You did it, you took the plunge and finally decided to purchase the spa you’ve wanted for so long, and now you’re searching for a guide to taking care of your spa. It is such an exciting time and with the weather being a little bit chillier here in Phoenix, you will definitely be utilizing it. Who wouldn’t want to come home after a long day of work and enjoy a nice, relaxing night in the spa? But in order for that to happen, you have to clean and maintain it on a regular basis. You may still be wondering about the upkeep process in order to keep your spa looking brand new for as long as possible but don’t worry, we have a few tips and tricks that will help you in your new spa venture. Listed below is a simple guide to taking care of your spa.
Testing your spa water 2-4 times a week will allow you to make the appropriate chemical adjustments needed for your spa water to be ready to use at any given time. In this guide to taking care of your spa you will notice that the chemical balance in your spa is extremely important. The pH, Alkalinity, Calcium hardness, and sanitizer levels all have an average range at which they should be on a consistent basis. By checking these levels regularly, you are able to make small adjustments accordingly. A small test kit will allow you to test these levels quickly and easily, and writing them down in a journal can also help you keep track of the level ranges throughout the week.
Sanitizer is one of the most important chemicals in your spa. As we touched on previously, you should check your sanitizer levels 2-4 times a week. Sanitizer kills any unwanted bacteria in your spa so it is crucial that you check it regularly. DIfferent types of sanitizer include: Chlorine, Bromine, and biguanide. Because spa water is warm, bacteria can grow rather quickly, but if your sanitizer is balanced correctly you will not have to worry about this.
Aside from testing your spa water, cleaning it regularly is also important for its upkeep. Whether you have an inground spa or above ground, draining it every 2-4 months and scrubbing the sides down with a spa cleaner will help in the longevity of your spa. Draining it every few months also allows you to start fresh with your water-chemical balance. Remove any debris from the top of your spa with a skimmer net, something that can be done in a short amount of time a few times a week. Using a battery powered spa vacuum can remove any debris that has fallen to the bottom of your spa, and should be performed weekly.
The spa filter is an extremely important component in terms of spa maintenance. In order to clean the spa filter, you must first remove it from your spa. You should rinse the spa filter weekly, making sure to get between each pleat. Once a month, you should use a chemical to “deep clean” your filter. First rinse it how you normally would, then take your chemical cleaner, we suggest using a filter cleaner specific for spas, and spray down the filter. Let the filter cleaner sit on the filters for about 15 minutes then rinse them off with clean water before putting the filter back into your spa. You should replace your filter every 1-2 years, depending on how often you thoroughly clean it.
This sounds much more intense than it really is, but shock treatment is crucial for the longevity of your spa. Shock treatments break down the organic contaminants that could lead to cloudy water, algae, bacteria, and other viruses that you definitely don’t want living in your spa. Because you are using an oxidizer during the shock treatment, it is important to read the label correctly as to not mishandle the shock.
Sometimes we forget that taking care of the spa cover is just as important as caring for our spa. A simple guide to taking care of your spa cover consists of rinsing it off a few times a week with a garden hose and conditioning the vinyl with the appropriate cleaner once a week. This will help your cover last a much longer period of time, especially if it is outside and susceptible to sun and weather damage.
It can seem overwhelming at first, but once you get into a habit of caring for your spa every few days, it will become much easier. The great thing about spas is that they are small, so the maintenance on them is actually minimal in the grand scheme of things. The test kits make testing the chemical balance in your spa a breeze and it will tell you exactly what needs to be added to the water in order to balance it correctly. Using this guide to taking care of your spa will help eliminate any of your frustrations or confusion. We promise that if you follow this guide to taking care of your spa, your spa will be sparkly clean every day!
If you find that you are too busy to care for your spa, let us do the work for you! Call today for a quote!