You decide its finally time to open the hot tub cover after such a long period of time. You know its going to look gross but it has to be done. And as you expected it is a mess, so what to do next? In this article we will help you go through the best steps to bring your hot tub water back to an inviting place.
Here comes the slap on the wrist statement to start. And believe me most hot tub owners have been in the same place. Leaving your hot tub for a long period of time without opening the hot tub cover will cause more work. Not maintaining the chemistry in your spa is harmful for a lot of reasons. The hot tub and water inside need to breathe. The hot tub left untreated and covered will as you can imagine be a breeding ground for microorganisms that love dark warm places. The main culprits being mold, bacteria, and algae. They will flourish within the water, pipes, filters and the underside of your hot tub cover. And their presence will cause damage to parts of your hot tub, most notably you may have to replace the hot tub cover and or filters depending on the damage.
When you open the hot tub cover the first thing you will want to do is evaluate the hot tub water, cover, and filter conditions. Left untreated over a period of time all will have to be cleaned and or replaced. Once you have assessed the condition you will want to do the following:
- Remove the hot tub cover completely and lay it out exposing the underside to the sun.
- Remove the filters and place them in a spa filter solution if they are salvageable or replace them. If the filters are a year old or more you will want to replace them.
- Drain the hot tub completely.
- With a solution of liquid chlorine three ounces to a gallon of water wipe down the hot tub walls and floor, and underside of the hot tub cover. (wear old clothes)
Replace the Filters for Clean Fresh Hot Tub Water
When everything is sufficiently clean, refill the hot tub, replace the hot tub filters, and return the hot tub cover. Make sure to bring your hot tub water chemistry back online right away. If you find you still have slippery spots or mold present, you will have to repeat the steps until you have rid yourself of the issues.
If you have a persistent mold (especially white mold) you may have to change your sanitizer from chlorine to bromine which has a better effect on some molds. You may also have to run the hot tub for a period of time at a higher rate of sanitizer to rid your mold issues, if it is persistent in your plumbing (pipes). Once you run the hot tub at a higher rate of sanitizer and you are convinced the mold is defeated drain the hot tub and refill it with fresh water.
If you let the hot tub water go, it can be a difficult road back, but persistence, and a good punch of sanitizer will prevail and you will be back in your hot tub enjoying the benefits again!
