Category Archives: Hot Tub

If you own a hot tub, you know that having water that is clean, clear, and safe for you and your guests is crucial. Understanding how to keep your hot tub’s chemistry balanced will not only ensure that your water is in top condition, but it will also keep your hot tub equipment running strong.

Below you’ll find out more about the basics of hot tub chemistry so you can keep your hot tub looking its best.

Chlorine Versus Bromine

Chlorine and bromine are both sanitizers. This means they kill viruses and bacteria and prevent algae from growing in your hot tub. Chlorine is more commonly known than bromine and is extremely effective in creating clear, clean, disinfected water. You can choose from easy to use tablet or granule forms. Chlorine levels should always be between 3 and 5 mg/l.

Bromine is preferred by some hot tub owners because it is a mixture of sodium bromide and chlorine. Because of this, it doesn’t have the overpowering smell that chlorine is known for. Bromine also comes in tablet or granule forms and is just as easy to use as chlorine. To keep your hot tub clean and safe, bromine levels should stay between 3 and 6mg/l.

Hot Tub Shocking

Shocking your hot tub with chemicals is a practice all hot tub owners should be familiar with. Every so often, shocking your hot tub will destroy odors, oils, dirt, and dead organic material. Specialized shock products are available, including non-chlorine shocks with water clarifiers and pH buffers. For simplicity, you can skip buying a product and simply apply chlorine or bromine at a higher level.

Alkalinity for Stability

The total alkalinity (TA) level of your hot tub is a strong indication of how well your water is able to maintain a stable pH level. Ideally, TA should be between 125 and 150mg/l. If your TA is lower than this, corrosion will result. If it is higher, the water will become cloudy. An important beginner’s tip regarding adjusting the TA is to adjust the total alkalinity before you check the pH. Because TA has the ability to influence the pH, adjusting it first will make sure the pH remains in balance.

Keep Your pH Level Steady

Your hot tub’s pH level is a measure of its alkalinity or acidity and can easily be determined by using test strips. If the pH range is between 0 and 6 that means your water is acidic. If the pH is 7, your water is neutral. If the reading is between 7 and 14, your water is basic. When adjusting pH, you want it to be right in the middle, between 7.4 and 7.8. At this slightly basic level, you’ll achieve the best possible sanitation. Not only is pH balance important for keeping your hot tub safe, but it also protects your hot tub equipment. If your pH level falls below 7, within three weeks it can damage your jets, pump seals, and head cushions. If you notice a low pH reading, make sure to fix it as quickly as possible.

Calcium Regulation

Whenever you fill your hot tub with new water, check the calcium level. It should stay between 100 and 200 mg/l. At lower levels, you’ll experience corrosion while higher levels can create cloudy water and calcium deposits that can cause serious problems for the heating element, equipment, and shell. Fortunately there are many products available to balance the calcium in your hot tub and remove deposits if necessary. Your dealer should be able to recommend the best product for your needs.

Now that you’ve learned a bit about hot tub chemistry, download our buyer’s guide and start looking for the right hot tub for your lifestyle.

From increased circulation and the benefits to your overall heart health to soothing sore muscles, hot tubs simply provide a great solution to alleviate pain, while providing a lot of fun. What many people don’t realize is that you can also get a really good workout in a hot tub despite the space restrictions.

Because the water in a hot tub offers the exact same amount of resistance that a traditional pool or swim spa offers, you can really work those muscles and get a healthy resistance based workout with just a few simple alterations to the way you would work out in a pool.

One great and easy exercise is the shoulder roll. Simply sit in the hot tub and start to rotate your shoulders first to the front and then to the back. Do this a few times to get loosened up before starting on the other exercises.

The next is torso rotations. Simply kneel on the floor of your hot tub and put your hands on your sides. Then, start to rotate your torso from side to side. Side leg extensions are another great exercise for the hot tub. Sit in one corner holding the edges to support yourself and begin to stretch out both legs, so they are floating in the water. Then, spread your legs apart slowly followed by retracting them to the original position. The resistance from the water will make it seem like you are pushing weights without the high impact.

You can also do the same with your arms. Simply kneel again on the hot tub floor and put your arms together in front. Then, extend your arms outward like you are swimming doing the breast stroke. Then, pull them back in and repeat the movement until you have had enough for the day.

The only limit to the exercises you can do in the hot tub is your imagination. The resistance from the water will make them seem as though you are doing a much heavier work out and you will simply feel great!

Just as sitting in a warm bath can have therapeutic effects on your body, a soak in a hot tub can have even a greater impact on your tired and sore muscles.

No matter what the cause of your muscle soreness, whether from working a hard and physically demanding job or as a result of training for a sporting event, the result is the same. You feel sore and your tired muscles ache and scream for some relief. But, you force yourself to keep going because you have the commitment to whatever it is you are trying to accomplish, whether that is winning the game you love or simply to put food on the table for your family.

Thankfully, there is a way to make those muscles feel better and to recover from the intense strain you have put them through. Most people have access to a hot tub whether it is on your yard, a neighbor’s property or the local gym. Getting the opportunity to spend some time rejuvenating those muscles and reaping the benefits of the hot tub are pretty easy to do.

Science has shown us that the use of hydrotherapy and hydro massage provides immediate relief for a broad range of issues that we face when working those muscles to the extreme.

The combined benefits include, not just the rejuvenation of the muscles, but also benefits like increased circulation that greatly aids the body in its recovery phase, as well as lowering blood pressure and stress, which have lasting benefits for your body and mental health.

With all of the amazing things that you can experience while soaking in a hot tub for a few minutes, you simply have to make the time to find a place where you can experience it for yourself. Once you do and fully recognize the incredible benefits, you will be joining a great number of people who have purchased a hot tub for their own space and can enjoy the benefits any time you like, night or day.

You have decided to purchase a new hot tub for you and the family to enjoy! You have done all the research and made all the pertinent choices regarding the amount of seats you prefer and the jet layout that you like. You’ve also decided on the accessories that fit your lifestyle, such as audio and visual components. You are now ready to get your hot tub delivered. What exactly do you need to do to prepare for the delivery and installation of your spa?

You may have considered this before purchasing your hot tub. The decision on where to locate your new hot tub is a very important consideration in deciding what type and size of hot tub you will ultimately purchase.

Whether you choose to install your hot tub inside or outside, there are things to consider, such as ease of access to and from your hot tub. Do you want to place your spa in the back yard and navigate along a pathway that you can light up that looks exceptional, while maximizing your privacy or would you prefer to have it closer to the house in order to eliminate that walk? Either way, you will need to make sure that you can get all the electrical components and hook ups to the spot as efficiently and cost effectively as possible.

You will also need to have a pad on which to place the new unit which will be fully able to support the weight of the spa when filled with water. If your installer does not include that as part of the package you have purchased, be sure to have a qualified contractor come in to do the job properly and to the specifications required by the hot tub manufacturer. This is important as the warranty for the spa may indicate that the installation process conforms to the manufacturers standards in order to be enforceable.

A good contractor can also help you if you decide to have a deck or some other structure like a gazebo built around your spa to enhance the visual appeal of the hot tub or to provide you a bit of privacy if you live close to other homes.

After you have your base in place and the electrical hook ups are all ready and waiting, the spa will be installed and you can sit back and enjoy a dip in your new hot tub.

Anyone who has used a hot tub knows there is nothing as relaxing as the feel of the warm water and jets soothing your sore muscles and joints. The jets apply the right amount of pressure to make the whole body feel relaxed and stress free. What some do not realize or are unaware of is that those suffering from common aliments can significantly benefit by using a hot tub.

One of the most common aliments in our society today is diabetes. Type 2 diabetes or adult onset diabetes is a rapidly growing and strikes all too many individuals in North America. The regimen of care necessary to treat diabetes stresses that circulation is of primary importance and many diabetes patients sufferer from a lack of circulation in the lower extremities.

While the joyful experience of soaking in a hot tub can and does help with circulation, the diabetes sufferer also has to be aware of how long they spend in the water, as well as the temperature that they are setting the hot tub to as well. If these simple cautions are adhered to, the diabetes sufferer can benefit greatly from the hot tub and a regular regimen that includes time spent in one.

A recent study has shown that diabetes sufferers between the ages of 43-68 years who spent 30 minutes per day, six days a week for a period of six weeks actually lost weight and dramatically reduced their insulin intake, while experiencing better sleep.

The soothing waters of a hot tub are a great way to improve overall health quality, not just for sufferers of diabetes or other ailments. Statistics show that improved blood and cardiovascular circulation are a primary driver in overall good health, especially for heart health.

While the relaxation factor is the driving force behind the purchase of most hot tubs, the added value that one gets from the many health benefits make the decision to install a hot tub in your home seem even smarter and more forward thinking from a health perspective.

Many people have made the choice to buy a hot tub for the benefits that are the most obvious, such as the soothing hot water that alleviates strained muscles and joint pain. What many people fail to realize is that you can get a very decent full body workout in a hot tub despite the space limitations.

The long understood benefits of exercising while immersed in water have been acknowledged for generations. The resistance that the water creates can help to build and strengthen muscle mass and help to prevent injury through the buoyancy created by the water.

The benefits realized are the primary reason that many spas and physiotherapy clinics have hot tubs.

Learning even a few of the countless exercises that can be performed in a hot tub can help with ailments, such as diabetes and other circulatory afflictions by helping to increase the blood flow in the body, especially to the lower extremities.

Performing a simple aerobic routine while in the hot tub with actions that use the resistance of the water instead of heavy weights is a great way to get a full body workout without the harmful effects that a high impact workout can cause.

Almost any exercise that you can perform in a full size swimming pool, other than laps, can be performed in a hot tub. There are many aqua fitness routines available on the Internet that are great to use as a template for your exercise routine.

Simply choose a set of exercises that is right for you, while taking into consideration the space you have to work with and you will find that you can get as good or even a better workout in the hot tub. Simply adjust your exercises to fit the space you are in and realize the true health benefits of owning your hot tub.

The only thing worse than getting into a hot tub that is too hot is getting into one that is too cold! So what is the right water temperature for hot tub? It really depends on your personal preference for the most part.

The boundaries that most hot tubs have with regard to temperature are between the very high point of 40 degrees Celsius and a lower range of about seven degrees before the pumps and jets kick in to prevent the tub from freezing. Most likely, nobody would want to sit in a hot tub in the seven degree range. At the other end of the spectrum, 40 degrees is the industry agreed maximum as anything higher can lead to potential health hazards.

Studies have shown that, for the most part, women will prefer a temperature that is slightly higher than men prefer. Of course, that is not always the case, but generally that is true. Women usually prefer a temperature around 38-39 degrees, not far off the mark of the maximum setting on the majority of hot tubs.

Many hot tub installers will tell you that when they install a spa and set it for the first time, they generally set the temperature to 38 degrees. This is the temperature that seems to be the most comfortable to enter into and allows for the temperature drop that hot tubs will experience when people enter into the hot tub.

The ability to lower the temperature in the very hot summer months is a great benefit as well. There is nothing that says you have to keep the temperature at the highest level during the summer months. As long as you maintain the water as you would normally, there is no reason why you cannot lower the temperature and enjoy your hot tub like a small cooling pool during the summer. You could reap the benefits of cooling down all the while saving on heating costs!

The fact of the matter is there is no one size fits all temperature that will please everyone. Your personal preference is what matters after all. Choose the temperature that works best for you, your family, and friends. Your comfort is the best answer to the question!

There is probably nothing worse than going to enjoy your hot tub or spa with friends or family, then you pull off the cover and find that the water is less than appealing in either smell or texture.

It is probably something every hot tub owner has experienced at one time or another, such as milky, foamy or exceptionally cloudy water. Furthermore, at times, you can’t figure out exactly what is causing the issue.

Depending on what you are experiencing, there is usually a pretty definitive explanation for what is occurring.

If your water is exceptionally cloudy and seems to have a whole lot of very small particles floating in the water, there are a variety of reasons for this occurrence. It may caused by insoluble particles suspended in the water, dead algae particles, organic debris or even detritus from a poorly running filter.

The best way to deal with this issue is to check your filter to be sure that it is running properly as this is the first suspect, especially when the water has particles floating. Be sure to clean the filter or even replace it if you suspect that they are performing less than optimally. You can also check and ensure that the balance of the water is correct with regard to PH levels and be sure to check your sanitizer level as well as this can be the cause of this symptom as well. You can also try and perform a full shock of the water with a non chlorine shock. As a last resort, empty the hot tub and begin again. While this may seem extreme, sometimes it is the best way to go, especially if the usage has been very heavy.

If you find the water to be very milky, while lacking the particles mentioned above, you can try the same techniques described earlier, while omitting the clarifier as it’s not necessary.

The easiest one to pin down is the foamy water issue. The primary cause of the water to become foamy and leave a greasy type film on the edge of the waterline is the interaction between the deodorants, make up and detergents on bathing suits and the chemicals in the hot tub.

The simplest way of dealing with this is to have your guests take a quick shower before jumping in the hot tub. This may seem like a pain, but the hassles it causes down the road can be limited by this simple process. You can also use an enzyme based product to counteract the reaction. Both of these are preferable to using products like No Foam as these types of products are simply a quick fix rather than a long term solution.

A common question as the weather begins to turn is what to do if you get snow on your hot tub cover. The biggest fear people have is how much weight can the hot tub cover take. There are different ways to approach this question and they are determined mainly by the type of cover you have for your spa. Of course, a mesh cover will perform differently both a solid cover and a safety cover. There is a general rule of thumb for snow on the cover which is if there is only a foot or two of snow, the cover should have no problem holding that amount. However, If you get to the two to three feet of snow, you should stay clam but begin to take notice. If you get over three feet, you should definitely take some action.

As we said above, there are different things to consider depending on the type of cover you have to protect you pool or spa. If you have solid type covers the best thing to do is simply let nature takes its course and let the snow melt over time. You can invest in a cover pump that will remove the melted water, but there is not much else to do overall. The cover should hold the snow reasonably well.

A safety cover may look as though it will break from the weight of the snow but there really is not much you can do other than wait for the snow to melt and then pump the water off just as you would with a solid cover. The main reason to avoid trying to shovel the snow off the cover is that you can cause much more damage to the cover.