Whether you live in an area that always feels like summer, or you’re in a region that switches from season to season pretty obviously, it’s important to ensure your hot tub is summer ready. The hot tub, as is its nature, is hot, but certain things shouldn’t be directly subject to the heat, humidity, and sun, lest they degrade.
Hot tubs can be a long-lasting indulgence but only when cared for properly. Use this guide to implement the best hot tub maintenance tips that will manage water chemistry, proper cleaning and sanitization procedures, filter maintenance, and sun protection during the summer.
Hot tub maintenance in summer weather
It’s not just heat. The humidity, heat, and temperature fluctuations also cause thunderstorms, sudden dryness, and poor air quality. Warmer weather also brings different allergens and pollutants that can nestle into hot tub crevices.
Strong UV rays
Just as UV rays can cause sunburns and damage our skin, so too can they dry out hot tub covers and turn them brittle. They can crack, tear, and lose their ability to properly retain heat and protect the water inside.
Heat and humidity
Hot tubs are already hot and humid as the water evaporates. The added heat and humidity need to be accounted for so that too much water isn’t evaporating and the water remains at a usable and safe temperature. How hot it is outside of the hot tub also determines if it’s safe to be using the hot tub. For example, if there’s a heat warning in effect, it isn’t safe to use a hot tub.
Air quality and pollutants
Along with the heat comes air quality concerns with new pollutants and allergies. As well, if the air is stagnant and humid, it might not be circulating fresh air throughout your backyard (or wherever your hot tub is). Allergens, dust, and pollutants aren’t the same year-round; some require different climates, and that’s worth considering when maintaining your hot tub in the summer. The water chemistry and cleanliness should be carefully monitored.
Thunderstorms
Heat and humidity also encourage thunderstorms. Harsh storms can carry debris and heavy rain can settle in hot tub covers. Thunderstorm conditions can have unwanted effects on a hot tub in the summer concerning its cleanliness. In these conditions, ensure the hot tub cover is securely latched and that you’re using the right one.
Proper hot tub maintenance techniques for the summer
Given the unique risks that summer weather poses, here are the best tips to follow to ensure the hot tub remains safe to use and just as fun and relaxing as it is at other times of the year.
Inspect
Always start by inspecting the hot tub and all its parts. This applies to any season, but when the summer hits, it’s an important time to check up on the hot tub cover, water cleanliness, filters, jets, and hot tub interior.
As with any project, it would be foolish to jump into action without knowing the full extent of the needed maintenance. Get familiar with what you might want or need to fix or clean with the hot tub before getting started.
Hot tub draining
Next up, throughout the summer, drain the hot tub so it can be refilled with fresh water. This counteracts the pollutants and debris that could be in the water and ensures that when you’re using it, it’s clean and safe.
Cleaning and sanitizing
Once the water is drained, and before refilling it, it should be cleaned and sanitized so any remaining particles are removed and don’t affect the fresh water or the materials lining the hot tub and the inner workings of the jets and filter. Make sure the cleaning includes the jets, filter, seats, hot tub cover, and interior. For thorough cleaning, refill the water, allow it to pump through the pipes, and then drain it again to remove debris that might have built up on the inside of the jets.
Water chemistry and water level
With the pollutants and debris around in the summer, the water chemistry should be monitored to ensure it’s always balanced correctly. Also, with the heat of the environment and the hot tub, the water is likely to evaporate at a faster pace, so the water level could drop but it should remain high enough so it doesn’t affect the pump, jets, and circulation. Check the water chemistry frequently throughout the summer, ideally, before each use.
Filters
Depending on your location, you may find your filters catch more debris and contaminants in the hot water. Use this simple guide to clean your hot tub filters properly so they continue to work optimally.
Consider lowering the temperature
With the extra heat, it might be a good idea to lower the temperature of the hot tub for two reasons: one, it’s already hot out so using the hot tub could lead to overheating; two, the hot tub could overheat with a hot interior and exterior, leading to accelerated wear and tear or malfunction.
Sun and elemental protection
We’ve seen the effects summer has regarding high temperatures, storms, humidity, and air quality, so, just like we protect ourselves in the summer with sunscreen and hats, we can also protect our hot tubs using covers. Ensure the hot tub is secured with a well-fitted hot tub cover with features that best fit your environment. That’s like the hat for the hot tub.
The sunscreen could be adding a cap to cover the hot tub cover itself so it doesn’t crack and warp under the sun. Some customers will also install their hot tub in the shade to further help protect it from the elements.
Hot tub maintenance with The Cover Guy
Follow the above tips to ensure a long hot tub life and plenty of time to enjoy using it, even in the summer. While the days might be hot, it can be relaxing to get in in the evenings so long as it has been protected during the day.
The Cover Guy has more hot tub maintenance articles for many situations, and plenty of hot tub accessories to ensure the hot tub functions perfectly. Check out the products here.
