Spa opening
Opening a hot tub is more than just filling it with water and taking a dip. There are a few things you need to do to keep it running smoothly.
If you open the spa after winter, you will need to add water to drain the antifreeze that is in your plumbing. The antifreeze can leave a residue that could cause white foam when the pumps are turned on if not removed.
Replace the drain plug before you begin filling the spa. If your water is hard or problematic, you can use a pre-filter (DC-PP6903) that connects to your garden hose to remove sediment, dirt and rust, and limescale from the water when filling. To avoid over-airing the system, please fill the spa through the receptacle that holds your cartridges. Be sure to raise the water level above the highest jets. Replace your filter cartridge(s).
From your electrical panel, turn on the power to the spa. The keypad will initialize and then the system will turn on the pump(s) and heater; this takes a few minutes.
You can add a scale inhibitor (Calypso Descaler #4) to your water to prevent staining and scale build-up. Take a water sample to your Sima dealer for analysis. It is important to balance the water after filling to allow the sanitizers to work optimally, to protect your equipment and for the comfort of the bathers. Once your spa is up and running, add the first few doses of the proper spa care products. You can find more details on spa maintenance here.
Adjust the thermostat to the desired temperature. It is also important to ensure that the filter cycle that is programmed from your spa’s keypad is sufficient. Your owner’s manual will explain how to check and adjust if necessary. A minimum of 10 to 14 hours of filtration time per day is required. This time allows your water to circulate properly and to properly distribute and work the sanitizers. It also allows your water to be filtered by the filtration cartridge. After a few minutes, your water will be warm and inviting, ready to welcome you for a moment of relaxation or to relieve your muscular pains!
Spa winterizing
Sima spas are built for year-round operation. One of the great pleasures of having a spa is being able to enjoy it in the winter! Did you know that keeping your spa running all four seasons reduces the risk of breakage?
If you close your spa for the winter, be very careful, there should be no water left in the plumbing. There are several steps to follow when closing a spa for the winter.
Since closing a spa takes one to two days, we recommend that you plan it ideally when the temperature is still above 0°C to avoid any catastrophe (freezing of components, breakage of the spa, etc.). Do not exceed mid-November if you are in southwestern Quebec, and late October if you live near Quebec City or further north.
A cleaning and a rinsing of the spa are recommended before starting the draining to avoid the accumulation of limestone and corrosive or harmful elements for the components of the spa (pump, water heater, joints, etc.). There are products that clean the pipes such as Calypso Cal Check Plus # 28, which also destroy the accumulated biofilm. Follow all the steps as indicated in the instructions.
The next step is to drain your spa:
1) Turn down the thermostat on your spa and allow the water to cool. Remove the cover and run the pump at high speed until the water has cooled.
2) Turn off the power to the spa.
3) Attach an appropriately sized garden hose to the drain connection and place the other end of the hose in a suitable location to receive the dirty water.
4) Once the drain valve is opened, the spa drains by gravity and requires no supervision. To speed up the draining process, you can use a submersible pump, available at most hardware stores.
5) During draining, move the water around the seats to the bottom of the spa.
6) Remove the remaining water with a shop vac, sponge, and bucket. It is important to vacuum the water out of all openings (suction, jets, cartridge receptacle, etc.)
7) Clean the surface or water line as needed.
8) Close the drain valve before adding antifreeze to protect the plumbing.
The filter cartridge(s) must be removed. Add antifreeze to protect the plumbing. Clean the cartridge(s). Remove larger debris with a jet of water. Soak in a solution containing a specific cartridge cleaner (Calypso Filter Cleaner #7) to remove contaminants. Rinse the cartridge thoroughly to remove the product. Allow to dry. Reattach with cartridge fasteners if you have them with your spa.
Finally, insert your hard spa cover and cover it with a cover or tarp to prevent water from seeping in. It is important to use a block of polystyrene to support your cover to prevent it from collapsing in case of snow accumulation. You can also use a 2″ x 4″ board along the center hinge.
Now your spa is well winterized until spring!
