A hot tub maintenance schedule from the manuals

Short answer

Test before you soak and a few times a week, clean the filter monthly, change the water every 3 to 4 months, and once a year look after the parts that wear: the filter, the UV lamp, the ozone hose. Every line below comes from a maker's manual.

Updated October 2026By the HotTubFinder research desk

A year of hot tub care: test the water each soak and three times a week, clean the filter monthly, drain and refill every 3 to 4 months, a new filter once a year — A year of care: test the water, clean the filter monthly, drain every 3 to 4 months, a new filter once a year.

Hot tub maintenance schedule, compiled from six owner's manuals
When	Task	Source
Before each use	Test sanitizer and pH; look for a clear view of the bottom	Master Spas
After each use	Test and adjust; cover on, straps locked	Master Spas
3 times a week	Test with strips; adjust sanitizer, pH, alkalinity	Master Spas
Weekly or monthly	Shock (superchlorinate) as your sanitizing program needs	Hot Spring
Monthly	Clean the filter (Bullfrog: every 3 to 6 weeks)	Five makers
Monthly	Clean the cover	Hot Spring, Jacuzzi, Master Spas
Monthly	Test the GFCI with its test and reset buttons	Hot Spring
Monthly	Inspect suction fittings	Master Spas
Monthly	Check total alkalinity	Hot Spring
Every 3 to 4 months	Drain, clean and refill	Sundance, Master Spas
Every 6 months	Replace fine filter inserts	Sundance
Yearly	Replace a standard filter cartridge	Master Spas
Yearly	Replace the UV lamp (Sundance ClearRay); clean the UV quartz tube (Jacuzzi)	Sundance, Jacuzzi
Yearly	Inspect the ozone hose and check valve; a dealer job	Master Spas
Every 7 years	Replace suction covers	Jacuzzi

What is the weekly hot tub routine?

Test, adjust, and keep the water moving. Master Spas' schedule tests with strips three times a week and before and after each soak, adjusting sanitizer, pH and alkalinity as needed. Add a shock when free chlorine reads below total chlorine or after a busy weekend. See hot tub water chemistry.

What should you do every month?

Soak the filter in cleaner, wash the cover, and test the GFCI: Hot Spring says press the test button, check that the tub stops, wait 30 seconds and press reset. Master Spas also says to inspect suction fittings at least monthly; a cracked or missing one is a reason to stop using the tub until it's replaced. See how to clean a hot tub filter and cover care.

What needs doing once a year?

The parts that wear out on a timer. Sundance says its ClearRay UV lamp needs replacing every year; Jacuzzi says to clean the quartz tube around its UV lamp every 12 months. Master Spas puts the ozone hose and check valve on a 12-month inspection, and says a dealer should do it. For what these systems do, see hot tub ozone vs UV.

Common questions

What is a good hot tub maintenance schedule?

Test before use and three times a week, shock weekly or monthly as needed, clean the filter and cover monthly, change the water every 3 to 4 months, and service UV and ozone parts yearly.