What is the correct pH range for hot tubs?
pH level should be between 7.2 – 7.8 ppm
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Maintenance
What is the ideal range for Alkalinity?
Alkalinity should be between 100 – 150 ppm
How often should a hot tub be drained?
Most hot tubs require the water to be changed every 90 days. This number of days vary based on how often you use your hot tub and how well you maintain, balance and sanitize your water.
How often should I clean my filters?
Pleated Hot tub filters should be thoroughly rinsed at least every 3 months. Do not rinse or clean with high powered pressure washers as they can damage the filter. To clean your filter properly, it must be submersed/sprayed with a filter cleaning solution and then rinsed off thoroughly with clean water before putting it back into your hot tub or spa.
How can I tell when a cartridge filter element needs to be replaced?
With no moving parts or electrical switches to fail, cartridge elements do not have a defined termination point. Instead the fine interstices of the media matrix gradually plug up over time.
In a typical hot tub or spa, the culprit that plugs the media is perspiration and body oils combined with soaps, chemicals and very fine particulate. Assuming the filter has been properly maintained and correctly sized to the pump, determining when the cartridge is exhausted depends primarily on three factors:
1. Shorter cycle time between cleanings
2. Low water flow rate and high differential pressure
3. Catastrophic failure such as a tear in the media or center core collapse
All three are dependent upon proper spa water chemistry and following a routine maintenance schedule. Tub owners should be reminded that filter elements are plastic and should be handled and maintained accordingly.
All of the following will help maximize the life & performance of a filter cartridge:
• Clean the elements per cleaning instructions.
• Never use a stiff brush to scrub the media.
• Maintain spa water chemistry in proper balance.
• Do not allow the differential pressure to go over 8 psi between cleanings.
• Alternate two sets of cartridges when cleaning.
Are Wood Hot Tubs Difficult to Clean & Maintain?
Absolutely not ! This is another common misconception about wood hot tubs. In fact, unlike plastic spas, wooden hot tubs don’t crack, chip, blister, bubble, fade or stain. To clean a hot tub all one has do is drain the water and rinse it out.
If necessary or desired they can be gently scrubbed with a soft brush and a mild bleach/water solution.
Most people leave the outside of a wooden tub natural bare wood. As with any type of wood, over time it will naturally gray from the elements. If you choose to put a finish on the outside of the hot tub, the directions for that finish will need to be followed carefully and most likely reapplied annually.
Are Wood Hot Tubs Unsanitary?
This is common misconception #2. The fact is, wood hot tubs are no less sanitary than plastic or acrylic spas. When improperly sanitized, wood hot tubs and acrylic spas can both represent a health hazard, but there is absolutely no evidence whatsoever that natural wood is more likely to harbor more bacteria or micro-organisms than plastic or acrylic spas.
In fact, a university study of kitchen cutting boards found that while bacteria multiplied and prospered on plastic cutting boards, it quickly died on cutting boards made from natural wood.
It’s important to remember, that regardless of the material that your hot tub or spa is made of, proper sanitation is the key.