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DIY Hot Tub Maintenance Tips for Minnesota Homeowners

Hot tubs are a great addition to any Minnesota home, offering relaxation and comfort year-round. However, owning a hot tub also comes with the responsibility of maintaining it to ensure it runs smoothly and stays clean. While you may want to rely on professionals for more complicated issues, there are several hot tub maintenance tasks you can do yourself. In this blog post, we'll cover some DIY hot tub maintenance tips for Minnesota homeowners.

  1. Clean Your Hot Tub Regularly Cleaning your hot tub regularly is essential to keep it running smoothly and to prevent the buildup of dirt and grime. You can clean the interior of your hot tub with a non-abrasive spa cleaner and a soft cloth or sponge. It's also important to clean the filter regularly to ensure it's free of debris. The frequency of cleaning your hot tub will depend on how often you use it, but a good rule of thumb is to clean it once a week.

  2. Maintain Water Chemistry Maintaining proper water chemistry is crucial for the health of your hot tub and those who use it. Test the water regularly and adjust the pH, alkalinity, and sanitizer levels as needed. Chemicals commonly used for hot tub water maintenance include chlorine, bromine, and mineral sanitizers. You can purchase a test kit to measure the levels of these chemicals and adjust them accordingly.

  3. Drain and Refill Your Hot Tub Draining and refilling your hot tub is essential for maintaining its overall cleanliness. A general rule of thumb is to drain and refill your hot tub every three to four months. This helps to prevent the buildup of minerals and bacteria in the water. It's also a good opportunity to clean the hot tub thoroughly before refilling it.

  4. Cover Your Hot Tub Covering your hot tub when it's not in use is essential for preventing debris from falling in, keeping heat in, and reducing evaporation. A good hot tub cover should be made of a durable material, fit snugly, and be easy to remove and replace. Additionally, regularly cleaning your hot tub cover can help prolong its lifespan.

  5. Monitor Water Level and Temperature Regularly checking the water level and temperature of your hot tub is crucial for ensuring it runs smoothly. A low water level can damage the hot tub's pump, while a high water level can cause leaks. Additionally, maintaining the correct water temperature is essential for both safety and comfort. Check the water level and temperature every time you use your hot tub.

In conclusion, owning a hot tub requires regular maintenance to keep it clean, functional, and safe for use. While some tasks may require professional assistance, there are several DIY maintenance tasks that Minnesota homeowners can perform themselves. These tips can help ensure that your hot tub runs smoothly and provides relaxation for years to come.

Pool Opening Checklist for Minnesota Homeowners

As winter comes to an end and the temperature begins to warm up, it's time to start thinking about opening your Minnesota pool for the summer season. Properly opening your pool after a long winter can ensure a smooth transition into the summer swimming season. Here is a pool opening checklist for Minnesota homeowners to follow:

  1. Remove your pool cover: Start by removing the pool cover and cleaning it thoroughly before storing it away for the summer. Make sure to let it dry completely before storing to prevent mold and mildew.

  2. Inspect the pool equipment: Check your pool equipment, such as the pump, filter, heater, and chlorinator, for any damage or leaks that may have occurred during the winter months. Replace any broken or damaged parts before starting the system.

  3. Clean the pool: Use a pool skimmer to remove any debris that may have accumulated on the pool surface during the winter. Brush the pool walls and floor to remove any dirt or algae buildup. Vacuum the pool to remove any remaining debris.

  4. Check the water chemistry: Test the pool water and adjust the chemicals to the appropriate levels. pH levels should be between 7.2-7.6, alkalinity between 80-120 ppm, and chlorine levels between 1-3 ppm.

  5. Start the pool system: Once everything is in good condition, turn on the pool pump and filter to circulate the water. It is recommended to run the pump for at least 24 hours before testing the water again.

  6. Inspect the pool deck: Check your pool deck for any damage that may have occurred over the winter, such as cracks or damage from freezing and thawing. Repair any damage before using the pool.

  7. Check pool safety features: Check pool safety features, such as fencing and gate latches, to make sure they are in good condition and functioning properly.

  8. Schedule a professional inspection: It's always a good idea to have a professional pool service inspect your pool before opening to ensure everything is in good working order.

By following this checklist, Minnesota homeowners can ensure a smooth and safe opening for their pool. Proper pool maintenance throughout the season can also help prolong the life of your pool and equipment, and keep your family and guests safe while enjoying the pool.

Bioguard POOL OPENING COMPLETE

It's the perfect way to get pools off to an excellent start to the season. This unique variation of the POOL COMPLETE family is designed to work efficiently in opening conditions and quickly clear pool water of any winter filth. With its 3-in-1 formula, using POOL OPENING COMPLETE as part of your opening routine will make cleanup a breeze and get you swimming sooner.

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The Differences in the Forms of Chlorine

Chlorine. Liquid, granular, tablets and gas. Do they all work the same? Is there a time and place to use one over the other? No, they do not work the same. And yes, there is a time and place to use each. Chlorine in gas form is the most potent, fastest acting, and most dangerous. Because of these factors chlorine gas is almost exclusively used in large commercial endeavors by trained professionals, and as such we will exclude it from our discussion here.

But when it comes to liquid, granular and tablet form, what is the difference and when should you use each? Below is a table that outlines some of the pros and cons of each and when best to use them.

 

Pro’s

Con’s

When to Use

Liquid
  • Fastest acting (immediate increase in chlorine level)
  • Unstabilized
  • Messy
  • Quickly used up - does not maintain a residual
  • Great for spring startup
  • Breaking a chlorine demand
  • Anytime you need to get a big spike in the amount of free chlorine in your water

Granual
  • Fast acting
  • Easy to use
  • Most are stabilized
  • Some come with other additives such as algicide or borates
  • Does not maintain a residual
  • As a weekly supplement to tablets
  • Anytime you have combined chlorine

Tablets
  • Most are stabilized
  • Provide a residual source of chlorine
  • Many have other additives like borates for softer water
  • Slow to dissolve
  • Maintains a residual, but does not increase the amount of chlorine in your pool
  • This is the most common form of residual chlorine and should be used continuously throughout the swim season

The following is what your chlorine usage should typically be like:

Spring - In the spring, it is most efficient to use liquid chlorine or granular chlorine to bring your chlorine level up to an ideal level and deal with any startup issues, such as green or cloudy water.  (This is not when you want to use tablets since there is not yet a residual of 1-3 ppm of chlorine in the water to maintain.)  Liquid chlorine is best used to bring immediate results of raising your chlorine level in the water.

In Season - During the pool season is the ideal time to use chlorine tablets.  We recommend BioGuard’s SilkGuard Complete Tabs, in 1” tablets or 3” tablets, depending on your use.  One of the things to realize about the chlorine in your pool is that it does not stay there. It gasses off into the atmosphere or is used up killing pathogens or algae, and therefore you need a constant source of new chlorine to maintain that 1-3 ppm of free chlorine to keep your pool safe and clean.  You may periodically have to use either liquid or granular chlorine to break up large amounts of combined chlorine or as a supplement for unusual chlorine demand, such as a large bather load from a party.

End of Season (Fall) -  We highly recommend the use of specially formulated Arctic Blue winterizing kits made by BioGuard.  It is essential to have enough chlorine in your water at the time of closing to prevent algae growth and aid in opening in the spring to a clear pool. The chlorine (Arctic Blue Shock) and algaecide (Arctic Blue Algae Protector) included in the winter kit is a multi-purpose formula to clarify, fight algae and protect at lower temperatures.  Although algae growth slows down when the water temperature reaches sixty degrees, it can still grow.

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