Fill Your Hot Tub Properly To Prevent Problems Before They Happen

Now that you have purchased and installed your new hot tub and you are ready to fill it, answer this question first: Is the water in your area hard or soft? The chances are it is at least a little on the hard side, but you must test the water first in order to be sure. Hard water will cause calcium deposits, stains and scales, but soft water can be worse because it is more corrosive and will eventually damage the metal parts, washing that material into the hot tubs.

With proper care, the water in hot tubs can generally last a few months before you will need to change it. You can lengthen the life of your hot tub water by rinsing thoroughly before entering the hot tub and avoiding detergents with heavy residues when washing bathing suits.

If you live in the Great Plains or the Southwest, your local water in even more likely to be hard, but you can expect softer water in the Pacific Northwest, New England and the Gulf Coast. Test the water before filling the hot tub with the kit that came with it or with a test kit from Sensafe. If your water turns out to be especially hard, dilute it with water that has been softened with a sodium bicarbonate (or other) water softener, or add the stain and scale inhibitor while it is filling. If your water is already very soft, you can add a calcium-based water hardener to achieve the right balance once you have filled it.

Make sure the electricity is disconnected before filling the hot tub through the weir door (to prevent air pockets for collecting in the pump/s) to the water level indicator. Avoid overfilling the hot tub, especially where overflow splash water will collect in puddles. You can fill it slightly higher only if you do not intend to ever have very many bodies in the spa. Then you can reconnect the electricity, test the controls and reattach the door to the equipment compartment.

You'll know when you need to change the water when it becomes cloudy, foamy, smelly or off-color, or when keeping the chemical balance proves to be difficult. Foam removers, water clarifiers, stain and scale inhibitors and other products will begin to become unable to function properly. Avoid using the hot tub when the water gets like this or you may experience skin and eye irritations, rashes, or worse.

Keeping the cover on any time you are not using it will also help buy more time by keeping dust particles out of the hot tub, so even if you are only going to get out for a few minutes it is advisable to replace the cover each time. Of course it will help keep the water hot as well, saving energy. Also, shocking the water after each use with an ozonator will minimize the need for chemicals, adding yet more time before you will need to switch the water out.