HOT TUB MAINTENANCE DOESN'T HAVE TO BE HARD!
Your hot tub is the ultimate relaxation retreat, but maintaining its pristine condition is key to enjoying its soothing benefits. Proper care not only ensures crystal-clear water and a safe soak but also extends the life of your spa. Whether you’re a first-time owner or a seasoned hot tub enthusiast, this guide will walk you through simple tips and best practices to keep your hot tub in top shape without the hassle. Say goodbye to cloudy water and unexpected repairs, and hello to worry-free relaxation by following these easy maintenance tips.
Note for new hot tub owners: please bring a 1 litre water sample to us before adding any chemicals and/or before entering your hot tub for the first time.
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1. Test strips are a great tool to help you maintain your hot tub water
However since they are only a guide, we recommend visiting Bud’s Spas & Pools for a water test at least once a month for proper water balance. Monthly tests are required to ensure that the warranty on your hot tub remains valid.
At-home testing should be done weekly and before entering your hot tub to ensure bather safety.
*Please be aware that if your test strips indicate a “0” bromine/chlorine reading (white colour), the result may be correct. However the strip could also be bleached out because of extremely high bromine/chlorine levels. If you are ever unsure, it is best not to use the tub and come into Bud’s for a water test.
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2. Before adding chemicals to your hot tub, make sure the pump is running and the temperature is at least 27 degrees Celsius (80 degrees Fahrenheit). This will ensure that the chemicals will dissolve properly.
- When adding chemicals, proper dosage is very important. All Dazzle chemicals can be measured using the caps on the bottles. Follow the instructions on the bottle for proper application.
- To avoid cloudy water, please be sure to wait the recommended time required between each chemical addition.
- Always refer to your water analysis printout to verify dosages and frequency of chemical additions.
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3. The sanitizer (bromine or chlorine) is the most important chemical you will add to your hot tub. The lack of proper sanitization can lead to bacterial problems. It is necessary to use tablets along with shocking/oxidizing to achieve the ideal level of sanitizer required.
- We recommend placing 3 – 4 bromine or chlorine tablets into your chemical feeder/floater and set the dial to “2”. Please check the feeder/floater weekly and replace the tablets as they dissolve.
- Shocking or oxidizing eliminates bather wastes such as perspiration, body oils, and cosmetics that tend to cloud the water. Dazzle’s Amaze Plus will help to eliminate these wastes and should be added once a week.
- Heavy usage is considered to be 2 or more people in the tub for longer than 20 minutes per use. To ensure that your hot tub water stays sanitized, add the required amount of Amaze Plus after heavy use.
- Please remember to leave your cover off for 1 hour after your weekly shocking!
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4. A dirty filter can cause many problems in your hot tub such as foaming, cloudiness, and low circulation. We recommend using Filter Cleanse every 4-6 weeks to prevent these problems from occurring and to control scale/rust and remove oils/greases from the filter.
- The filter should also be rinsed off weekly, cleaning between each fibre strip. Do not use a pressure washer, as it could damage the fibres.
- To obtain optimal performance, make sure the filter is fully dry before placing back in the hot tub after using Filter Cleanse.
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5. Over time, o-rings tend to break down and the result can cause an improper seal with your chemical feeder.
- Apply a Silicone Lubricant to o-rings every other month to prevent this from happening.
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6. Knowing when to drain your hot tub depends on the saturation of your water. At Bud’s, we test for TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) which indicates a reading in PPM (Parts per Million). When that number rises above 1500ppm, it is time to drain and start fresh. Once the water is highly saturated, chemicals can no longer keep your water balanced and safe for bathers.
- For draining procedures, please refer to the instructions on “Draining Your Hot Tub”
- We recommend that the water level in your hot tub be kept at ¾ of the way up the skimmer.
Need help with hot tub maintenance?
The team at Buds is always available to help keep your hot tub in perfect working order. You can visit us in-store for advice any time. Or if you prefer, you can request a service visit and our expert technicians can handle all those maintenance tasks for you!
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