How much maintenance will my hot tub require?
One of the main reasons people choose not to buy a hot tub is because they are concerned about maintenance. Well, we have good news for you - hot tubs have come a long way when it comes to advancements in hot tub maintenance and water care! Read on to learn more about how easy it is to own and enjoy a hot tub of your very own.
Synthetic wood hot tub cabinets - virtually no time at all
Decades ago, hot tub cabinets were typically built using redwood or cedar. These real wood cabinets, while beautiful, needed to be stained and sealed regularly. This required time and effort from the spa owner. Today most spas are built with synthetic siding that can be easily hosed down and requires virtually no maintenance at all.
Hot Tub Water care requirements - as little as 5 min/week
If you are concerned that being a spa owner means you will need a PhD in water chemistry - fear not! Hot tub water care really comes down to just a few simple steps: balance the water at start-up, and ensure there is a certain amount of sanitizer in the spa water before each use. With new advancements in water care, you can dramatically reduce the amount of time you spend adding chemicals to your spa, and you can reduce weekly maintenance down to just a simple dip of a spa test strip once a week. Your hot tub dealer is an expert in this area and can show you how quick and easy water care can be.
Caring For You Hot Tub Filters - as little as 15 min/month
Your hot tub will have anywhere from 1 to 5 filters that need to be cleaned on occasion. We recommend that you rinse the filters once a month, and do a deep clean (which requires soaking them in a bucket) every couple of months. Hot Spring® offers exclusive Tri-X® filters that are dishwasher-safe to make the cleaning process even simpler and more convenient.
Draining and refilling the spa - as little as 1 time/year
After you use your spa a lot, there will come a time where the water just doesn't look quite as crystal clear and sparkling clean. If the water is balanced, and you've been following the recommended steps for water care, then it may be time to drain the spa, fill it, and start over again.
If you choose a hot tub with a floor drain, the process of draining the spa is very easy. Simply remove the cap from the drain, attach a garden hose, and open the drain valve. Once the hot tub is drained, now is a great time to clean the spa shell. (Be sure to use a product specifically designed for cleaning your spa's shell, as it cannot stand up to harsh chemical cleaning products.) Once the hot tub is drained and cleaned, you will close the drain and refill the spa again using a garden hose. Then you will have to wait for the water to reheat.
This whole process may take up to a full day to complete, depending on the size of your spa. If you are using traditional water care, you are likely to need to drain and refill your spa 3-4 times each year. If you choose the FreshWater® salt water system, you can extend spa water life - up to 12 months with proper care. This means that you could reduce the number of times you drain and refill the spa to as little as once a year.