Spa Maintenance FAQ
How often do you have to change hot tub water?
It depends on your water care system and how heavily the spa is used.
With a traditional chlorine or bromine routine, plan on a water change every three to four months. With a salt system, water can last much longer, in many cases up to a year, because the system generates sanitizer consistently rather than requiring you to keep adding bottled products.
The underlying reason is total dissolved solids. Every product you add stays in the water after it has done its job, and over time the water gets saturated to the point where balancing it becomes a fight. When you find yourself adding more product to get the same result, that is the signal to drain and refill regardless of what the calendar says.
Heavy use shortens the interval for any system. A spa used by six people several times a week will need changing sooner than one used by two people on weekends. For more on how salt systems affect this, see our Sanitizing Systems FAQ.
Where should I drain my hot tub water?
Onto a lawn or planted area away from the house, not into a storm drain. Two things to plan for. First, let your sanitizer level drop before you drain, ideally over a day or two with the cover off, because heavily chlorinated water is hard on grass and plants. Second, spread the water rather than dumping it in one spot, since a few hundred gallons in one place will kill turf and can saturate ground near a foundation.
In Michigan there is a third consideration, which is timing. Do not drain onto a walkway or driveway in freezing weather, and do not plan a water change during a cold snap at all, because a drained spa in freezing temperatures is at risk from the moment the water is out.
Should I flush the plumbing before I drain?
Yes, and most owners have never been told to. Biofilm builds up inside the plumbing lines where you cannot see it, and it is often the reason a spa develops cloudy water or an odor that no amount of shocking fixes.
Running a plumbing purge product through the lines before you drain clears it out, and the difference in the water you refill with is noticeable.
How do you clean a hot tub filter?
There are two levels to filter care, and owners often only hear about the second one.
Every couple of weeks, take the filter out and rinse it with a hose, working the water down between the pleats. This takes two minutes and prevents most of the flow and heating problems people call us about.
Every three or four months, do a chemical soak. Remove the filter, soak it overnight in a bucket of water with filter cleaner added, then rinse it thoroughly with a hose. That breaks down the oils and body products that a rinse cannot touch.
Let it dry before it goes back in if you can, which is why many owners keep a second filter and rotate them.
Filters do not last forever. Most need replacing every 12 to 18 months depending on use, and a filter that no longer looks clean after a soak is telling you it is done. We stock filters for every model we sell at all seven locations and through our autoship program.
How do I clean the jets?
Jets rarely need attention beyond occasionally rotating them to check that they spin freely and are not clogged. In our area, mineral buildup from hard water is the most common issue, and it shows up as a jet that spins slower than the others or has reduced flow. A descaling treatment run through the plumbing periodically helps prevent this.
If a jet has cracked, stopped rotating entirely, or is visibly worn, that is a simple swap our service team can do, and it is not usually a sign of a bigger problem.
Is there anything I can do to protect my hot tub cover?
In our climate the main enemies of a spa cover are UV, snow load and repeated freeze and thaw. Sunlight breaks down vinyl over time, and the weight of wet snow combined with the expansion of freezing moisture works at the seams and the core.
Treating the vinyl with a UV protectant two or three times a year makes a real difference to how long a cover lasts here. Avoid anything containing silicone oil, since it causes premature vinyl failure in sunlight. Brush snow off rather than letting it accumulate. And clean and treat the underside as well as the top, which most owners never think to do.
How do I clean and polish the shell?
Use a cleaner made specifically for acrylic and thermoplastic spa shells, which lifts dirt, grime and chemical buildup and leaves a protective polish behind.
Is it okay to use car wax on my spa shell?
No. Automotive wax is formulated for car finishes and will not hold up well in hot water conditions. Use a cleaner and polish designed specifically for spa shells instead, which does the job properly and will not leave residue that affects your water.
Is there a service that will drain, clean and refill my spa for me?
Yes. Our Valet Service handles the drain, clean and refill for you, and we run it year round. Most customers book this either in spring, before heavy use season, or in late fall as part of getting set for winter. Those are our busiest windows, so booking a couple of weeks ahead is wise. Request Valet Service or call your nearest showroom.
I am having trouble with insects and rodents in my spa. What do you recommend?
This is a seasonal Michigan problem, and it peaks in the fall when mice start looking for somewhere warm. A hot tub equipment bay is close to ideal from a mouse’s point of view, and the damage they do to wiring insulation is one of the more frustrating service calls we run, because it is entirely preventable.
What works: seal the openings. The most common entry point is where the electrical conduit enters the cabinet, and closing that gap properly makes the biggest difference. Keep the area around the spa clear of leaf piles, firewood and long grass, since those are the staging areas. Check the equipment bay in early fall and again in spring so you find a problem before it becomes a repair.
If you find evidence of chewed wiring, do not run the spa. Turn it off at the breaker and call us, because exposed conductors near water are a genuine hazard.
Our technicians will check and seal entry points as part of a maintenance visit, and if you would rather we handled it, submit a service request.
Do I need to do anything different when it is very cold?
A few things. Make sure your freeze protection mode is working before you actually need it, since most spas will kick the equipment on automatically if internal temperatures drop too low, but that only helps if the spa stays powered. Keep the spa running through cold snaps rather than turning it off.
Watch your water level, since evaporation runs higher in freezing weather than most owners expect, especially with the cover off during use. And keep an eye on your cover, since Michigan winters are hard on them. Brush off snow rather than letting it sit.
If something does go wrong in cold weather, our Spa Service Issues FAQ covers what to do, including what to do if your pipes freeze.
How long should a hot tub last?
With good maintenance, a quality spa can run twenty years or more, even in a demanding climate like ours. What actually determines lifespan has less to do with the spa itself and more to do with water chemistry and consistency. Spas that fail early are almost always spas where water care was inconsistent, filters were neglected, or the spa sat drained and unheated through a cold Michigan stretch.
If your current spa is nearing the end of its life or costing more in repairs than it is worth, ask us about trading it in. We take qualifying spas as credit toward a new one, which saves you the trouble of hauling out the old one yourself.
Can I get my water care products delivered instead of coming in?
Yes. Our autoship program sends your products to your door on a schedule built around your spa and your usage, so you are not making an unplanned trip to a showroom in February.
What does a Michigan hot tub maintenance year look like?
Maintenance is seasonal, and the tasks that matter shift throughout the year. Here is what we tell our own customers to keep in mind, season by season.
Spring, March through May
Pollen season is hard on filters in our area, so rinse them more often than usual through late spring. Wash off winter grime, inspect the cover after the snow load season, and check the equipment bay for any signs of mice over winter. If you are due for a water change, this is a good time. Many owners book Valet Service in this window.
Summer, June through August
Heavier bather loads mean faster sanitizer depletion and more foam from lotions and sunscreen. Test more often through the summer months. This is also the easiest time of year to do a plumbing purge and refill, since you are not fighting the cold.
Fall, September through November
This is the important season. Seal the equipment bay against mice before they start looking for somewhere warm. Clear leaves so they are not blowing into the spa and clogging filters. Check your cover honestly, because a marginal cover will not make it through a Michigan winter, and confirm your freeze protection is working before you actually need it. If you travel south for the winter, book winterization now rather than waiting until December.
Winter, December through February
Brush snow off the cover, keep the spa running, and never drain it and leave it sitting. Watch your water level, since evaporation is higher in cold weather. Keep the path to the spa clear and salted so you actually use it, because winter is when a hot tub earns its keep.
Where can I buy the products mentioned on this page?
Every product mentioned on this page is available at all seven of our Michigan showrooms, and most are available through our autoship program so you never run out at the wrong time. You can also shop the E-Store. If you are not sure what your spa needs, bring us your model information or a water sample and we will point you in the right direction.
