Who wouldn’t love slipping into a steamy spa to soak away the tensions of the day. A spa, just like any other cherished possession, requires periodic maintenance and upkeep to keep it clean and the water crystal clear.
If you’re thinking of buying a hot tub or spa and are wondering how much is involved in its maintenance, you’ll definitely want to read on.
Maintaining a spa is simple, but you must have the correct knowledge and use the right spa products. The key to spa care is knowing what chemicals to use, how much of each to use, and when to use them. Care of a spa will rarely involve vacuuming and scrubbing and there’s no need to go overboard with chemicals to keep your water clean and clear.
As with swimming pools, water balance is the most important element when caring for your hot tub or spa, but spas are much different than pools in several ways. Based on volume, four people in a spa is equivalent to having 250 people in a typical swimming pool. Wow, this sounds grimey. Plus, the high temperatures of the water can create excessive organic contaminants, which can only be eliminated using products that are specially formulated for spas.
These are the 7 standard chemicals that I use to care for my spa, For your convenience, you can click on the blue word, and you will be directed to an Amazon link to view or purchase the product:
- Bromine Tablets
Floating a bromine dispenser containing bromine tablets in your hot tub will constantly keep your water clean and clear.
- Bromine Concentrate
Even though I float the bromine dispenser in the water, I always test my spa before my family uses it to make sure the bromine and pH levels are within the standard safe limits. If the Bromine is a little low, I add a teaspoon or two (depending on how low it was) of the bromine concentrate at least an hour before I use the spa.
- pH increaser
Frequent use of your spa can affect the pH level of the water. When the pH level is too low, you may find that when you turn your jets on, the water immediately creates foam. When my pH level is below the desired level, I sprinkle pH Increaser into the water.
The presence of foam in spas is a mystery to most hot tub owners, but I have found that when my pH levels and bromine levels are correct, there are very few foaming issues. When all else fails, and you cannot eliminate the foaming by keeping chemicals level, you may just have to empty the tub and refill it with fresh water. It’s probably time to clean the tub anyway.
- Spa Shock
I rarely use Spa shock because it seems to affect my water clarity. However, Spa shock helps break up compounds in the water such as leaves and bugs, eliminates odors. I try to eliminate these intruders manually, but sometimes I find some critters in my filter tank. Yuk! But normally I have little need for spa shock. Experts say to use it after every use and at least once per week. You decide. If you use spa shock, do not get in the spa until chlorine levels are back to normal which is usually around five hours.
- Stain and Scale control
From time to time while using your spa it will create stain and scale, this is when you bring out the stain and scale control chemical, but usually, it is also time to drain and refill your spa, which should be done about every two months. But if you try to prolong the inevitability of the empty and refill, use stain and scale to eliminate the problem.
- Bromine and Ph test kit
As I mentioned above, it’s best to test your spa for chemical balance a few hours before using it. If any chemical additives are needed, you should do it at that time.
- Chlorine Bleach
I clean the spa filters by soaking them in chlorine bleach in a tub (or clean cooler) for a few hours while I empty the spa water. Then I rinse them completely with clean water (I use my garden hose).