One thing many new owners of hot tubs are a little leery of is the time and effort it’s going to take to keep their tub water clean and safe. Everyone wants to soak in a hot tub but no one wants to soak in dirty water filled with dead skin and oils from other bodies. It can even be dangerous as some pretty nasty bugs can cause illnesses if the water isn’t treated properly.
Luckily, keeping your tub water crystal clear, clean and safe isn’t hard at all. It just takes a few minutes each week to ensure the water is purified and ready to go.
Here are some simple steps to adding the chemicals to your hot tub properly. We’re assuming you already have the chemicals needed based on your hot tubs manufacturer’s recommendations. To add the chemicals and keep everything in tip top shape simply do the following.
1. Test the PH level
First, use test strips to check the PH balance of your hot tub. If the PH is unbalanced it can reduce the effectiveness of the chemicals. You can pick these test strips up at any pool supply store to make sure things are balanced. If it’s not in balance then you’ll need to pick up the correct chemical to add to the pool to bring it into balance. Once that is done let’s move onto the next step.
2. Turn on the hot tub
We want to make sure the hot tub is running and circulating water. This is critical because it allows the chemicals to be circulated everywhere in the tub, including all of the piping and will help make sure everything is in balance.
3. Turn off any air
Some spas and hot tubs have air valves around the top that mix with the water to add more pressure to the massaging jets. This is what makes your hot tub get all bubbly. We don’t want this though because when air is mixed with the water chemicals like chlorine or shock won’t work as well. So turn off the air on the hot tub whenever you add chemicals.
4. Remove the cover
Keep the cover off for at least 15-20 minutes after adding and chemicals. Many chemicals you add such as spa shock or chlorine need to be able to gas off/oxidize and they can’t do that with a cover on the spa. During this time we’re going to let the tub breath and then after circulating for 15 minutes feel free to put the cover back on and turn off the tub.
That’s it. It’s pretty easy to keep your hot tub clean, clear and safe all year. A few minutes work to enjoy hours of relaxation and fun. We think it’s well worth the effort.