Congratulations on purchasing your new hot tub!
Making a choice to add a hot tub to your backyard is a big step that will have you enjoying your home more than ever with those you love most. Rest and relaxation will be just moments away, giving you a much-needed escape from your busy daily life.
Before you have your hot tub delivered and installed, it’s important to have everything ready to take care of it! A hot tub is an investment that can last you many years, and it’s essential you take care of it with the proper materials and hot tub supplies to maximize its life.
10 Must-Have Hot Tub Supplies
Let’s take a look at the best 10 must-have hot tub supplies…
1. Sanitizers
One of the first things you need to do when you buy a new hot tub is to decide on a water care system. The sanitizers you buy will heavily rely on this, and it will change how you care for your pool.
Water Care Systems support your hot tub from the moment you first fill it up. They extend the lifetime of your liner, remove any odors that may develop, and keep your water clean and clear.
There are a range of systems that can support your hot tub and match your family’s personal needs and desires, such as sensitivities or regular maintenance capabilities. There are three main options you can choose from for your water system:
Traditional Chlorine
Chlorine is the most widely used water treatment system. This is primarily due to its ability to kill bacteria effectively and easily. Hot tubs that use chlorine typically have to be drained every 3-4 months and will require liquid chlorine or tablets to be added every week.
It is important to note that the frequency you administer chlorine may change depending on the levels in your spa, as shown by a pH test (which we’ll get to later).
Salt Water
Salt water systems for hot tubs have been around for a long time but aren’t as widely known or used. They have occasionally been thought to be more work to maintain. However, with the updated models available today, they have become optimized for ease of use.
These systems provide a range of unique benefits, including only being required to be drained once a year, using fewer chemicals, making them ideal for those with sensitivities to chlorine, and producing ‘softer’ water.
While salt water systems are typically associated with being chlorine-free, they do, in fact, produce chlorine through the process of salt passing through electrically charged plates, or ‘salt cells.’
Chlorine Free Speciality Systems
These systems are a favorite among people with skin sensitivities like rosacea or breathing conditions such as asthma that may worsen due to exposure to chlorine or its intense smell after a shock treatment.
Chlorine-free systems use a chemical called Baquacil. This chemical keeps your spa clean by drawing the bacteria in your hot tub together, forming clumps that can be caught by your filter, eliminating the need for chlorine and removing the potential for harmful chloramines to form. Additionally, Baquacil doesn’t deteriorate in the sun like chlorine. This makes caring for your pool easier.
Once you’ve settled on a water care system, you can purchase the appropriate sanitizers to support your water to keep it clean, clear, and ready to use at any time.
2. High-Quality Oxidizer
Including a quality oxidizer in your hot tub care routine will help maintain the crystal clear water of your hot tub and keep it from getting cloudy. Cloudy water is often a sign of a build-up of bacteria or organic matter in the water. This naturally occurs when you use your hot tub through sweat, makeup, and even regular environmental particles like dust and dirt getting into the water.
An oxidizer works to break up that dead organic matter and create the optimal environment for your water to remain clean, even with regular use.
Something to remember when using an oxidizer is that it will naturally decrease the pH levels of your water each time you use it, so make sure you’re testing those levels regularly (every 1-2 weeks).
3. pH Strips Or Digital Meter
Using pH strips is essential to keep the water in your hot tub safe and balanced, letting you enjoy your spa without worry. Checking the pH balance or ‘potential of hydrogen’ of your water should be added to your hot tub care routine from day one.
pH ranges from 0 to 14, with the ideal level of 7.2 to 7.8. You can purchase strips that will measure this for you, with some even measuring other chemical levels in your water, such as its alkaline levels.
The alkalinity of your water is equally important and should be tested regularly. pH and alkaline levels affect one another, and when not in balance, can cause damage to your hot tub through scale buildup or making your water susceptible to algae growth and bacteria.
Balancing your water with pH or alkaline treatments is especially important after you change the water in your hot tub. This is when your water will be the least balanced. Alkaline greatly impacts your pH levels, so you should always balance the alkaline first, keeping it in a range of 80-100 ppm before adjusting your pH.
If you’re looking for an even easier way to keep an eye on the water levels of your hot tub, you can invest in a quality digital meter.
4. Hot Tub Filter Cleaner
Water filters do some heavy lifting for your hot tub water. Filters will protect your hot tub from all the fine particles that try to enter your water, which would throw its chemistry off and leave your water dirty (even if it looks clean!).
Inspecting your hot tub filter regularly and investing in a good quality cleaner is essential in keeping your hot tub water clean and clear. If you discover any damage to your filter during its regular inspection, ensure you replace it immediately so you don’t cause any unnecessary strain on your hot tub.
5. Spa Vacuum
Cleaning the surfaces under the water in your hot tub isn’t only done when you drain it. This should be done regularly, not only to keep your hot tub clean but also to maintain its quality over time.
Without using a vacuum or cleaning the surfaces under the water between changes, your hot tub may begin to feel slippery from any contaminants, like dirt and dust, that have settled in the water. Investing in a high-quality vacuum will make cleaning your hot tub fast and effective, keeping your hot tub running smoothly.
6. Hot Tub Skimmer
While you have the cover of your hot tub, debris from your backyard can accumulate in the water, whether it’s leaves, dirt, or even bugs. Having a small skimmer nearby will give you an easy way to quickly clean the surface of your hot tub. This keeps the water clear and relieves unnecessary strain on your hot tub’s filtration systems.
7. Submersible Pump
Draining the water out of your hot tub can be daunting, with many people thinking it’ll take them all day to get it up and running again. Draining your hot tub is a necessary part of maintaining its quality, and it can be a simple process with the right tools.
Including a submersible pump in your maintenance routine will help drain your hot tub easily and quickly. Depending on the size and power of your pump, you could drain your hot tub in as little as 15 minutes! This would give you lots of time to get your hot tub cleaned (including the filter!) and refilled in time to relax by the end of the afternoon.
8. High-Quality Hot Tub Cover
Covering your hot tub when you’re not using it is important. This will not only keep your water clean, but it will also maintain its temperature, making it much more energy efficient.
When choosing a hot tub cover, you want to ensure it can handle the climate you live in. Lightweight covers will work for places that are warm all year round, but if your cover is subject to snow and extreme temperatures, it’s best to look for a more heavy-duty fit with a peaked top to allow for drainage of snow or rain.
Your hot tub cover should also fit tightly to ensure maximum heat is maintained. This will put less pressure on your system to continue reheating the water, while also making it less expensive to run.
9. Cover Lift System
Hot tub covers can get heavy, especially as they accumulate water over time. When you want to unwind and relax in your hot tub, the last thing you want to be doing is fighting with a heavy cover – or worse, struggling to put it back on after you’ve just spent your evening relaxing! This can become an even bigger struggle during winter when your cover has snow on it.
Purchasing a cover lift system takes the work out of enjoying your hot tub and will make it even more enticing to use, no matter the weather. When you purchase one of these systems, there are typically two options you can choose from.
First, you can select a lift that is powered. This will make lifting your cover away as easy as pressing a button. Some come with remotes, so when the weather’s extra cold, you can even open the cover from inside your house.
The second option is to purchase a cover with a manual support system to help support the weight of the cover making it easier to open. This will help protect your back and arms as you lift the cover off your hot tub by removing the strain of trying to lift a heavy and stiff cover.
Whether you choose a powered or manual cover lift system, you’ll be able to relax without the work.
10. Spa Steps
Make getting in and out of your hot tub easy. While some hot tubs are attached to decks, making it as simple as stepping down into it, if you have one that’s a solo fixture in your backyard, you’ll want to get yourself a set of steps.
There are many types of hot tub steps, and with color and style options, it’s easy to find one that matches your hot tub cabinet, making them a seamless addition to your setup. Steps will also save you from causing unnecessary damage to your hot tub (and yourself!) each time you get in and out of it.
Bonus Comfort Items
Pillows
While hot tubs generally have a natural contoured edge, having a soft pillow to help support your neck and shoulders will let you ease into that relaxation even deeper. Pillows will also protect you from feeling the hum of the jets and make sure you leave your hot tub feeling completely refreshed and relaxed.
A Side Umbrella Or Pergola
Covering your hot tub with an umbrella or pergola doesn’t only give you shade during your mid-day spa sessions. They also help protect your water from the sun, which can deteriorate the chlorine, increasing its need for regular maintenance. Including an umbrella is a sure way to minimize the effort it takes to keep your water clean!
Potted Plants
Adding plants to your hot tub setup can help give you an even more relaxing space. Plants have been shown to positively impact people’s mental and emotional well-being. This is why we saw so many people adding plants to their homes during COVID-19. Picking out some vibrant plants to place around your hot tub will help you feel like you’ve escaped the busy world and been transported to a tropical paradise.
Decorative Lights
Soft Lights are a great way to add some ambiance to your outdoor space. The options are endless, so you’ll surely find some that fit your unique style. Some people may like the gentle hue of string lights to give them that added relaxation of feeling like they’re at the spa.
Others may prefer to buy some classic lamps to place around their hot tub, making it seem like an elegant showpiece. Whatever your style, including some lighting around your hot tub, will be a welcome addition.
Hot Tub Sound System
Including a sound system in your hot tub is a great way to add an extra layer of enjoyment during your soaking times. Whether you’re entertaining and want to have some background noise or release all your tension as you rest beneath the hot water, a quality sound system will bring your spa experience to new heights.
Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is a great way to enhance your relaxation throughout the day, but it can be a powerful tool if you combine it with the effects of your hydromassage in your hot tub. Pick out your favorite scents, from classic vanilla, calming lavender, or soothing peppermint; there’s an aromatherapy option to suit everyone.
Simply add your hot tub safe aromatherapy to your water and feel the stress leave your body as the warm water soothes your sore muscles and the jets massage your pain away.
AquaVision Pool & Spa Has Everything You Need To Get Ready For Your New Hot Tub!
Whether you need hot tub supplies or individualized advice, our team of friendly and relaxed experts are here to help!
We’ve been serving the Greensboro, NC, area for over 40 years and are able to answer any question you have, finding the best solutions to meet your needs. Contact us or visit our spa FAQ page for more information.
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