When it comes to maintenance, a little goes a long way

At Brady's, We've welcomed so many of you to the world of hydrotherapy in the last little while, we thought it was a good idea to provide a little information about Hot Tub maintenance. To keep your water and your hot tub/swim spa in the best shape possible, of course a bit of attention is needed. We’ll talk about the essentials of hot tub care, little things that will make it easier for you to enjoy your Jacuzzi ^® for years to come.

Testing, testing. Is this thing on? Testing the water

Check your hot tub water often using simple test strips available at Brady's. Keep an eye on your water's sanitizer, pH, and overall alkalinity levels. If you're new to owning a hot tub, you may feel overwhelmed by the monitoring and testing you need to do. But don't worry, you don't need a degree in science to do this. All you need to know are the basics and what your goal levels should be. Our recommendations:

• Chlorine: 1.0–3.0 ppm
• Bromine: 2.0–4.0 ppm
• pH: 7.4–7.6
• Total Alkalinity: 80–120 ppm
• Calcium Hardness: 150–250 ppm

If you want more accurate results, or just need help with water chemistry, you can bring a water sample to Brady's and our water experts will be able to help you.

Mom says clean behind your ears and Clean Your Hot Tub

We added the Hot Tub part. Your hot tub, like most other appliances, needs to be cleaned regularly. You’ll want to wipe down your hot tub weekly with a fiber cloth, or mitt, and drain and clean it every 3-4 months. During this thorough cleaning, scrub all surfaces, the water line, and plumbing. If you’re using a cleaning solution, make sure it’s specific to your hot tub and won’t affect water quality.

This won't suck that much. I mean it will but… Oh just read on. Hot tub vacuums are a great way to remove occasional dirt, pebbles and such that get tracked into your hot tub. The vacuums can be battery powered or use a hand pump, and are simple to operate. Skimmer nets are great for dealing with floating debris and come in all different sizes.

After cleaning, you can fill your hot tub with water from the hose. We recommend using a hose end filter to keep things clean. (Some of these bad boys can filter up to 10,000 gallons.) Once your hot tub is filled, you can turn your hot tub on to warm up the water. The heating process can take up to 12 hours depending on your hot tub size.

Clean and Replace Your Hot Tub Filters

A top-notch hot tub filter is essential for a clean and stress-free soak. Maintaining your filter helps extend its life and can eliminate the need for expensive replacement parts. The frequency of filter cleanings depends on how often you use your tub and the manufacturer’s recommendations.

A good routine looks like this:

• Every week, week and a half, rinse the filters under gently flowing water or spray them out carefully with your garden hose.
• At the end of each month, spray them with a little filter cleaner, and let them soak for a few minutes before rinsing them.
• Every three months or so, soak them in a diluted mixture of filter cleaner and water for 12-24 hours. Rinse and reinstall.
• Eventually the filters will need to be replaced but you can greatly extend their effectiveness and their life with a little maintenance.

When Should You Replace Your Hot Tub Filter?

Your hot tub filter should be changed once or twice per year depending on how often you use your spa, how often you clean your hot tub and how often you have your hot tub serviced professionally. If you’re unsure if and when your filter needs replacing, you can always contact us at Brady's.

Just Add Water… To Your Hot Tub

This is one of the most neglected hot tub maintenance tips, but it's important to make sure you don't damage the pump. Keep the water level just above the uppermost jets or in the center of your skimmer intake, or just above it. Don't fill it too much, as you don't want to overflow. If you have a garden hose handy, you can always have water on hand to fill or top off the water level of your Jacuzzi ^® hot tub.

Hot Tub Services at Brady's

We hope these tips have helped you understand a bit more about Hot Tub and Swim Spa maintenance but if you still have questions about your hot tub or how to care of it, feel free to contact us or visit our showrooms in Idaho Falls and Twin Falls. The little bit of time you'll spend taking care of your Jacuzzi ^® will be returned ten fold with clean, crystal clear water and hot, relaxing hydrotherapy. Come see us at Brady's, where we want to get you in Hot Water.