Tips for Hot Tub Water Conservation

One reason people may not purchase a hot tub is that they worry that a hot tub wastes water. In places like California where they’re experiencing record drought, many potential buyers shy away from becoming spa users because they’re conscious of their water consumption. However, educated hot tub owners can keep from wasting water and can actual help save it. Just apply Hot Tub Warehouse’s tips for hot tub water conservation and rest easy knowing you’re not a drain on resources.

Water Balance

Keeping your water clean and balanced is so important. If you maintain proper water chemistry without having to adjust much, not only will you save money because you’re using fewer chemicals, you’ll save water because you won’t be doing as many drain and refills. Some water chemistry problems get so out of hand that you have to do a manual water reset. Avoid any of these major problems by following a regular hot tub maintenance schedule and keeping your hot tub water chemistry balanced at all times by checking it multiple times a week.

Cover, Cover, Cover

The first defense against losing water through evaporation is having a well-maintained hot tub cover. Covers are a minimal expense compared to what you’ll pay to replenishing water and chemicals that evaporate or are affected by the elements. The less water that you lose through evaporation, the less you’ll have to add to the tub later.

Hot tub covers reduce evaporation and water waste by 95%. Take good care of your cover to extend its life and look to replace it when it starts looking worn and becoming less effective. Adding a thermal cover is another great to maintain heat and prevent evaporation. It also keeps water from collecting ON and IN the cover and needing to replace the cover more frequently. This also makes your hot tub more energy efficient.

Clean Your Filters

Filters need to be cleaned monthly in order to keep your water balanced and making draining the tub less necessary. Filters collect all of the particles that circulate in the water like minerals and scum and stays there until it can be rinsed off. The tub doesn’t need to be drained in order for your filters to be cleaned properly, although many owners take the opportunity clean the filter when they do drain their tub—this is something you should do monthly so that your water stays fresh and sparkling. To clean your filter, remove it from the unit, spray with a hose, and soak in a filter cleaner to make sure all the gunk gets completely removed from the cartridge. Let it dry before replacing.

Don’t Bring in Suds

I remember being young and bringing dish soap into the hot tub, thinking it was funny to turn on the jets and watch the foam form. While this is an extreme example, introducing household cleaners can be disruptive to your water chemistry. In the same vein, you shouldn’t use cleaning agents that aren’t formulated specifically for the hot tub on your acrylic shell. You should also rinse your bathing suit after it’s been laundered so that you’re not bringing in any residual detergent.

Drain the Tub Infrequently

Most spa manufacturers suggest refilling the hot tub every 3-4 months as a hard reset for your water system. If you do your best to keep your water balanced, you need only refill your tub 2-3 times a year. If you’re fastidious enough, you can use the same water for 4-6 months at a time.

When you drain your hot tub, make sure you’re getting as much done as possible: leak repair, shell cleaning, etc.) so that you don’t have to drain every time an issue arises.

Reuse/Recycle Water

When you do have to drain your hot tub, you can reuse your water in your yard. A few days before you drain, stop adding chemicals to the water and let it rest, unaltered, for 2-3 days. Then drain and add to your lawn and flower beds. If you don’t want to wait that long, some retailers sell a neutralizing agent that will make the water usable immediately.

If you’re able to skip one sprinkling cycle on your lawn, you can save a significant amount of water.

Through the course of normal hot tub use, hot tubs will lose some water due to evaporation and splashing. This water is typically replenished using a hose or indoor water. Some owners will use rain barrels to gather rainfall in their area and use this water (make sure it’s free of debris) to top off their tub. This is a low impact way to keep your hot tub full and fresh.

Be Vigilant of Leaks

Before you use your hot tub, walk around your hot tub and see if you have any equipment that is leaking water onto the deck. Similarly, note if you have to constantly add water to your hot tub—this is an indicator that you’re losing water somewhere. Check inside the cabinet and look at the pump and heater, particularly around the pump shaft seal and the unions (common places for leaks to occur). The quicker you notice and fix a leak, the less water you’ll waste by allowing it to water your deck.

Use as a Relaxation Tool

This is an interesting concept. Many people who find hot water relaxing will use a hot tub in addition to a bath as a way to unwind. Consider replacing an evening bath with a hot tub session (followed by a quick rinse in the shower) instead of filling and emptying a tub regularly as a way to save a lot of water. To put it into perspective, an 80 gallon bath tub uses enough water to fill a 400 gallon spa in just 5 uses. Bathing twice a week over four months consumes over 2500 gallons of water. Instead, use the hot tub for relaxation and use just 400-500 gallons of water over the course of the same 400 months.

Consider an Upgrade

If you have a difficult time keeping your water balanced, consider getting a new hot tub unit. Spas manufactured in the last 5-10 years have more advanced cleaning and filtering systems that help your water stay clean and balanced for much longer. Talk with your local spa dealer or investigate online if conserving hot tub water is a priority for you and your family.