1. The buyer must apply for a permit for the hot tub installation. The permit is referred to as a “Pool Enclosure Permit” for application purposes.

2. It is the owner’s responsibility to ensure that the concrete pad on which the tub will be placed is level and flat on a base approved for a hot tub, with a minimum clearance of 3’ all the way around. Hot tubs (depending on their size and water volume) can be extremely heavy when filled, therefore the base structure is very important. Consult a structural engineer or contractor to verify the integrity of your base.

3. It is also recommended that you consult with a licensed electrician to verify the capacity of your electrical panel (prior to purchase) as you will require between 25-60 amps GFCI protected breaker space in your panel (depending on the size of the heater) to power your electrically heated tub.

You will need to hire a licensed electrician to supply the appropriately sized spa pack and also arrange for an electricity permit to connect your hot tub to your electrical panel. When placing your hot tub, minimum distances between your hot tub and other electrical appliances must be maintained (e.g., air conditioning condenser, wall plugs, outdoor lighting, etc.). You may require between 5-10’ minimum clearance from your hot tub to other electrical appliances.

Please follow the specific instructions from your electrician based on your local regulations to help determine the ideal location and electrical requirements for your hot tub.

It is imperative that the wood of the hot tub remains absolutely and completely dry until assembly is completed. Once assembled, fill your cedar tub with water until it is about 6 inches from the top and let it sit for a minimum of 72 hours. This is crucial for the saturation of the cedar material. It is normal to have some minimal leakage in the beginning. Top up the water level as needed. Some water loss is expected – this is normal.

When your hot tub is not in use, close and lock your cover in place to prevent the risk of drowning (for children) and accumulation of debris in the hot tub.

If you’ve bought an electrically-heated hot tub, remember to always turn off power to the mechanical enclosure before opening it (for any reason). Also, close off water supply to the mechanical enclosure (from hot tub) before cleaning filters or changing cartridges, without exception. This may be achieved by turning the ball valve handles to 90 degrees (from direction of pipe) to installing plugs into ports on hot tub side of staves).

Cedar tubs are a unique product due to the water saturation of the wood fibre and the structure of the tub. The hot tub depends on the presence of moisture to swell up (and expand) the wood fibres of each stave. This swelling closes up any spaces between the staves, and ultimately creates a water-tight enclosure.

This is why initial fill-up of your hot tub can seem like a strange exercise. Water that is spilling out of a crack initially, will swell up and seal over time. But, because your hot tub is made from a soft-wood material, you have to take that into account when using the hot tub.

Due to the jointed edges of the cedar staves, the tips of the coved staves are prone to breaking off if overly stressed. Therefore, it is not recommended that you sit or stand on the edges of the hot tub. This also applies to the vinyl cover. It has been constructed to withstand up to 90 kg of weight, but there’s no reason why anyone should be standing on it.

Upon installation, the staves will have been contoured into place, therefore pushing off or jumping into the tub from the edge may cause the staves to shift or break unnecessarily.

Over time, your cedar tub will change colour due to contact with water and exposure to UV rays.

If you are not planning to use your tub for an extended period of time (i.e., over the winter months), it is crucial that you drain the tub and all equipment of water. Dry out the tub completely before replacing the cover in order to prevent the risk of mould forming.

The vinyl cover has a load capacity of 90 kg, but it is recommended that you periodically remove excessive buildup of snow throughout the winter months. It is also beneficial to open the cover once in a while to encourage air circulation to remove excess moisture when not in use. Avoid covering the tub with a tarp in the off season- it will trap moisture under the tarp and accelerate wood rot.

It is the responsibility of the buyer to maintain and regulate the quality of their water. This includes using test strips to determine pH level, alkalinity, calcium hardness. If any of these variables are not balanced (present in the water at acceptable levels), you will experience cloudy or smelly water in your hot tub very quickly.

Also, it’s possible that unbalanced water can damage equipment, make water uncomfortable for users (smelly or cloudy), but most importantly, it can greatly decrease the effectiveness of the disinfectant (bromine cell and ozone generator).

After each fill, you will need to determine the state of your water with the test strips and modify as needed. You should also install a new filter cartridge after each fill up.

Your local pool supply is an excellent resource for more information. Bring in a sample of your hot tub water (taken below 12 inches from surface), in a small water bottle, and your pool supply will test it on the spot. From the results of the test, they’ll be able to tell you exactly how much of each variable will be required to balance your existing water (pH, alkalinity, calcium, bromine). Also, you need to determine the total dissolved solids of the new water. This TDS range should be within 50 to 400 ppm (parts per million). They will also be able to competently explain how to maintain balanced water in your hot tub.

You’ll also need to periodically add shock, bromine booster and water conditioner.

Again, consulting with your local pool supplier for additional information will keep you aware of your ongoing water quality. Make sure she/he is aware that you’re using bromine as the main disinfecting strategy. All of this will help ensure that you’re changing the water in your hot tub as infrequently as possible while enjoying the cleanest, clearest water.

Whether you are testing your own pool water, or relying on the help of a pool professional, here are the factors that determine the quality of your tub water.

PH (an indication of whether spa water is basic, neutral or acidic) reading should vary no more than 7.2 to 7.6. A pH booster or reducer will bring these values up or down, as needed.

Alkalinity (alkalines act as a stabilizer of the pH level, preventing large changes to the pH level) should be between 100 and 120 ppm (parts per million). Ideally, 120 ppm would be best. To raise alkalinity level, add Alka Rise, and to reduce, use pH reducer. This balancing will be done together with the pH levels.

Calcium Hardness (the hardness of the water due to the presence of dissolved calcium) should have a range is between 150 and 200 ppm. Use a calcium rise or Prevent treatment to achieve the desired result.

Bromine destroys bacteria and algae (black, green mustard), and then releases bromine ions back into the water for continuous recycling. It’s important to note that the required amount of bromine will depend proportionally to the amount of users and the frequency of use (bather load).

After water is balanced, sodium bromide should be added to water. Water temperature should be between 32 and 38 degrees Celsius. Start the pump and slowly add the sodium bromide directly to the spa water. Then, press the “on” button for the Bromine Keypad for 2 seconds, until the display lights up. The presence of bromine in the spa water needs to be monitored daily. Knowing the bromine level and how it’s changing is key to establishing the correct maintenance level.

You have 2 settings to calibrate – Maintenance Mode and Boost Mode.

Maintenance Mode – keeps the bromine levels in the hot tub at a stable and acceptable level when the spa is not being used. This mode is the everyday mode and is automatically on when the system is activated. Maintenance level adjustment changes the everyday rate at which bromine is being generated and released into the spa water. Finding the right maintenance level will keep the bromine levels on a day-to-day basis between 3 and 5 ppm. Once the right level has been determined, keep it set at that level, unless something changes (change in water temperature, big difference in bather load, etc).

Finding and setting the right Maintenance mode depends on the filtration rate of the pump. It should be set to a minimum of 8 hours per day. The reason is that the cell cannot generate bromine if the water isn’t circulating. Longer filtration cycles (more than the 8 hours) produce much more stable levels of bromine in the spa water.

Boost Mode -should be activated every time the spa has been used. This mode temporarily increases the bromine generation rate to “attack” the new pollutants in the spa water and to help rebuild the bromine levels . As pollutant levels rise, bromine levels are decreased to counter the pollutants. To counter this reduction in bromine level, the Boost Mode will help restore the bromine to proper residual level.

Finding the right boost level is also crucial to maintaining the proper bromine level in the spa water. Set the Boost level by using the up/down arrow and select the number of bathers.

With the proper Maintenance level and consistent use of the Boost mode, the spa water will be kept to an ideal level. To reduce the stress of balancing the spa water, and to get the maintenance and boost levels adjusted, you may want to ask your local pool supply to perform this task on your behalf. When they are familiar with your system, they can advise on how to operate it most effectively.

Always avoid the temptation to “wash” your hot tub when not in use – household cleaners contain ammonia and other chemicals that will affect water quality, alter the lifespan of mechanical equipment and potentially stain the fibres of your wood hot tub.

Swim suits can also detrimentally affect the water quality inside your hot tub. They can be the cause of unappealing and foamy hot tub water. Small amounts of laundry detergent remain in your swim clothes after they’ve been washed and dried and residual amounts of detergent are released into your spa water every time it’s being used. An easy fix would be to run your swim clothes through the rinse cycle a second time, to remove as much detergent as possible.

Hair spray, deodorant, skin lotion, sunscreen, excess makeup, body sprays, etc. – all contribute to a significant deterioration of the water chemistry of your hot tub. Avoid the use of these chemicals as much as possible as they will cloud your water and contribute to clogging your sediment filter over time.

Excess sweat and natural body oils can be mitigated with the use of an oil-absorbing sponge (one brand is known as the Dirty Duck – check with your pool supply for a local solution). Squeeze them out occasionally (outside the hot tub) and replace them as needed (when visibly dirty or when they no longer float).

Make sure to test your spa water daily after each fill, but also weekly after you’ve balanced it. Make sure that pH and total alkalinity are within their proper ranges- balance manually as needed.

Always pull a water sample from more than 12 inches below the surface of your hot tub water. If you’re using paper test strips, throw them out if they’re more than 6 months past their expiration.