Hot tubs are great for enjoying everything from a romantic night to being a stress-reliever at the end of a hard day. There is a large selection of makes and models available. If you are considering purchasing one or if you have owned one for years already, you need to be familiar with your hot tub, especially your hot tub filter.

Understanding the different parts makes the operation of your hot tub more efficient. Your filter is one of the most important pieces of equipment on your hot tub. Its primary function is to keep your water clean and free of debris and dirt. Your hot tub filter cannot operate properly if you don’t keep it clean and replace it when necessary.

Routine Maintenance

Ideally, you want to create a routine maintenance schedule. This ensures that you will see any signs of wear on your regular inspection. It is recommended that you replace your hot tub filter yearly. However, if your hot tub is over two years old, you should be replacing it more often.

A hot tub filter replacement system will do all the work for you or you can do it manually.

When it comes to changing out your hot tub filter it’s important that you set up a rotation cycle. Your cleaning will be more frequent when the hot tub is being used more often. During the times it is rarely used you won’t need to clean as you normally would.

Care and Cleaning

Have a spare filter ready at all times that you can use in place of the regular filter while you are cleaning it. You won’t need to wait to use your hot tub if you embrace this procedure. It also gives your filter the chance to dry thoroughly before putting it back in your hot tub.

To manually clean your hot tub filter, use a garden hose with the stream at a 45-degree angle. The pressure should not be strong enough to blast the filter out from your hand or cause any damage. However, you also don’t want the pressure too weak preventing it from cleaning any debris it may have. For information on making your own hot tub filter cleaner see Mr. WaterGeek’s post.

Another option is using an automatic filter cartridge cleaning system. They work by turning the filter slowly under the water while spraying the pleats to deep clean it. There are some affordable systems on the market available to you.

All hot tubs are different and will need the filter replaced at different times. So, you’ll need to know what to look for to decide if your filter needs replaced or not. If you notice that your filter is no longer doing its cleaning job, or if the parts seem worn or broken, it’s time to replace it.  For more information on parts replacement see our previous post, Why Is It Important to Replace Your Hot Tub Parts?

There are some signs that will indicate it is time for you to get a new filter. The most obvious is by observing the clarity of the water. If your water is dirty, then it’s a sure sign it is either broken or needs to be replaced. If your water is really dirty you have already waited too long.

The more you become familiar with your hot tub parts and equipment the more smoothly your hot tub will run. Keeping your hot tub in top shape allows for more time enjoying it than maintaining it.