Five tips for keeping the water in your hot tub safe and healthy
Hot tubs provide relaxing hydrotherapy any time of the year. They can give you a boost at the start of the day, help you destress after work, or soothe aching muscles.
Spring is the perfect time to check your hot-tub water, make sure it’s clean and clear, and get into a good upkeep routine. So we asked Al Ripley from HotTubGO. com to share his top hot-tub maintenance tips.
DON’T RUN OUT OF PRODUCTS
Online providers like HotTubGO.com let you get the chemicals, test strips, and hot-tub products you need, when you need them, and without ever leaving your home. You can subscribe to their service to get a shipment of products on a regular basis, or you can sign up for reminders telling you when it’s time to replenish.
“Demand for to-your-door service for all sorts of products is growing to fit into people’s busier lives,” Ripley said. “The easier it is to get your chemicals, the more likely you are to have your chemicals on hand and use them properly to maintain sanitized, healthy water.”
TEST THE WATERS
Your hot-tub water needs to have balanced levels of chlorine or bromine, pH, and alkalinity. Use a special strip to test these levels. If your pH is at 8.00 instead of 7.6, your bromine or chlorine is only 25 per cent effective. A teaspoon of product is usually all it takes to balance your water.
“Unbalanced water is not only unhealthy for the user, it’s harder on the operating equipment of the hot tub,” Ripley said, “and that can lead to premature rust or corrosion.”
HAVE A REGULAR MAINTENANCE ROUTINE
Hot tubs can last between 10 to 20 years, or even more, with proper care. Because bacteria and algae grow much faster in a hot tub than they do in a pool, it’s important to get into a regular chemical maintenance routine. You should always have sanitizer and oxidizer applications on hand, as well as a water-testing strip kit to check your levels.
DRAIN THE TUB OFTEN
The most common mistake hot-tub owners make is not changing their water often enough. As a rule of thumb, the hot tub should be drained every three months. Ripley pointed out that HotTubGO.com can send clients reminders every three months to make sure they drain the water. They can also send a weekly list of things to check — like the chemical levels and pH — based on how many gallons their hot tub holds.
“The water in the tub will last longer, and so will your tub, if you have healthy water at all times,” Ripley said.
USE QUALITY PRODUCTS
You shouldn’t skimp on quality when it comes to hottub maintenance. Pick a brand of hot-tub products, and stick to it for consistency. Ripley said that HotTubGO.com carries recognized brands like SpaGuard by BioLab Inc., which is known for its high standards in quality and safety. The brand has also simplified the maintenance process, which helps people stick to the routine. For best results, Ripley recommends using the amount of product specified or suggested by the brand.
For more information, or to see the products available for deliver, visit HotTubGO.com.