Frequently Asked Questions about your Spa or Hot Tub

1. How often should I check my water?
2. How do I clean my filter?

3. Do you shock a hot tub in the same way you shock a swimming pool?

4. How can I prevent foaming in my spa?

5. How often should the water in the hot tub be changed?

6. Care & Maintenance of your hot tub cover - tips to make it last longer.

7. How do I properly flush my hot tub?

8. How can I swim chlorine free?

9. Do spas require much service?

10. Do I need a company to service my spa or can I do it myself?

11. What is the most frequently replaced mechanical item on a spa & how much does it cost?

12. What size heater is right for my pool or hot tub?

13. How expensive is it to maintain a spa?

14. Is a spa difficult to maintain?

15. Many spas use bromine as a sanitizer instead of chlorine. Can't I use chlorine?

16. Is there any system that will automatically dispense sanitizers into a spa to maintain its residual?

17. Spa Water Troubleshooting Chart

How often should I check my water?

Hot Tub or Spa - water should be checked three time per week for those using chlorine, bromine or a mineral purifier. One time per week for those using a biguinide product such as BaquaSpa. A water sample should be taken to the dealer for analysis one time per month.

Swimming Pool - During the swimming season the water should be tested daily or at least 4 times per week for those using chlorine, bromine or a mineral purifier. Those using biguinide products, such as Baquacil, should check the water one time per week. Because the water quality changes quickly on hot days it is important to not let it get out of hand or you may miss days of swimming because of dirty water. A water sample should be taken to the dealer for analysis two times per month.

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How do I clean my filter?

Cartridge type filter - Rinsed weekly, soaked in cleaner when water is changed, and replaced every two years.

Remove the cartridge from the filter housing following the manufacturer's instructions.
Use a garden hose with a straight flow nozzle to wash down the filter element.
Work from the top down holding the nozzle at a 45 degree angle and wash all the pleats with emphasis between pleats.
Rinse until all dirt and debris gone.
For all spa cartridges and elements used in swimming pools where perspiration, suntan lotions, and other oils are present; soak the element for at least one hour (over night is most effective) in a commercial filter cleaner, such as Filter Fresh.
Rinse the cartridge again to remove oils and cleaning solution.

Sand type filter - Should be cleaned yearly and all sand changed every four to five years.

Backwash and drain filter.
Turn pump off.
Place filter valve in the backwash position.
Pour commercial filter cleaner into pump strainer.
Turn pump on to fill filter.
Turn pump off when water appears in the backwash sight glass.
Leave filter in the backwash position and allow to soak 24 hours.
Backwash the filter until the water in the sight glass is clear.
Resume normal filter operation

Do you shock a hot tub in the same way you shock a swimming pool?

Yes, spas need to have excessive organic matter burned off the same way pools do. How often will again depend on the spa size, bather load, and air temperature. (The hotter it is, the more frequently it will need to be shocked). Also, heavy rainfall likely will mean shocking the spa if it doesn't have cover. Some veteran service techs suggest shocking every two weeks when the temperature is below 85 degrees and shocking weekly when it climbs above that mark. Be vigilant in monitoring the spa - odors mean it's time to shock.

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How can I prevent foaming in my spa?

First, use the Saturation Index to make sure the water is balanced correctly. If an algaecide has been used recently, check to make sure it's of the non-foaming variety. High levels of total dissolved solids (TDS) can, also, cause foaming. If this is the culprit, draining and refilling may be in order.

The most common foaming villains are soap, detergent and shampoo residuals from bathers' skin, hair, and clothes. It's a good idea to take a shower (without soap and shampoo) to rinse it all off before getting into the hot tub. If the water still foams, there are various products that will eliminate it. However, once again, if you don't discover the root cause of the foaming, it's likely to keep happening until you do.

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How often should the water in the hot tub be changed?

This depends on the size of the spa and the average daily bather load. A formula has been established to help determine when to drain the hot tub or spa:

Gallons in the spa ÷ 3 ÷ average daily bather load = number of days between draining

For example, with a 500-gallon hot tub that has a daily bather load of two, you would divide 500 by 3 and get 166.66. Then divide 166.66 by 2 to get 83 days. So this spa should be changed about every three months.

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Care & Maintenance of your hot tub cover - tips to make it last longer.

Clean your hot tub cover when you drain and refill your spa.
Use simple soap and water or cover cleaner to keep the cover free from dirt and stains. It is important to not only clean the outside, but clean the inside as well. It is easiest to remove the cover from the spa, stand it on end then wash and rinse away from the tub.

At least once per year, unzip the cover at the seam and pull the foam out, rotate the foam so the top is now on the bottom and the bottom is on the top.
This will help to keep the foam inside from warping under the weight of rain or snow and will help avoid low spots and puddles. At this time you can check for mold growth which can cause a smell. Mold is easily cleaned using the same method as noted above.

Use a cover conditioner on the cover yearly after you have cleaned it with soap and water.
This will help keep the vinyl outer cover supple and will help to weatherproof the stitching, etc. A good liquid car wax will work as well, be sure to let it dry and buff it to a shine.

Be sure to maintain a good chemical balance in your spa.
It is healthy not only for you, but for your hot tub cover as well, always use an insulating blanket on the surface of the water, this will keep the water warmer and insulate the cover from aggressive and damaging vapors.

NEVER shock your tub with a hardcover on.
This will not allow the bacteria and chloramines to oxidize properly into the air and it could cause damaging vapors to attack the underside of your spa cover.

Utilizing these hints will extend the life of your hot tub cover and keep it looking better longer.

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How do I properly flush my hot tub?

In order to properly flush your hot tub, you must take the following steps:

1. Remove the filter, clean using a Filter Cleaner
Drain the hot tub, don’t forget to turn the power off
Refill hot tub to ½ inch above the “high water” mark
Add at least 100ppm of Chlorine to the hot tub *
Cover the hot tub
Circulate the water at a maximum rate of 30 – 45 minutes
While water is circulating, turn the blowers/air on and off every 5 minutes
Drain the hot tub
While hot tub is draining, rinse the sides several times.
Clean hot tub with a Surface Cleaner
Remove excess water
Refill, replace filter, balance, start-up

* In order to deliver 100ppm of Chlorine use the following measurements:

	Ounces per 100 Gallons:
CalHypo – 65%	2.2
Lithium Hypo – 35%	3.8
Sodium Dichlor – 56%	2.5
Sodium Hypochlorite – 12%	15 fluid oz.
Sodium Hypochlorite – 5.25%	35 fluid oz.

How can I swim chlorine free?

COME ON IN TO CLASSIC POOL & SPA...
And experience all the pleasures of chlorine-free swimming and hot tubing.
With BAQUACIL and BAQUASPA, you'll enjoy all the fun your swimming pool and hot tub have to offer, with none of the harsh chlorine-related side effects including:

Red eyes
Irritated skin
Dry hair
Faded swim suits and vinyl pool liners

BAQUACIL and BAQUASPA chemical structure makes it extremely stable. So, unlike halogen sanitizers like chlorine and bromine, BAQUACIL and BAQUASPA are not affected by:

Sunlight
Temperature
pH fluctuations

If all these things sound good to you, please let us know, so we can get a start up kit sent out to you.

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Do spas require much service?

They require some attention. You have a vessel full of hot water and people in it, so good maintenance and service are important to health and safety. But because spas are smaller than swimming pools, maintaining them shouldn't be as arduous. Assuming that two or three people are using the spa, expect to add chemicals every week.

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Do I need a company to service my spa or can I do it myself?

Again, many factors need to be considered here, but if it is a small portable spa with a bather load of two or three, the homeowner can likely handle it if he or she is watchful and safety-conscious.

Hot water chemistry is a little trickier that regular pool chemistry. However, most dealers will be happy to give their customers a primer in spa care. As previously mentioned, it's up to the owner to put the information to use and do the work on a timely, regular basis.

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What is the most frequently replaced mechanical item on a spa and how much does it cost?

The controllers and the heaters are two common problem areas. Controllers, however, range from electro-mechanical to air-pressure switches to digital control boards. Cost variance is enormous, ranging from less than $100 to five or six times that for digital technology. Heaters are the heart of a spa (it's a HOT tub, after all) and technicians can usually fix their problems - whether it's a bad switch, thermostat or contact.

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What size heater is right for my pool or hot tub?

The heater size you need is based upon several factors, such as the ambient temperature change at your location during a 24 hour period and if you use an insulating cover.

Basically, how much heat is retained and how long you want the recovery time to be to reach your desired water temperature. Consider the following chart a guideline. Please contact one of our pool professionals at Classic Pool & Spa to answer further questions and discuss your options.

Above-Ground Pools with average water depth 48"
POOL SIZE	GALLONS	HEATER SIZE (BTU's)
15' Round	5310	100,000
18' Round	7646	200,000
21' Round	10,408	200,000
24' Round	13,594	200,000
27' Round	17,204	250,000
12'x24' Oval	6797	100,000
16'x24' Oval	9062	200,000
16'x28' Oval	10,573	200,000
16'x32' Oval	12,083	200,000
18'x34' Oval	14,443	250,000
18'x38' Oval	16,142	250,000
21'x41' Oval	20,320	300,000

Hot Tubs
HOT TUB SIZE (in gallons)	HEATER SIZE (BTU's)
200 thru 900	100,000

Helpful Hint: It is highly recommended that you purchase a solar blanket in conjunction with your new heater for your pool or spa. It does not allow your heated pool water to dissipate as quickly and is designed to utilize the sun to help to heat your pool through solar rays. A solar blanket will reduce your gas cost and keep you pool warmer - longer!

Solar Heating

There is no precise formula for figuring how many square feet of solar collectors are needed to heat a hot tub or pool. Weather conditions, site selection and the efficiency of collectors are variables which must be taken into account. A useful ratio for solar collectors is approximately 3 square feet of collector for every 4 square feet of water surface.

Pool size	Number of 40 sq. foot solar collectors needed
16' Round	1 Panel
20' Round	1 Panel
24' Round	1 Panel
28' Round	2 Panels
12'x24' Oval	1 Panel
15'x24' Oval	1 Panel
14'x28' Oval	1 Panel
16'x32' Oval	1 Panel
18'x34' Oval	2 Panels
20'x40' Oval	3 Panels

Over 80,000 BTU's of heat a day, will raise pool water temperature up to 10 degrees.
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How expensive is it to maintain a spa?

It's not very expensive. It won't be as expensive as a pool because the service technician will spend less time sweeping and vacuuming.

If a bromine/ozone system is used, you'll pay several hundred dollars for the ozonator, but in the long run, you will use less bromine and end up saving money. The bigger the spa and the more it's used, the more chemicals it will take to maintain it. Many spa owners maintain the spa themselves and only call service techs if major problems arise.

But if you have a pool as well, chances are, there will be a way to have a package deal so the tech can care for both and give you a discount.

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Is a spa difficult to maintain?

No, spa upkeep isn't all that tough. Remember, hot water chemistry is a little trickier than that of pools and you are dealing with a much smaller size that leaves little margin for error. Be on the lookout, keep the pH, TA, and sanitizer levels in proper range, and keep the hot tub covered when not in use.

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Many spas use bromine as a sanitizer instead of chlorine.
Can't I use chlorine?

Sure, chlorine works just fine in hot tubs; however, bromine works better in a hot water environment. Also, with chlorine, because hot tubs are small, chloramines can build up much more quickly in them and give off that "chlorine" order everyone hates. Bromine won't do that. Also, chlorine is susceptible to UV rays and requires a stabilizer.

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Is there any system that will automatically dispense sanitizers into a spa to maintain its residual?

Yes. Several companies now make automated brominators that are built right into the spa.

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