Hot Tub Drain & Fill
Drain & Fill Service
WHY YOU SHOULD DRAIN & CLEAN YOUR HOT TUB REGULARLY!
Hot tub season is officially underway! With the weather getting colder, more and more people are looking to soak into something warm. As fall and winter are typically high hot tub usage months, we always advise our clients to really make sure that they keep on top of their hot tub maintenance.
We always recommend that hot tub owners drain and clean their spa at least every three months. Although bromine, chlorine, and other sanitizing agents are regularly used to cleanse and keep your water sparkling, using your hot tub will inevitably introduce contaminants into your spa.
Oftentimes, we tell our clients to think of their spa as a giant bathtub. You wouldn’t continue to soak in the same bath water over and over again (despite a large amount of soap and shampoo in the water) would you? Probably not, therefore your spa should be treated in the same regard. Draining and cleaning your hot tub regularly is vital to your spa’s longevity and health.
Please think about the fact that the same water sits in your spa for weeks. Although you are shocking your water regularly and sanitizing it every day, it is still the same exact water. Eventually, your spa’s water will have to be changed no matter how well you maintain it with cleaning agents and shock.
Every time a hot tub is used, there are a number of organic and inorganic contaminants that will make their way into the water. Body oil, body hair, skin cells, lotions, deodorant, perfumes, and hair products…., will ALL enter your water after hot tub usage. No matter how pristine a person’s hygiene habits are, most, if not all, of these contaminants, will still make their way into your water.
Another factor that you need to be thinking about is that these contaminants don’t just affect the water, they will eventually affect your spa’s plumbing as well. Although your spa’s filter and cleaning agents will eliminate most contaminants, there are still some bacteria that will survive and make their way into your spa’s plumbing system.
You don’t want contaminants building a film within your spa’s plumbing system, trust us! Therefore regularly draining your spa, rinsing and replacing your filters, running pipe cleaning agents through your spa’s plumbing, and scrubbing the shell of your hot tub, is of extreme importance.
THE DANGERS OF BIOFILM
Biofilm, as harmless as its name sounds, is anything but. Biofilm is the buildup of bacteria and fungi in your pipes. Moist, watery areas inevitably attract bacteria and fungi, your pipes can potentially do the same if your spa isn’t thoroughly cleaned and drained.
You may think that shocking your water will do the trick, but contaminants found in spa piping sometimes adapt and end up sprouting a film around them to protect them from chlorine and other cleaning agents. This bacteria-protecting film is known as Biofilm.
The longer that Biofilm has a chance to grow and develop, the more difficult it will be to remove from your pipes. The key is prevention, and the use of pipe-cleaning agents. Prevent biofilm by semi-regularly draining and cleaning your hot tub, at least every two months, followed by running a pipe cleaning agent throughout your spa’s plumbing system.
SPOT THE SYMPTOMS
If you are a hot tub owner that doesn’t use their hot tub regularly, there is still risk of spa contamination! To make things clearer, we have listed common hot tub symptoms that may indicate that your plumbing may be developing biofilm or, that your spa needs a really good cleaning.
- Your hot tub has a strange or strong odour
- The water remains cloudy after shocking or using sanitizer
- Heavy spa usage by multiple people
- The hot tub has gone a few weeks or months without usage
- If your spa has one or more of the above symptoms, it is time to get your clean on!