Congratulations, and welcome to the club! Becoming a hot tub owner can be an incredibly rewarding and life-changing experience, but we'd be lying if we said there aren't potential challenges. In this article, we'll discuss some helpful tips that will go a long way as you embark on your new journey.
1. Stick to a good routine
If we were to pick only one piece of advice to give, it would be this - the importance of regular water care and maintenance can't be understated. A good care routine will save you thousands of dollars in repairs and, perhaps more importantly, less headache.
Here's a quick checklist for a general care routine:
- Test and balance your water at least twice a week.
- Wipe down around the waterline with a sponge weekly.
- Rinse your filters weekly, clean monthly, and replace yearly (some exceptions).
- Drain and refill your hot tub every 3-4 months.
Check out our Free Downloadable Water Care Card for a more detailed routine
2. Invest in a good cover
If you purchased your Jacuzzi with us, you've got this one covered (no pun intended) - each of our Jacuzzis comes with a ProLast Extreme Cover. While it may seem obvious to avoid cheap covers that lack durability, there are still things to consider with a reputable seller. How well does it insulate? Does it have a strong vapour barrier? These things affect electricity costs and cover lifespan.
Protect your cover with a conditioner
Many don't realize this, but UV from sunlight is one source that causes a cover to degrade. Fortunately, there are cover conditioner/protector sprays for this.
3. Economy mode
Many modern hot tubs have an Economy Mode or "Eco Mode" setting. This setting reduces how often your heater activates; it's important to note this makes the water colder than the set temperature. On modern Jacuzzi hot tubs, it prevents the heater from activating between 7am and 5pm daily. If you're using your hot tub every day or two it's probably not worth using, but if you're taking a break from the tub or going on vacation, Economy mode is a good way to save some money.
How to use economy mode (Jacuzzi)
4. Beware Extreme Temperatures
Although this is something you hopefully won't encounter, it's good to keep in mind. Freezing temperatures (usually due to heater failure during winter) - can be incredibly damaging to your hot tub. A space heater makes a great emergency backup.
A hot tub is good at heating water up but not cooling it down. If the temperature is set too high during hot weather, your water may get too hot, and your tub will likely show an error code (as a safety measure). Water that is too hot can pose severe health risks. Try setting your tub to a lower temperature. If it's still too hot, consider lowering the filter cycle (when pumps run less, they produce less heat).
5. Consider popular tools & accessories
While the list of accessories you can get for your spa is long, we want to highlight a couple of popular ones that are relatively inexpensive and quite functional.
The filter flosser is a hose attachment specifically designed to clean pleated spa filters. It uses less water and cleans deep between pleats in less time.
A pre-filter removes contaminants from your water as you fill your spa. They're multi-use and help provide the cleanest water.
6. Use your tub for a good sleep
This is the reason some people even buy a hot tub; if you haven't already thought about it, we highly recommend considering it. Having a soak in your spa 2 hours before bed can get you relaxed and help promote more restful sleep.
We hope you found this article helpful; there are many things to learn and discover as a new Jacuzzi or spa owner - these are just a few good ones to learn early. For more tips and tricks, check out our other blog posts.