Relaxing in your hot tub or home spa is a well-earned luxury, but if you want to continue to enjoy your spa, you need to maintain it. Taking care of daily, weekly, monthly and annual spa maintenance tasks will help keep your tub sparkling clean and ready to enjoy at all times.
Setting Up Your Spa
Every two to three months - or every eight to twelve months if your hot tub has an ozonator -- you should empty your spa, clean it thoroughly, and refill it following the same procedure you use the first time you set up your home hot tub. After you empty the tub, remove the filter cartridge and put it in filter cleaner to soak over night. In the morning, rinse it and examine it. If the filter isn't clean, replace it with a new filter.
Before filling or refilling your hot tub, clean the shell well with a cleaner made especially for cleaning acrylic home spas. Don't use a soap-based cleaner because it will leave an invisible soap scum that will collect bacteria and may damage the shell. Or, save money by mixing a solution of 1/2 cup bleach with 3 gallons of water and sponge the shell, then rinse it with clean water. Dry the spa shell with a soft cloth, and then wax it with acrylic wax. You shouldn't use car wax, which is not compatible with the chemicals you need to use to keep the water in your spa fresh and clean.
Next, rinse the surface oil removers or scum bags under clear, running water, and then wring them out. Examine them and, if they are damaged or used up, replace them. Then refill the spa with water to the recommended level, which should be about halfway up the top skimmer intake. Bleed the filter canister and prime the pump for use.
Adding Spa Chemicals
You should first heat the water to about 80 degrees F before adding pool chemicals to the tub. The warm water will dissolve the chemicals properly. Test the pH of the water with a pH test kit. If the pH falls between 7.6 and 8.2, you're good to go on to the next step. Use a pH balance product to adjust the pH if necessary, and run the spa jets for 15 minutes to circulate the water fully.
Next, add a cap full of scale and mineral control chemicals to the water in your hot tub to control the build-up of lime and other minerals in the filter and on the pool. Add a spa water clarifier, which will help control the build-up of body oils on the walls of your hot tub. Test the water's alkalinity. If it's below 100 or over 120, adjust it with the appropriate chemicals.
You should sanitize the water using either chlorine or bromine, but don't use both chemicals. If you're using a floater, add the bromine or chlorine tablets to the floater and put it in the water, then run the spa on low for 6 hours or overnight to properly mix the chemicals with the spa water. If you're using granular chlorine, mix one cup of chlorine well with five gallons of water to dissolve it, and add the chlorine mix to the spa water. Turn the spa on low and let it run for at least 6 hours to mix all the chemicals into the water properly.
Weekly Spa Maintenance
Each week, you should test the water's pH, alkalinity and bromine or chlorine levels, and then adjust them if necessary using the appropriate spa chemicals.
In addition, rinse off the filter cartridge and then replace it. Also rinse and wring out the scum bags and return them to the water. Next, add water clarifier and spa shock chemicals, using the package for directions. Finally, clean the water line with a non-soap-based cleaner.
Daily Spa Maintenance
Be sure to run the spa filter for at least three hours daily, even if the spa has an ozonator. In addition, you should leave the chlorine/bromine floater and scum bags or scum balls in the water at all times unless the spa is in use.
It may seem like a lot of work when you read the procedure from start to finish, but taking proper care of your spa only takes a few hours every few months and a few minutes once or twice a week. If you keep up with proper spa maintenance, your hot tub or home spa will give you years of pleasure and relaxation.
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About the Author
Chris Robertson is a published author of Majon International. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2011 (Thu May 26 2011) Majon International. Majon International is one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing and internet advertising companies on the web. Visit their main business resource internet marketing web site at: http://www.majon.com
