How To Set Up Hot Tub Chemicals

Whether you have a brand new hot tub or you oasis't used it in a couple of months, making sure the water is safe and clean is paramount to enjoying a long soak. If it's your first time starting a hot tub, you might feel a footling overwhelmed. If you slacked a niggling on your spa maintenance, y'all might be struggling to recollect everything y'all demand to do.

Don't worry, nosotros've got your back. Follow these 12 elementary steps to showtime a hot tub like a pro.

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The Hot Tub Handbook and Video Course

1. Rinse and Drain

If you're a new hot tub possessor, yous're going to take to get used to the cleaning that comes with hot tub buying. If yous're a more seasoned owner, you know the drill.

For New Hot Tubs

Many manufacturers transport hot tubs with a pocket-size amount of antifreeze merely in case they're exposed to freezing temperatures on the manner to your house. Information technology protects the plumbing from any potential harm, only information technology's not something yous want to soak in.

Make full the tub's footwell—that'southward the lesser portion where you place your feet—with h2o, run the pumps for a few minutes, and and so drain. This clears any antifreeze out of your plumbing system.

To Restart a Hot Tub

If you've left your water sitting for a long menses of time with no maintenance, you need to bleed and make clean your hot tub to get rid of the old water and any bacteria colonies that could make you lot sick.

Afterward draining, refill the tub with new water. Cull a good jet and drain cleaner, and follow the instructions on the package. Allow the jets to run long plenty to practice a thorough cleaning task.

One time your jets and drains are clean, drain the hot tub again.

Tip: If you winterized your hot tub, your drain plugs and fittings will have been left unscrewed or open up. Before filling your tub with h2o, remember to make sure everything is reconnected:

Tighten all quick-disconnect fittings
Check the front and top of the pump to ensure it's continued
Inspect the heater for whatever missing plugs or loose connections
Ensure the air blower is properly continued
Close any drain valves
Put any piece valves in the open or upwards position

2. Turn off All Power

We're big on rubber here. Before you do any major cleaning you should e'er disconnect all power to your hot tub to foreclose any shocking mistakes.

This doesn't mean but flipping your spa equipment switch. Unplug your tub and turn off the circuit breaker to ensure the power is completely cutting off. Call back, water and electricity to not mix.

3. Clean the Empty Hot Tub

You lot wouldn't bathe in a dingy tub or shower, right? Well, you don't want to soak in a muddied hot tub either. Keeping your spa clean is pretty much a third of the maintenance forth with water chemistry and hardware budget.

For New Hot Tubs

When you first kickoff a spa, yous want to make certain all the surfaces that water may come into contact with are as clean equally possible. Spray and wipe down the shell (that's the actual tub of your hot tub) and the cover.

Apply a not-abrasive cleaner and a soft material or sponge to forbid whatever damage to your trounce. Rinse thoroughly to keep your hot tub from foaming later.

To Restart a Hot Tub

If your spa sat with stagnant water in it for a while, it's a good idea to perform a hot tub deep clean to get it back to usable status.

four. Install or Clean the Filter

Your hot tub filter plays a crucial part in maintaining the cleanliness of your water. This is the all-time fourth dimension to install new filters or make clean your former filters.

For New Hot Tubs

Install a filter cartridge into every filter well. Some hot tubs only have one, only cheque your owner's manual merely to exist safe.

To Restart a Hot Tub

Remove and inspect any filter cartridges currently installed. Check them all to see if they demand to be replaced.

If they're just dirty, y'all tin can clean the hot tub filters by spraying them downwardly with filter cleaner. If they're extremely dirty, put them in a chemic soak overnight. Actually, it doesn't thing if they expect muddied or non, it'south safer to clean them anyway.

Once the filter cartridges are clean, inspect them i more than fourth dimension in case they demand replacing before reinstalling them into your filter wells.

v. Fill Your Hot Tub

Whether y'all're filling your hot tub for your outset or fiftieth time, we besides recommend y'all utilise a hose filter. Information technology will aid remove any impurities from your h2o source, including high mineral levels (which tin clog your system), metals like copper and fe (which tin can turn your water green or brownish), and calcium (which tin cause buildup in your trounce and plumbing).

Hose filters forbid mineral and metal problems before they start, which tin can save you a lot of time and money.

Fifty-fifty with a hose filter, we recommend placing the hose into the filter well. This lets the water circulate through the system and push out whatever air locks (air stuck in the plumbing).

Our Elevation Selection

Using the Filter Well

If you don't have a hose filter, the next best matter is to place the hose direct into the filter area rather than the footwell. Yous'll become the filtering benefits from the hot tub's filter, and will however head off any air lock bug.

Monitor the Water Fill Level

Your owner'due south manual may have specific instructions on how high your water level should be, but more often than not, you lot want the water level to exist virtually an inch below the headrests while still existence high enough to fully cover the jets.

Attempt to resist the temptation to add a niggling more water. When yous, your family, or your guests enjoy the tub, the water level rises. If you spill water, it tin can throw off the balance of your hot tub chemical science, which means more work for yous later. Plus, if your hot tub is indoors, y'all'll take a slippery mess.

You besides desire to make sure your h2o level is loftier plenty. Depression water levels can cause your heater and pump shut downwards, which means no outflow from the jets and less filtration. Plus, if yous live in a colder climate, your h2o might not circulate properly and your pipes could freeze.

6. Prime the Pump

Air in your hot tub's lines can cause a whole slew of problems. To brand sure air is out of everything, you lot need to prime the hot tub pump. This procedure varies depending on the manufacturer and model, then consult your possessor'southward manual before proceeding.

Some command panels have a self-priming fashion. If yours doesn't, you'll have to prime it manually using a bleeder valve.

Control Panel Priming

It's easy to prime your pumps using your control panel, if it has the setting:

Press the jets button to turn the pump on. Run for ten to twenty seconds.
Press the jets push again to plow the jets on high. Run for some other ten seconds, and make certain all the jets are working.
Turn off the jets past pressing the jets button again.
Continue to repeat this procedure until water circulates through all the jets. You'll know the pump is primed if all the jets are working as they should.

Bleeder Valve Priming

It's not a large bargain if your hot tub doesn't have a self-priming style. It'due south just as piece of cake to prime your hot tub using a bleeder valve, which is a nozzle on the pump that allows air to escape:

Make sure all power is disconnected from your hot tub by turning off your spa and the breaker.
Locate your hot tub'due south pump. If you're unsure of its location, bank check your owner's transmission.
Close the gate valve on the belch side of the pump. This shuts off the water flow.
Plow the bleeder valve counterclockwise until you hear it get-go to hiss. That'southward air leaving the pump. All the air has been released when the hissing stops.
Once all the air has escaped, tighten the bleeder valve, reopen the gate valve, and turn the hot tub power on.
Plough on the jets to check whether the water is flowing properly. Echo the procedure until the pump is primed and water is flowing normally.

Help! My Water Isn't Flowing

If your jets are running and there'south no water flowing through them, you lot're probably experiencing an air lock. They're not uncommon and they're elementary to fix, so don't worry. To get rid of an air lock:

Turn all of your jets' faceplates counterclockwise to open them.
Continue the heater off by turning down your thermostat.
Press the jets button twice to turn the jets on high. Permit them run for ten to fifteen seconds. Turn off the jets.
Repeat the previous step iii more than times, increasing the run time by ten to fifteen seconds.
You will get-go to see air bubbling coming from the jets. Proceed the jets running until all the air has been released.

seven. Add the Beginning-Up Chemicals

At present that your filters are clean and installed, your water is fresh, and your pump is primed, information technology's finally time to add your start-up chemicals. Wait until your hot tub water reaches 80ºF (30ºC) before you add together annihilation. The heat helps the chemicals dissolve and contain into the water.

If you're non sure what chemicals you lot demand, bank check out our guide to Hot Tub Chemicals. And if yous've never added chemicals to your water before, we have a few tips before you get started:

Figure out how much water your hot tub holds. You tin can find usually this in your owner's manual. The amount of water in your tub determines the amounts of chemicals you need, so this is important.
Measure your chemicals earlier pouring them into the tub. It helps keep your water chemical science balanced and will save you money in the long run.
Keep your chemical measurements separate before pouring them into your tub. Mixing chemicals outside of water tin be dangerous and less effective.
Important: Do not utilise pool chemicals in your tub. Chemicals made specifically for hot tubs are your best option.

8. Run the Pump

Once your chemicals are added, run the pump for at least 10 minutes on high speed. This evenly distributes the chemicals in the water, and volition give you a more accurate exam result.

9. Exam Your Water

If you're a new hot tub possessor, become ready to discover the high school chemical science throwback that is testing your hot tub water.

You may accept measured the chemicals, but you should always check to make certain your chemistry is right. If your chemistry is off, it can harm your hot tub, irritate your skin, or let nasty leaner to invade your relaxation time.

If you're a new hot tub owner, and y'all're not certain how to test your hot tub water, don't worry. It's non as difficult as it may seem, and you'll go the hang of information technology in no time.

We also recommend you program to test your hot tub water at home one time a week and accept your water professionally tested at your local spa supplier once a month.

ten. Set up the Water Temperature

Some like it hot, and some like information technology hotter. You should find the temperature that's most comfortable for you, but we recommend keeping your h2o between 98ºF and 102ºF (36ºC and 38ºC).

Caution: Your water temperature should never, ever exceed 104ºF (40ºC). Y'all could burn yourself or damage your hot tub, or both.

While your hot tub control panel has a thermometer, nosotros recommend y'all test your water with a divide thermometer to ensure an accurate reading.

We likewise recommend that you keep your water's temperature consistent. If you lot permit your water absurd off and reheat with every use, you run the risk of stressing the heater and circuit board. Not to mention, you'll waste a ton of energy and get a higher electrical or gas bill.

11. Cover Your Hot Tub

Allow your water circulate for another ten minutes afterward you fix the temperature. Cover your tub for approximately twenty-four hours. This helps the temperature ascension, retain rut, and prevent loss of h2o and chemicals through evaporation.

12. Test Your Water

No, nosotros're not just repeating ourselves. At present that your h2o has had some time to stabilize, the chemical levels may not be right. Before you use the hot tub, test the h2o a second time and adjust chemical levels as needed.

Additional Considerations Before Restarting Your Hot Tub

When you outset a spa later a long break, inspect your hot tub for whatever cracks, stains, or mildew. Dampness may disguise damage, then it's important to look for your tub interior to dry completely before looking it over.

Be sure to likewise take a peek at the wiring before you refill. If you run across any frayed cords or loose connections, phone call a qualified electrician to inspect information technology. Unless yous're a licensed electrician, working with electrical systems is best left to a professional.

Great Work!

You've successfully started or restarted your hot tub. We told you lot it wasn't that complicated. Equally a reward, sit dorsum, relax, and let your troubles bladder away in your hot tub.

Happy Soaking!

Matt Giovanisci is the founder of Swim University® and has been in the pool and spa manufacture since 1995. Since and then, his mission is to make puddle and hot tub intendance easy for everyone. And each twelvemonth, he continues to assist more people with water chemistry, cleaning, and troubleshooting.

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