Filters are one of the most important components of your hot tub, ensuring that your water is clean, and ultimately safe to bathe in. By trapping contaminants and preventing them from entering the plumbing system, filters prevent your spa water from becoming clogged with bacteria, foul smells and excessive foam.
Now we know that you probably didn’t choose to buy a hot tub to create more chores for yourself, but if you want to keep enjoying all of it’s benefits, then you’re going to have to put in a little bit of time and effort into choosing the right filter, as well as maintaining it.
Types of Hot Tub Filter
When choosing your hot tub filter, it’s worth knowing the different types that you can get:
Cartridge Filter: The most common type of filter, cartridge filters are typically made up of paper, plastic, or fabric folds that sift dirt and other contaminants to prevent them from entering the plumbing system. These folds are housed in a plastic cartridge that slides easily into the filter housing space on your hot tub.
Sand Filters: Sand filters normally sit outside of the hot tub and are typically made up of a spherical container filled with sand that sifts dirt out of the spa water.
Ceramic Filters: These are the most durable of filters, lasting several years before needing a replacement. They’re built similarly to regular cartridge filters but are made out of ceramic instead.
Diatomaceous Earth Filters: A less common type of filter but is slowly becoming more popular due to its environmentally friendly components. These are made up of fossilised diatoms that lay on grids of fine mesh. This structure then catches any unwanted particles, stopping your water from getting dirty.
How to Clean Your Filter
There are different ways of cleaning your filters that should all be incorporated into your maintenance routine:
On a weekly basis: Remove the filter from the hot tub and rinse it under clean water, making sure to carefully clean in between all the folds. Once this is clean, allow it to air dry before putting it back into place.
On a monthly basis: Clean your filter as you would with the weekly routine, but once a month spray it down with specialised hot tub filter cleaner. Different cleaners will all work differently so follow the instructions stated on your solution of choice, then rinse, air dry and replace.
On a quarterly basis: Every 3 months you should perform an overnight chemical soak. Submerge your filter into hot tub filter cleaner, leave it to soak overnight, rinse it thoroughly and pop the filter back in the morning.
When to Replace Your Filter
As a rule of thumb, your hot tub filters should be replaced at least once a year, unless you use ceramic filters which can last for several years at a time. However if you notice your spa water getting dirty or foamy and cleaning it doesn’t resolve the issue, that’s a sign that your filter should be replaced as soon as possible.
At 1 Stop Spas, we carry a range of filters to fit a variety of different hot tubs. Find the right filter for your hot tub here at 1 Stop Spas today!
