Hot tub maintenance checklist
Updated August 2026
A hot tub runs on a five-minute water test two to three times a week, a weekly filter rinse, and a full drain-and-refill every 3 to 4 months. Hold the sanitizer in range (chlorine or bromine around 3 to 5 ppm, pH 7.2 to 7.8) and keep the cover latched, and the shell, jets, and pump will run their 5 to 20 year life instead of clouding over with biofilm in one neglected summer.
| Task | Interval | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Test sanitizer and pH, adjust as needed | 2–3x weekly | 5 min · DIY |
| Wipe the waterline and skim any debris | 2–3x weekly | 3 min · DIY |
| Task | Interval | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Rinse the filter cartridge with a hose | Weekly | 5 min · DIY |
| Shock or oxidize after heavy use | Weekly or as needed | 5 min · DIY |
| Task | Interval | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Soak the filter in cartridge cleaner overnight | Monthly | 10 min + soak · DIY |
| Task | Interval | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Drain, clean the shell, then refill and rebalance | Every 3–4 months | 2–3 hrs · DIY |
| Task | Interval | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Inspect the cover for waterlogging and tears | Twice a year | 10 min · DIY |
| Replace the filter cartridge | Every 12–24 months | $20–50 · DIY |
What neglect costs
Let the chemistry slide and biofilm coats the plumbing within days, clouding the water and, at its worst, causing the itchy folliculitis known as hot-tub rash that keeps everyone out. Unbalanced water is just as hard on the equipment: scale from high pH bakes onto the heater element, and a filthy filter starves the pump until its seal fails. A replacement cover runs $300–600, a new pump or heater $400–900 installed, and a shell past saving pushes you toward $5,000–15,000 for a new tub. A weekly rinse and a $20 cartridge head off nearly all of it.
Leave these to a pro
Most hot-tub care is yours, but a few jobs earn a technician. A no-heat call usually traces to the heater element, high-limit sensor, or circuit board, and that diagnosis runs $100–250 plus parts. If the water smells sour no matter how hard you shock it, a pro can flush the hidden plumbing with a line-purge product ahead of your next drain. Budget $150–300 for an annual once-over of the pump seal, jets, and wiring; a 240-volt or GFCI fault is never a DIY fix.
This whole checklist ships as reminders in OnOtto: every task above, on the right schedule for your home, snooze-proof.
Load this checklist as remindersFrequently asked questions
How often do I really need to drain my hot tub?
For a typical home tub, every 3 to 4 months. The quick rule is to divide the gallons by three, then by the number of daily bathers, and that is roughly how many days the water lasts: a 400-gallon tub used by two people works out to about 60 to 65 days between changes. Heavy or commercial use drops that to monthly. Waiting far longer lets total dissolved solids climb until no amount of chemical brings the water back into balance.
What chemicals does a hot tub actually need?
Four essentials plus a couple of helpers. You need a sanitizer (chlorine or bromine, held at 3 to 5 ppm), a pH adjuster to stay in the 7.2 to 7.8 window, an alkalinity increaser to keep alkalinity around 80 to 120 ppm, and a shock or oxidizer for after heavy use. In hard water you also watch calcium hardness, and a bottle of defoamer handles the suds from body oils and lotion. Skip the pH control and everything else drifts fast.
Why does my hot tub water keep turning cloudy?
Cloudy water almost always means one of three things: the sanitizer has dropped too low to keep up, the pH has climbed and scaled the water, or the filter is loaded with body oils and cannot polish it clear. Shock the tub, rinse or swap the cartridge, and rebalance the pH first. If a clogged filter is the culprit, the filter-cleaning schedule covers the weekly rinse and monthly deep soak that prevent it.
Can I leave a hot tub empty over the winter?
Only if it is fully winterized. Most owners run a home tub year-round at 100 to 104F, since the insulated cabinet holds heat cheaply. If you do close it down, draining alone is not enough: any water left in the pump, heater, or jet lines can freeze, expand, and crack a $400-plus component. A proper closing blows out every line and adds non-toxic antifreeze, which is why many owners pay a pro to do it right.