The Guide to Hot Tub Maintenance for 2018

Whether you’re maintaining a car or a hot tub, regular maintenance is key for performance and longevity. It can sometimes seem demanding and time consuming, but with a straightforward hot tub maintenance guide, it can be simplified. Owning a hot tub should be pleasurable around the year, and by following a basic hot tub maintenance guide, even taking care of the tub is a breeze.

It’s important to properly maintain a hot tub

The main idea with hot tub maintenance is prevention – it will avert performance issues and any costly repairs. Having a practical hot tub maintenance guide is the first step in creating a stress-free process. With guidelines, it’s easy to keep track of regular task requirements. As well, when there are manageable steps to follow, the work is easier to do, and there’s never a need to panic.

Planning is the best way to keep momentum

Probably the best first step with a hot tub maintenance guide is to decide how to keep track of task requirements. And this can be as simple as a dedicated a paper calendar or as fancy as a smart phone app – with reminders for daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly tasks. Some hot tub manufacturers, like Beachcomber, make the routine of regular maintenance simple and easy.

Day-to-day hot tub maintenance

If you’re tight for time, then daily hot tub maintenance need only take five or ten minutes. Daily routine comprises a short checklist that can be quickly executed at the start or end of the day.

• ensuring that the hot tub cover is secure
• making sure there’s no superfluous debris
• quickly checking for any visible damages
• checking water temperature and adjusting

Needless to say, you’ll have to do some fine-tuning with the checklist, depending on whether the hot tub is indoors or outdoors. Winter can be particularly harsh on various hot tub components.

Task list for three times a week

Yes - these are added tasks - but to make things easier for your schedule, they can be performed together with the daily tasks that are logged in the hot tub maintenance guide. Keeping on top of the maintenance will keep the hot tub in tip-top condition (with less damage control to be done).

• check the water’s alkalinity and pH levels
• check the sanitizer levels and water clarity
• clean away any debris above the water line

The checklist above will avert potential water contamination, and will reduce the need to balance water chemistry. Bottom line, when you keep an eye on chemicals, there’s less need to replace.

Regular maintenance every week

With any good hot tub maintenance plan, there are specific tasks relegated for once a week. Here again, there’s an opportunity to combine weekly tasks with other tasks – it’s simply about being efficient with your time. One important thing to remember is to always track water chemistry so that values can be compared for troubleshooting. Remember, prevention is key to performance.

• testing water alkalinity, pH, and sanitizer levels
• follow the recommendation of the manufacturer
• sanitize and shock your hot tub to recharge it
• take the opportunity to rinse your hot tub filter
• wipe down your hot tub against mold and mildew

Beachcomber makes it all easy

With Beachcomber, regular hot tub maintenance is made easy. Beachcomber hot tubs integrate a 4-in-1 water care system that does away with having to use so many different components. It’s a system with only two products:  CARE FREE + CARE FREE BOOST™. The 4-in-1 system cuts down on the number of products required, and of course, the cost. The results are always excellent. ELIMINATE PLUS™ - this formulation prevents stains and calcium buildup. It improves the water clarity and is recommended for use as part of a weekly maintenance program. PUREZYME™ - this is a microbial enzyme (natural) designed to eliminate scum and reduce odour, while improving water clarity. The treatment also improves sanitizer efficiency. PURE BLUE™ - this is a concentrated liquid clarifier designed to clear cloudy water. The liquid causes micro-particles to amass, making it easier to remove by the Microfilter™. TEST STRIPS - these custom water-testing strips are the quickest and easiest way to accurately test your hot tub. Water testing should be performed after each hot tub use.

The monthly hot tub procedure

Once monthly, it’s recommended to do some more in-depth maintenance. It means getting right down to any debris accumulation in the jets and/or filters. Where necessary, it may be a good opportunity to call in a hot tub professional. At this time, the water filter should get a “chemical” rinse, and the hot tub jets should be carefully checked. If you’re going to call in a professional, they will have more advanced testing tools, and will be able to identify potential water quality issues. This can be quite preventive, as problem areas can be resolved, before they get worse.

Time for quarterly maintenance

On a quarterly basis (every three months) your hot tub should be emptied out and given a good clean up. For efficiency, it’s a good idea to schedule a drain and fill in tandem with some of the other maintenance duties – there are many tasks that can be completed while the spa is “down”. This is also a good time to clean the hot tub cabinet. Blemishes can be touched up and structural damage can be addressed, if any. The water filter could receive a “deep-clean”, although this can be efficiently coordinated with the monthly maintenance. Other components can be included. When the hot tub is drained, it’s a good time to check for possible damage, and undertake repairs where necessary. Since the quarterly plan is more in-depth, this may also be a good time to call in a professional – particularly if some more serious issues have been noticed (or serious damage).

Once-a-year hot tub maintenance

Clearly, hot tub maintenance can take on various forms. There’s absolutely no need to repeat any tasks unnecessarily, and where possible, work should be combined. Missing a task from time to time will have little impact – after all, the main objective is to be preventative. The worst thing to do is stress out. If the responsibilities are too daunting, it may be time to call in a professional. At Seaway Pools & Hot Tubs, maintenance packages are available at all price points. The experts at Seaway are experienced with water chemistry, and can troubleshoot all types of hot tub issues. The mobile service team at Seaway is available for dispatch on regular maintenance schedule or when required. The technician team is Beachcomber Certified and ready to service your hot tub.