There are few better things to have in the midst of the long summer months than an outdoor hot tub . But hot tubs have to be maintained if you want to keep them in good working order. There are four simple things that anyone with a hot tub can do to improve its longevity.

1) Keep the pH levels in your tub under control - When people talk about pH, they are referring to the acidity of the water. There is an inverse relationship between pH and acidity. The lower the pH of the water, the more acidic it is. If the amount of acidity is too high (i.e., the pH is too low) the water starts to corrode the metal portions of the hot tub.  However, a  pH level too high can cause problems for your hot tub as well. A high pH level can cause build up of scale and make it easy for stains to form.

The best hot tub pH range for normal use is in the range 7.2 to 8.0. You can easily test the pH level with spa strips.

2) Use a non soap based cleaner to clean the water line. This is not simply an aesthetic quirk. Bacteria and algae regard a hot tub water line as a great breading ground for growth.

3) Approximately every other month  - and more often if your hot tub is subjected to more than normal usage, drain the hot tub completely and clean it with a quality, non soap based, cleaning paste. If you don’t clean your hot tub on a consistent basis, it will gradually lead to the build of up total dissolved solids which will make the water cloudy and contribute to the development of unsightly surface foam.

4) You should clean your tub’s water filter cartridge at least once a month using a good quality cartridge cleaner. A dirty water filter hurts in two ways. It slows down water flow within the hot tub and it helps create a bacteria friendly environment. If the water filter is still dirty after a cleaning or two, you may have to replace it entirely.

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