Maintenance is an important part of hot tub ownership.

The basics of hot tub care include balancing the chemicals, cleaning the filters, and maintaining the circulation of the water.

Hot tub chemicals help keep your water clean and clear by killing bacteria, algae, and other contaminants. The chemicals that you will need for hot tub maintenance include pH increaser and pH decreaser, alkalinity increaser, chlorine, and oxidizer. You will also need test strips to check the chemical levels of your hot tub. Other products that are helpful to have in your spa toolkit are defoamer and spa brite.

You will need to adjust the alkalinity first and then the pH. Once alkalinity and pH are in range, you can add chlorine as a sanitizer. Master Spas recommends shocking the water once week with non-chlorine oxidizer.

It’s important to stick to a schedule when adding chemicals to your spa. You should check the water several times a week, adding chemicals as needed.

Your hot tub filters are at work whenever your hot tub’s running. You need to clean your filters regularly to make sure they can do their job. Filters should be rinsed once a week and cleaned once a month. If you can’t get your filters completely clean, even with a chemical soak, you should replace them.

Your filter cycles keep the spa water circulating. The water will move through the filters, and the filters will catch any contaminants. Increasing the amount of time the water circulates can help keep the water clean.

The most important step in hot tub maintenance? Consistency.