Pool and Hot Tub Maintenance Tips

A personal hot tub or swimming pool can be a great addition to any home. Not only is it a great place for your family to enjoy, relax, and have fun, it can even add to your home's resale value. However, hot tubs and swimming pools do require some extra upkeep. While these tasks may seem daunting, Home Warranty of America is here to offer some basic pool and spa maintenance tips.

Hot Tubs and Home Spa Maintenance

There are several important steps you can take towards your hot tub upkeep. Our hot tub maintenance tips can help keep your home spa debris free so you can relax and unwind with peace of mind.

1. Drain and Replace Spa Water

Hot tubs and home spas are generally smaller than the average swimming pool. This smaller size means there is less room for water to circulate and therefore it can become stagnant. To avoid the issues invited by stagnant water, like pesky mosquitos and unwanted algae, make sure to drain and replace your spa water every 60-90 days. You may have to if you use the hot tub very frequently. Other signs like foul smelling or cloudy and foamy water are indicators that it is time to refresh your hot tub's water.

2. Circulate the Water

Between full water replacement, circulate your hot tub’s water to help prevent it from going stagnant. Many hot tubs automatically circulate the water at several points throughout the day. If yours does not, turn you hot tub on for about .

3. Clean the Hot Tub

Sure, when it comes to hot tub maintenance tips this might be an obvious one, but it has to be mentioned. Make sure to regularly clean the inside of your hot tub. Do a light cleaning about once a week and a deep cleaning whenever you drain the hot tub. If your hot tub is outdoors, keep an eye out for debris such as fallen leaves.

Don’t forget the outer parts of the hot tub. When it comes to hot tub upkeep, many people tend to concentrate on the interior, but what’s on the outside matters, too! Give the outer shell a periodic scrub to keep your spa sanitary.

4. Clean the Filters

Clean filters go a long way in keeping the rest of your hot tub in pristine working order. Soak the filters in chemical cleaners whenever you drain your hot tub for a deep cleaning. Between those soaks, you can periodically remove the filters and give them a quick rinse with your garden hose.

5. Watch the pH Level

You can’t talk pool and spa maintenance without talking about pH levels. Don't neglect checking your hot tub's pH level. The appropriate pH levels vary, so use your owner's manual as a reference to keep your spa's levels within the manufacturers recommended range. A pH level that is too high can cause calcium scaling, while a pH level that is too low causes eye and skin irritation. Regulating the pH level helps you use your hot tub with comfort all year long.

6. Check your Covers

Tattered or waterlogged spa covers can harbor harmful microorganisms which can contaminate your spa water. Make sure to keep your hot tub covers in good condition, and replace them when necessary. Maintaining an appropriate hot tub cover also helps to keep harmful debris out of your tub, which helps to keep your water in usable condition.

7. Winterize Your Hot Tub

You don’t have to shut down your hot tub for the winter. In fact, soaking in that hot water is a great way to spend some relaxing time in the cold weather. Keeping the hot tub running will in the extreme cold. However, draining your hot tub and cleaning it can be a miserable task if you are in freezing weather, so give your hot tub a deep clean before temperatures drop.

If you do want to shut down your hot tub for the winter, drain the hot tub and make sure all the pipes, filters and pumps are cleared and dried. Leaving water in any of these while the hot tub is shut down may result in very bad freeze damage.

Swimming Pool Maintenance Tips

In the summer months, a home swimming pool is the perfect escape. Just like with a hot tub, a personal swimming pool needs regular maintenance. Study these pool maintenance tips to help keep your swimming pool in great condition.

1. Keep Debris Out

Unlike a hot tub or spa, your swimming pool only needs to be drained and refilled once every few years. This increases the need to insure your water is debris free through regular maintenance. Taking five minutes to skim your pool and rid it of leaves, insects and other debris will help keep your pool filters working effectively. A working pool filter is imperative to keeping your pool water clean and usable. While you're removing debris, check the area around your swimming pool. Cracked patio tiles and loose rocks could fall into the pool or pose danger to your friends and family.

2. Clean the Filter

One of the most important pool maintenance tips is to clean the filter. Pool filters vary and so do their cleaning procedures. Consult your owner’s manual for specific instructions on how to clean the filter.

Generally, the task involves shutting your pool equipment off and emptying the filter basket. You’ll also need to filter pipes on occasion, which you can usually do by setting the filter to the backwash setting. Again, refer to your owner’s manual for specific instructions.

3. Maintain your Pool's pH Level

Just as with hot tubs, pH levels are huge when it comes to swimming pool maintenance. When the weather is hot, you can spend hours on end enjoying your pool. Ensuring proper pH levels will keep you and your loved ones safe when swimming. When your pools pH level isn't balanced your water may look cloudy, your eyes and skin become irritated, and bacteria can breed more easily. A properly balanced pool should be clear, have no smell, and not cause irritation.

4. Maintain your Pool's Water Level

After a long afternoon enjoying your pool, you might see the water level lower than normal. If it dips below halfway up the opening of your skimmer, it's time to take action. Simply use your garden hose to fill the pool until the water level rises to at least halfway up the skimmer opening.

5. Winterize Your Pool

Potential damage from freezing water makes winter a big concern for pool and spa maintenance. Unlike with hot tubs, if you live in a cold weather area, keeping your pool up and running during the winter isn’t really an option. Winterize your pool by shutting it down and clearing all drains, skimmers, jets, filters and pumps. You may even want to add a little bit of RV antifreeze in the system to help ensure that any lingering water doesn’t cause freeze damage.

We hope our pool and spa maintenance tips are of helpful to you. Check out other tips we’ve compiled to keep your home in tip-top shape, such as our summer home maintenance tips, and if you need help understanding what a home warranty is, feel free to give us a call at 1-888-492-7359.