Hot tub maintenance and cleaning visits
On top of the weekly water care you do yourself, a hot tub needs a deeper clean every few months. We drain, clean and refill tubs, look after filters, balance the water and check the equipment, and we winterize and restart tubs that are shut down for the season.
Weekly testing plus a deep clean every few months keeps a hot tub clear, comfortable and easy on its equipment. Our maintenance visits handle the bigger jobs (draining, cleaning, refilling and checking the equipment), and we'll show you the routine to keep up in between.
What happens on a maintenance visit
- Line flush: before draining, a line cleaner run through the jets lifts the biofilm that builds up inside the plumbing.
- Drain: we empty the tub.
- Clean: the shell, jets, headrests, skimmer and waterline, with products made for acrylic.
- Filters: we clean the filter cartridges, or replace them if they're torn, flattened or past their life.
- Refill and balance: we refill, bring alkalinity, pH and calcium hardness into range, and add sanitizer.
- Equipment check: pumps, heater, unions and fittings for leaks, noise and wear, plus the topside panel and the GFCI.
- Cover check: for waterlogging, tears, broken hinges and a good seal.
If we spot a problem, we'll tell you what it is and what fixing it involves before doing anything more.
How often
| Task | Typical interval |
|---|---|
| Test and adjust the water | Once or twice a week |
| Rinse the filter | Every couple of weeks |
| Soak the filter in filter cleaner | Every month or two |
| Drain, clean and refill | Every three to four months |
| Replace the filter | About once a year, sooner with heavy use |
Heavy use, lots of bathers or water that's hard to keep balanced shorten these intervals. Your owner's manual has the manufacturer's own schedule, and it comes first.
Signs your tub is due for a clean
- Water that stays cloudy after shocking and a filter rinse
- Foam that keeps coming back
- A scum line at the waterline
- Sanitizer that won't hold its level, or a musty smell
- A filter that still looks dirty after a soak in filter cleaner
Any of these usually means the water has had its day, and a drain, clean and refill will do more than more chemicals.
Winterizing
Many Fraser Valley owners keep their tubs running all winter, and a running tub under a good cover copes well with cold snaps. If you won't use yours this winter, or it's at a property that sits empty, winterizing protects it.
Draining alone isn't enough. Water left in the pumps, heater and pipes can freeze and crack them. Winterizing means draining the tub completely, opening the unions, blowing the water out of the lines and jets, storing the filters dry and securing the cover.
Spring start-up
Restarting a winterized tub means closing everything up again, filling, checking for leaks, bleeding air from the pumps, balancing the water and confirming the heater brings it up to temperature. It's also a good time to replace the filter and look the cover over.
The routine in between
Testing the water once or twice a week, a quick filter rinse and keeping the cover on take care of most of it. Our hot tub maintenance guide explains the routine step by step, and you'll find test strips, sanitizer, filter cleaner and replacement filters on our chemicals and supplies page.
FAQ
Questions
Something else on your mind? Ask us when you request a quote.
How often should a hot tub be drained?
Every three to four months is typical, sooner with heavy use or if the water becomes hard to balance. Your owner's manual has the manufacturer's recommendation.
Should I winterize my hot tub in the Fraser Valley?
Only if you won't be using it. A tub that's running under a good cover copes with our winters. If you're shutting it down, it has to be drained completely and the lines blown out, not just emptied.
How often should I replace my hot tub filter?
Roughly once a year for most tubs, sooner if the pleats are torn or flattened, or if the filter stays dirty after a soak in filter cleaner.
Do I still need to test the water if you do maintenance visits?
Yes. The water changes with every use, the weather and how much sanitizer it uses up, so test once or twice a week and adjust between visits.
Guides
Related guides
Hot tub water care: chemistry made simple for Fraser Valley water
Balanced hot tub water comes down to four numbers: alkalinity, pH, calcium and sanitizer. Here's how to keep them in range, and why most Fraser Valley tap water needs calcium added.
Water careHot tub maintenance: a simple schedule for every season
What to do every week, month and season to keep a hot tub clean and running, from filter cleaning to drain-and-refill and winter care.
Valley Hot Tubs
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Tell us the make and model, when the water was last changed and anything you've noticed.