As Autumn is officially upon us, the team at SpaChem have put together the following checklist to help ensure your hot tub and spa stay in perfect condition for the change in the season.
We like to use the change from British Summer Time to Greenwich Mean Time as a reminder to prepare your hot tub and spa for the winter months ahead. Our maintenance checklist is designed as a basic care and cleaning guide and as such is suitable for most makes and models of hot tubs and spas.
Step one: a system flush. – option 1
The fresh crisp Autumn air is the perfect time to want to lift off the cover of your hot tub and enjoy the warmth and relaxation of your spa. As tempting as it is to try and skip this step, the SpaChem team have found that most customers tend to use their hot tubs more in the winter seasons so our recommendation is that you undertake a full system flush.
Each hot tub and spa manufacturer should have provided you with the specific details on how to do this for your make and model, so please refer to your instruction manual to get the right system flush for you.
Flushing your hot tub or spa before fully draining the spa water helps get rid of fungal growth, any unwanted bacterial build up in the elements and pipes and helps with achieving the optimum water balancing solution when it’s time to refill and use.
Step one: a system flush. – option 2
As the evolution of hot tub chemistry moves on the new kid on the block for the ultimate system flush / high level shock dose is Chlorine Dioxide Tablets, Chlorine Dioxide Tablets have been used in the general water world for many years sanitising water and drink water, but the team a SpaChem have procured and tested the ultimate system flush.
With Chlorine Dioxide is has a two pronged attack, it breaks down the biofilm build up which allows the release of the bacteria that’s lurking underneath and kills that too, a standard system flush noted in option one will only break down your biofilm barrier and depending on your sanitisation levels at the time may not kill of all the bacteria or viruses.
So after our rigorous testing in a commercial hot tub environment Chlorine Dioxide was by far the simplest application and the one with the biggest punch in the sense of results.
Step two: full drain.
Hopefully this is something that you are used to doing as we recommend that you complete a hot tub drain down every three months. If you are new to owning a hot tub, as with the system flush or Chlorine Dioxide, please refer to your manufacturer’s handbook and instructions provided with your specific hot tub or spa and follow the draining process.
Having a draining process is important for maintaining the perfect water balance, and prevents damage to your hot tub from the build up of chemicals and contaminants in your water.
Step three: filter maintenance.
Every time you drain and refill your hot tub, the team here at SpaChem recommend that you clean your filter cartridge. A deep clean of the filter in your hot tub or spa not only helps with preventing the appearance of spa cloudy water, but also extends the life of your filter cartridge.
If you have not replaced the filter cartridge in your hot tub or spa in the last 6-months, it may be time to get yourself a new one. Follow this link to browse the range of filters the SpaChem team recommend Spa Hot Tub Filters – Darlly – Pleatco – Unicel – Filbur
Step four: cleaning.
As tempting as it is to dash for the hose pipe and start refilling your hot tub, take a moment to give all of the interior surfaces and the cover of your spa a clean.
There are many household cleaning products that say they are safe to use on your hot tub, but with each of those products there could be a risk of causing damage to the shell of your hot tub. The SpaChem recommendation would be to use only products that are specifically formulated hot tub surface cleaner for hot tub and spa cleaning. Spa Surface Cleaner (Non Spray Bottle) 1ltr
Step five: refill, sanitise and balance.
Now it’s garden hose pipe time, grab your water supply and refill your hot tub or spa, it’s always best to please the hose / water flow into the filter housing which will minimise potential air blocks.
Make sure that your hot tub water balancing (TA, pH Minus, pH Increaser) is completed first then check your sanitisation levels using the correct testing water method or test strips to ensure that your hot tub is safe to use. If you are unsure on how to sanitise your water, have a read of our latest blog that will guide you through the products available Sanitisers: Chlorine v’s Bromine – which one should you use?.
Now that your water is sanitised, it’s time to balance your hot tub water. If you would like more support and advice on how to balance your water and the products available to support this, click on our balancing blog here High pH and alkalinity in your spa
Step six: use and enjoy knowing you have fully prepared your hot tub for the Autumn season.
If you would like more specific information or advice on our Autumn care package for your hot tub or spa, contact one of the SpaChem team on: 02921 280422 or WhatsApp on: 07540184405.
