Hot tub maintenance: the routine, week after week

Every week

• Check the pH with test strips or a tester: it should stay between 7 and 7.4. Too low, and the water becomes aggressive for the equipment; too high, and the sanitiser loses its effectiveness.
• Check the sanitiser (chlorine or bromine) and adjust according to the product instructions.
• Rinse the filters with a hose: on many of our models, they come out without tools.
• Wipe the waterline with a soft sponge, without abrasive products.

Take a shower before soaking and close the cover afterwards: the water stays clean longer and needs fewer products. The AquaPure UV lamp, available as an option on most of our hot tubs, adds to the disinfection. Choosing a sanitiser and dosing it are explained in our guide Hot tub water treatment.

Every month: the filters

Filters catch what the sanitiser does not destroy: hair, dust, cream residue. Once a month, clean them thoroughly with a suitable degreasing product, then rinse them well before putting them back. With a second set of filters, the hot tub keeps running while the first set dries.

Replace the cartridges regularly. Our terms of sale require original filters to be used and changed four times a year for private use, and once a month for commercial use.

Every three to four months: draining

Even when well treated, the water gradually builds up minerals and product residue: it needs to be renewed every three to four months, more often if the hot tub is used a lot. For a 950-litre hot tub like the Esperanza, that is about 3 to 4 m³ of water a year.

1. Switch off the power to the hot tub.
2. Drain it through the valve provided, to a place where the water can run away.
3. Clean the tub with a non-abrasive product, and clean the filters.
4. Refill, switch back on, then rebalance the pH and sanitiser before the first soak.

The cover

It keeps the heat in, protects the water from leaves and dust, and limits evaporation. Close it after every soak. Clean it at least once a month, as our terms of sale recommend, with clean water or a mild product. Also check that it still fits well: a cover that lets air through is expensive in heating.

The cladding

Wood-effect PVC cladding is easy to clean with water and a mild product. Aluminium and Alu-Teck composite cladding needs no maintenance. Keep the PVC panels out of contact with the ground, as our terms of sale require.

Winter

A hot tub is left running in winter. Most of our hot tubs have a frost protection mode, shown in the "Electricity and controls" section of their product page: it protects the water and pipes when the temperature drops. Keep the cover closed between soaks, and check the water temperature and level from time to time, especially after a frost. Avoid draining the hot tub in the middle of winter: without circulating water, the pipes are exposed to frost.

After a long absence

If the hot tub has been left running, check the pH and sanitiser, rinse the filters and clean the waterline. If it has been drained, refill it, clean the filters and rebalance the water before the first soak. Water that keeps an unusual smell or colour should be drained.

Things to avoid

Our terms of sale set out a few rules of use, which protect both the water and the hot tub:

• shower before soaking, and do not get into the water with cream or oil on your skin;
• do not pour essential oils directly into the water;
• tie up long hair;
• do not sit on the edge, the valves, the headrests or the control panel, and do not jump into the hot tub;
• do not block the jets and do not stay in front of the skimmer or the suction fittings;
• do not use abrasive products, and do not force the valves closed;
• use the treatment products recommended by Tropic Spa: other products can damage the hot tub and void the warranty.

Frequently asked questions

How long does hot tub maintenance take?

About ten minutes a week for the checks and rinsing the filters, a little more once a month for cleaning the filters and the cover, then the time it takes to drain and refill every three to four months.

What should I do if the water turns cloudy?

First check the pH and sanitiser, adjust them, then clean the filters. If the water is still cloudy, drain it: it has probably reached the end of its cycle.

Which products should I plan for a year?

For private use, our terms of sale provide each year for two maintenance kits (chlorine or bromine, with pH plus and pH minus), two anti-scale treatments and four filters. Use Tropic Spa approved products and filters: without a maintenance subscription, you need to be able to show the product invoices for any work under warranty. See Our warranties.

Should I empty my hot tub in winter?

No. Leave it running, with the cover closed: the frost protection mode of most of our hot tubs protects the water and pipes. If the hot tub is going to stand unused for a long time, talk to your advisor.