Hot tubs advices: One of the most important factors in deciding when to change your hot tub water is the level of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)-a measure of everything soluble in your spa’s water. High TDS levels can indicate organic contamination and other problems. You can avoid doing full water changes by taking a page from aquarium enthusiasts and performing partial water changes at more frequent intervals than you would full ones. Rather than emptying your tub completely, remove a portion of your spa’s water, check the levels with a TDS meter , and adjust as necessary until your water is balanced and healthy. Low TDS levels make balancing your water chemistry much easier and help your sanitizers work more efficiently. Partial water changes are especially helpful in cold climates, where a full water change might not always be practical due to inclement weather or extreme temperatures.

Tips for buying a hot tub : Acrylic is the most common spa shell material, but roto-cast polymer, vinyl and wood are also options. The spa shell not only determines the look of the hot tub, but also its cost, insulation, and strength. Considering a wooden hot tub? Read more about wood tubs before you take the plunge.

Here are several tips on how to maintain your hot tub and also a suggestion if you live in Colorado. Parents and caregivers should never-not even for a moment-leave children alone near open bodies of water, such as lakes or swimming pools, nor near water in homes (bathtubs, spas), according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Spas and hot tubs are dangerous for young children, who can easily drown or become overheated. Don’t allow young children to use hot tubs, the AAP advises. Parents should learn CPR and keep a cellphone and emergency equipment (i.e., life preservers) at poolside.

Keep your spa water clean from algae, bacteria and other unwanted impurities by maintaining a safe amount of sanitizer. With too much sanitizer in your spa water, your lungs, skin and eyes may become irritated.

If your spa filter has a pressure gauge attached to it, the cartridge needs cleaned when the pressure rises 8-10 PSI higher than the freshly cleaned pressure reading, or when flow is noticeably reduced. If you have no gauge on your filter, you should clean the filter on a regular schedule. Spa and Hot Tub CareI clean my own filter cartridge every 4-8 weeks, depending on how often I use the spa. If my hot tub is being used a few times per week, I’ll clean the filter every four weeks, or monthly.

Your daily maintenance tasks are all about ensuring good water quality. In a hot tub that means checking two things: PH and sanitizer levels. This is easy stuff, and can generally be accomplished by dipping a single, color-coded test strip into the water to check that everything is as it should be. If you’re diligent about maintaining your tub, most days this won’t mean doing anything more than walking out to your tub, dipping the test stick in the water, and heading back inside. If your PH or sanitizer levels need adjusting, however, you’ll need take an extra few minutes to dump the proper additive into your water to get things back their proper levels. Doing so will prevent a host of problems, including scaling, mineral buildup, corrosion, skin irritation, and cloudy and stinky water. Vacuuming the spa can be accomplished with small vacuums that are either battery powered or garden hose powered. The Pool Blaster spa vacuums are battery operated and fast to use, or you can use the Grit Getter to suck up the little grains that gather in the corners. There are also spa vacs that connect to your vacuum hose for fast removal of even large leaves. Floating debris can be removed with a skimmer net. If you left the cover off during a windstorm and the spa is full of leaves, a skimmer net can also be used to scoop up the larger leaves under the water.

But first let’s see the hot tub choice of the month : This Hudson Bay Spa from Home & Garden Spas offers an affordable high-end spa solution for the masses. The beautifully constructed hot tub comes equipped with 14 powerful jets and an energy efficient motor to provide you with a high quality therapeutic massage without consuming immense amounts of energy. Even though this tub is advertised as being big enough for 4 people it is more aptly suited for couples or small families at best. What it lacks in size it more than makes up in quality, performance and price making this hot tub a top contender on this list. Find extra info at Regular Water heater maintenance Colorado.