Missteps to Avoid to Keep Your Hot Tub Running at its Best
Leaving It Empty
Changing your hot tub water from time to time is important, as is maintaining proper water levels. You’ll want to avoid, however, leaving it entirely empty for extended periods of time. A day or two is fine, but beyond that, you’re asking for trouble!
If you drain your hot tub and leave it empty, that doesn’t mean that all of the moisture is completely removed. The remaining moisture in your pipes and filters becomes a breeding ground for fungus, bacteria, and other unpleasant biofilm.
Even if you’re going on vacation or won’t be using your hot tub for a while, leave it full of treated water. Once the internal components get that slimy buildup from residual moisture and particulates from the air, it can be extremely difficult to get back to normal.
Using Pool Chemicals
Hot tub chemicals are specifically designed, with the purpose of working best in hot water. They are also formulated to avoid damage to the materials hot tubs are made of. Using other chemicals, even very similar water treatments designed for swimming pools, can cause damage to your tub’s components and lining – or simply not work properly with your water temperature.
It’s also worth noting that the “dosage” of pool and spa chemicals are specific to their particular uses, and that guessing at the proper amounts to use of other chemicals will be ineffective at best – and disastrous at worse. Stick to chemicals made specifically for hot tubs, and pay careful attention to usage instructions.
Leaving It Uncovered
This is one of the most common mistakes hot tub owners make, and one of the easiest to avoid. Cover your hot tub when you aren’t using it! It’s that simple! Your cover has two primary functions: maintaining water temperature and keeping out debris and other contaminants.
Failing to put your cover back on after use can mean increased utility bills as you constantly get your water back up to temperature. You will also have to contend with leaves, sticks, and other debris that may get blown in. Some of this is easy enough to remove, but smaller objects can get sucked into the filter, clog up jets, and cause damage to your hot tub’s internal components.
Again, this one is easy to avoid – just use your cover all the time!
Hot tubs are great fun, but if you don’t take care of them, they can become expensive hassles that give you headaches (instead of alleviate them). Make sure you’re taking proper care of your spa, and you can enjoy it for years to come.
If you have any questions about how to maintain your hot tub, or want tips on how to make your experience even more enjoyable, contact Emerald Spas and Billiards today!
