One of the causes of foaming is soft water. Water that is treated with a water softener or has a hardness level below 250 parts per million will foam. Use ThermoSpas Hardness Test Strips to measure the water hardness and our Liquid Calcium to raise the level and help prevent foaming.

Other causes of foaming are the buildup of body oils, lotions, makeup, hair sprays, and chemicals; old water, excessive organics and improper sanitation. Detergent remaining in bathing suits will also cause foaming.

To end foaming add either ThermoSpas Foam Away defoamer, or drain and refill your hot tub. In the case of improper sanitation & excessive organics, you should increase the sanitizer level to balance the water.

Be careful not to use too much Foam Away. Because Foam Away is a highly concentrated product, if you use too much, your water will become very cloudy. Unfortunately, this cloudiness will only disappear with time. If you experience cloudiness from overuse of Foam Away, do not add any more to your spa. Allow the spa to filter the product out. Your water should clear up in about 24 to 48 hours. Be sure to rinse your filters after the water has cleared.

• Dirty filter — Clean your filters with our Filter Cleaner solution.
• High pH or Alkalinity — Our pH/Alkalinity Up and Down will solve this problem.
• High bacteria level — A tablespoon of our Sodium Dichlor Chlorine usually helps here.

No matter what your level of spa use is, never wait more than three to four months to drain and refill your spa. Other than that, there are several other reasons you may need to drain your spa:

• If your dog or cat jumps into the spa. Unfortunately, animals in hot water produce over 50 times more bacteria than humans.
• If your water reaches a TDS (Total Dissolved Dolids) level where your water becomes completely saturated and will not accept any more chemicals. TDS Strips are available to easily measure your water and TDS levels.
• Improper water chemistry can throw off your water levels to the point where draining your spa is the only alternative.

A hot tub is dramatically different from a swimming pool because you are working with water that is both heated and aerated. The usage ratios are also quite different. For example, four people in a hot tub is equivalent to 300 people in an average size pool. The heated water and higher bather load ratio can produce organic contaminants not found in swimming pools. Because of this, the chemical make-up of swimming pool chemicals is usually quite different from that of hot tub chemicals. One example is that swimming pool chemicals are not buffered so they can create havoc on the pH level of your hot tub water.

Consulting your Owners Manual and your Special Operating Instructions will give you a tremendous amount of information on how to use and maintain your hot tub. Visiting our website offers you another tool in helping to make owning your spa a most pleasant experience.

For most of you, the colder months are the favorite time of year to use your hot tubs. But there are some who prefer to give your hot tub a long winter’s rest. If so, you need to follow our winterizing procedures to ensure that your hot tub safely makes it through the rough season ahead. Remember that a failure to winterize your spa will cause serious damage to the pumps and plumbing lines - damage that is not covered by your warranty.

Note: These procedures should be followed EVERY time you drain your hot tub during the colder months.

• Close all therapy control valves and open all jets.
• Turn the spa circuit breaker OFF.
• Drain your spa using a submersible pump and garden hose. Be sure to run the drain line to an area that can handle the water drainage.

TIP: The ideal way to drain a spa is with a submersible pump. We offer a pump in our Innovations catalog. If you don’t have a submersible pump, you can attach a garden hose to the hose spigot - located on the primary water pump within the spa interior. Once the hose is attached, open the hose spigot. This will enable the water in the spa to gravity drain.

• Remove the cabinet panel in front of the spa’s equipment compartment.
• If you used a submersible pump to drain your spa, open the hose spigot located on the primary water pump to drain any remaining water. Leave the hose spigot open.
• Locate the heater and open the heater unions at both ends by turning counter-clockwise.
• Clear water from the water pump(s) suctions and return lines using a canister-type wet vacuum in order to ensure that the lines are cleared of ALL remaining water.
• Remove the drain plug(s) from all water pump(s).
• Replace the pump plug(s) after ALL of the water has drained from them.
• Reconnect the heater unions on the heater at both ends by turning clockwise until they are tight. Make sure the O-ring gaskets are sealed properly so as not to pinch O-rings.
• Put the cabinet panel in front of the equipment compartment back on.
• Turn the spa circuit breaker ON.
• Turn the blower ON to expel water from the plumbing and air channels.
• Turn the spa circuit breaker OFF.
• Use a canister-type wet vacuum to clean ALL fittings. Use the wet vacuum nozzle at EACH fitting to assist in removing any existing water in fittings, water lines, and spa shell.
• Sponge out any remaining water from the spa shell.
• Clean the shell and remove any debris.
• Clean the filter.
• Store the filter basket and filter element indoors for the winter months.
• Install the insulated spa cover and check to ensure that rain water and/or snow is not entering the spa through the cover.

WARNING: Water can enter the spa through the cover, which can cause freezing. We recommend that you check your spa daily to ensure that cover is securely attached to the spa, and that water is not entering the shell by this means. If water is found, it must be removed IMMEDIATELY with a wet vacuum and sponge to prevent freezing.

Wood cabinets need regular care or they will dry out and deteriorate. Indoor spa cabinets should be stained twice a year and outdoor spa cabinets should be stained a minimum of four times a year. We recommend WonderVar Stain, which provides a durable, crystal clear satin finish that highlights the natural beauty of the wood. WonderVar is the same product applied at the factory.

If your spa cabinet is made of ThermoBoard, our synthetic wood, no staining is necessary. A simple hosing down and wiping off is all that is needed.

It is possible that a spa cover exposed to Ozone gas can deteriorate more quickly than one which is not. But the benefits of having an ozonator far outweigh the costs of any damage that may occur to your cover. When installed correctly, ozonators can provide a much healthier spa environment than if there is no Ozone. For example, because ozone is a natural purifier, you will use less sanitizer to maintain your hot tub, creating less maintenance for you. The real problem is not Ozone itself; it is the excess gas – or “off gas” – given off when Ozone is not properly mixed into your water. Off-gas generally evaporates into the air, but if your hot tub is installed in a poorly ventilated, enclosed area, it cause increased deterioration of your cover and many other spa parts. More importantly, not providing proper ventilation for off-gas can pose health risks. Typical ozonators, if installed in a well-ventilated area, pose little health threat but may still increase the rate at which your spa cover deteriorates.

Product Tip: If you enjoy the benefits of your ozonator - or are interested in getting one for the first time – consider one which features an off-gas chamber, such as ThermOzone from ThermoSpas. This system eliminates any risk of off-gas problems and actually allows you to increase the amount of Ozone you can put in your water – by 8 times!!

A common cause of this smell can be that mold or mildew is growing on the inside of your cover. These organisms grow when heated water is captured in the form of vapor on your cover. Because they reside above the water line, your sanitizer is unable to eliminate the bacteria present on your cover allowing them to continue to grow. To control this, simply clean the inside of your spa’s cover at least once a month.

Product Tip: Mix one-third cup of white household vinegar with two-thirds cup of water. Spray the inside cover, let sit for one minute and wipe off. Ideally you should let the inside of your cover dry completely, but if you don’t have the time, try to clean it more frequently.