Several types of water problems can occur in your spa, the most common of
which are foam and soft water.
Foam Foam is generally cause by one of three conditions:
• High Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) count
• Soap residue from bathing suits, shampoo, body oils and cosmetics
• Soft water
If you have a high TDS count, you will need to drain and refill your spa. If,
however, the foam is caused by soap or other residues, we recommend using a
product such as Foam Away to rid your spa of troublesome residues.
For foam problems caused by soft water, please see the next section.
Soft Water The term soft water describes water that is low in calcium and other
minerals that cause hard water. Many areas of the country have soft water, which
is great for doing your laundry but not so great for your spa.
Soft water can cause foaming, but it can also cause nasty staining, too. This
happens because water has a natural demand for minerals, and if the mineral
levels are too low it will leach minerals from whatever sources are available.
This is what causes stained water and staining on the spa shell.
In your spa, the main sources of minerals are heating elements and plumbing, so
to prevent equipment damage you should test the water for hardness. The ideal
level of hardness is 100 – 200 ppm.
Correcting Water Problems. Some water problems are best corrected by draining and refilling your
spa. Regardless of water issues, a spa should be drained at least every three to
four months and more frequently if it is subject to heavy use. A good rule of
thumb is that your spa should be drained after 75 units of usage, with a unit of
usage defined as one person using the spa for ˝ hour. So if four people use the
spa for one hour that would equal eight units of usage.
Even if your spa is used very seldom, you should never go more than four months
without draining and refilling the water. If you don’t do this, the chemicals in
the water that can’t be filtered away will eventually stop being effective. The
measurement of this situation is known as the level of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS).
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