My Hot Tub?

Cleaning your hot tub is one of the most basic yet important aspects to its regular maintenance. After all, nobody wants to sit in filthy water!

A clean hot tub will require more than just skimming the water with a net to get out leaves and bugs, though. The hot water will draw out body oils, lotions and sweat that while nearly invisible to you, can make your spa experience less sanitary and less than pleasant.

Hot tub filters will collect and remove some of these materials and residue, but not all of it. Some may even start to build up in the hot tub’s pipes, creating a layer of biofilm that may cause more expensive problems down the road.

In short, you’re going to need to be more thorough in your hot tub cleaning to keep the water and spa parts in their best condition. The steps for cleaning your hot tub come down to the following:

  • Drain Water: Spa water should first be drained every 2-6 months to clean residue off the sides and bottom, but also to just replace old water with clean water. If a lot of guests use your hot tub, or if you’re the one to take a dip every day, closer to 2 months will be a safer (and more hygenic) bet. See more in-depth steps on how to drain your hot tub below.
  • Brush/Clean Sides and Jets: Once the water is out of the hot tub, you can begin to wipe down the sides with a non-abrasive cleaner and towel. Just make sure that you rinse off and wipe away the cleaner when finished. You should also be able to remove jets to be cleaned with a similar household or spa-specific cleaner. Remove filters as well and wash them off with a hose and some cleaning solutions before putting them back in place.
  • Refill with Clean Water: Hook up the hose and start refilling your spa with fresh water! You may want to attach a water filter to the end of the hose to filter out minerals that could stain your spa.
  • Test and Replace Chemicals: The proper amount of chemicals will ensure that your new water supply stays sanitary for longer. Once the water is refilled, pour in the right amount of chemicals, test the levels and make any adjustments as necessary. See what hot tub chemicals you need below.
  • Keep Water Circulating: Still water will be harder to keep clean, which is why hot tubs have circulating systems to keep water flowing from time to time. After following the above steps, turn on water circulating pumps 1-2 times a day. Some systems even have an automatic circulation timer for your convenience! Set the water to circulate for 15-20 minutes during these sessions, preferably at a time of day when it’s going to be more energy-efficient (check with an electrical service provider to find out when those times may be).

How to Drain Your Hot Tub

To ensure that the bacteria, oils and other contaminants in your water don’t clog up drains, pour in some cleaner specifically designed for a spa system flush. Allow the cleaner to circulate in the water before starting to drain the water.

This can be done with a sump pump or by simply connecting a hose to the hot tub drain. A sump pump will draw the water out mechanically for a less time-consuming process, while you may have to wait hours for all the water to naturally drain using a hose.

Most areas will require that hot tub water be drained into a sewer line rather than a storm drain or just in your yard for flooding and environmental issues. To ensure you follow regulations, sometimes it’s best to let the professionals take care of it, like those at Hot Tubs Utah. Give us a call with questions about draining hot tubs in your area, or schedule a hot tub cleaning appointment where we’ll do the dirty work for you!

How Often Should I Clean My Hot Tub?

The above steps for a complete clean should be completed every 3-4 months, although the spa’s water may need to be drained more frequently. However, there are certain steps that should also be taken every day and every week to guarantee the hot tub’s performance and cleanliness. The filtration system, for instance will be a daily maintenance task to keep water from standing still for too long. pH levels needs to be checked before use and perhaps on a weekly basis as well.

We recommend laying out a maintenance schedule for daily, weekly, monthly and yearly hot tub maintenance requirements. See Strong Spas’ maintenance schedule as a guideline for your creating your own hot tub cleaning and maintenance routine.

What Hot Tub Chemicals Do I Need?

Which chemicals are the best for your Strong Spas hot tub? Proper hot tub water chemistry will require:

  • pH Increaser and Decreaser: Hot tub water is recommended to have a pH level of 7-8. Anything below that could corrode the hot tub’s components, while anything above that may allow for calcium to build up and dirty your system. Buy both a pH increaser and a pH decreaser to be prepared when levels don’t fall into that ideal range.
  • Alkalinity Increaser: Alkaline will keep your water’s pH levels balanced so it doesn’t get too acidic and damage your system. This is where having an alkalinity increaser will be essential.
  • Sanitizer: Whether you choose to go with chlorine or bromine, you’ll want to have one sanitizing agent to maintain the water’s cleanliness. Chlorine is generally more affordable, but bromine doesn’t have the same distinct smell that chlorine has and may be even more effective at what it does.
  • Shock: This is a chemical that kills bacteria and other contaminants on contact and helps prevent the growth of algae in your spa. If you do use chlorine to sanitize the water, shock may help decrease the chlorine smell!

Purchase pH level testing strips or a liquid testing kit to make sure all chemical levels are where they need to be. Talk with a Hot Tubs Utah spa specialist if you’re still unsure about which chemicals to use and the exact levels needed.

When to Winterize Your Hot Tub

Live in a climate that gets cold in the winter, but don’t plan on using your hot tub? It’s a bummer, but you’ll need some extra hot tub maintenance in winter so that parts and pipes don’t freeze and break. Completely drain your hot tub before the temperature cools down too much. And, of course, turn the hot tub power completely off or unplug it! Take out drain plugs that may keep any remaining water inside and blow out the pipes. You don’t want any water left, so do a thorough check for remaining water if you’re turning off your hot tub for the winter.

You’ll also want to secure the hot tub cover carefully in place. Strong Spas’ unique hardcovers are perfect for this as they lock tightly in place to insulate and protect your hot tub from snow and ice. Even with feet of snowfall, they’ll stay in place without caving in.

If you do plan on more relaxing evenings in your warm spa on a cold winter’s night, keep the water at a consistent temperature, but not too hot to reduce energy use. Check often for any leaks and keep your hot tub cover on tight. Again, Strong Spa’s hardcover Dura-Shield™ is ideal for winter weather conditions. Because it’s so well-insulated, you save more energy keeping the water warm than you would with another cover.

Keeping Up with Hot Tub Maintenance and Care

We love Strong Spas for how easy they are to maintain, especially their patented covers that don’t get mildewy or as dirty as soft hot tub covers. That being said, they still will require careful attention and frequent maintenance to remain in their pristine condition. Follow the basics we’ve outlined to protect your hot tub from costly repairs and to keep the water fresh and soothing!

When you need help staying up-to-date on cleaning and maintaining your Strong Spas investment, or to ask additional questions, call Hot Tubs Utah for spa maintenance services. Request a free estimate for hot tub maintenance costs, or contact us for emergency service when something isn’t working right. We’re your experts in hot tub care in Park City, Midway, Heber City and surrounding Utah locations!