Pool care articles
Why is my hot tub cloudy, foamy or not heating?
Start with a test: CDC recommends at least 3 ppm chlorine or 4 to 8 ppm bromine and a pH of 7.0 to 7.8 for hot tubs. Cloudiness, foam, a heating fault, a strong chemical smell and weak jets are different problems with different checks. Sullivan’s Pool Service offers spa water care and equipment assessment. Before a visit, record the water readings, model information and any displayed fault. CDC recommends routine disinfectant and pH testing; a smell or the appearance of the water cannot tell you which chemical or repair is needed.
Cloudy water
Record when the change began, the current disinfectant and pH readings, recent use and any products added. Water appearance alone cannot distinguish a water-treatment issue from an equipment problem. A weekly appointment is not a substitute for the routine checks CDC recommends between visits.
If the water is not being maintained within the applicable guidance, stop using the spa and arrange assessment. Do not add a collection of products based only on the color or clarity. The product label and the actual measurements govern treatment.
A spa that will not heat
Note the set temperature, displayed water temperature and any error code. Send the heater and control model information, and say whether the jets and circulation appear to be operating. These observations help describe the problem without claiming a particular failed component.
Follow the owner’s troubleshooting instructions and leave internal electrical, gas and pressurized-system work to an appropriately qualified person. Do not defeat a safety switch to obtain heat.
Foam on the surface
Describe whether the foam appears only with the jets operating, whether a product was recently added and when the water was last changed. Those details belong with the water readings. Foam is not, by itself, a measurement of dissolved solids or proof that the spa needs a particular chemical.
Use the spa manufacturer’s water-replacement and cleaning guidance. A universal formula based only on gallons and daily bathers omits the specific system instructions. Discuss a drain-and-refill with the service provider rather than treating an interval from a general article as a requirement for your tub.
A strong chemical smell
CDC identifies a strong chemical odor as a sign of a problem. It does not make that odor a free-chlorine test. Chloramines are one reason pool and spa operation requires more than judging how the water smells. Measure the relevant water readings and follow the applicable guidance.
Test before adding shock: odor alone does not tell you the chlorine level. Treatment depends on the measured condition and product instructions. Stop using the spa when there is a water-quality concern and arrange an assessment.
Jets that have lost pressure
Record whether all jets are affected, whether a control setting changed and whether the problem occurs in every operating mode. Have the filter and pump model information available. Weak jets can require equipment assessment; they do not establish a single cause from a distance.
Keep the manufacturer’s maintenance instructions with the service records. Avoid opening a filter or pump while it is operating or pressurized. Sullivan’s can assess the requested water-care and equipment work once the installed system and symptoms are known.
Water guidance to keep nearby
CDC recommends pH 7.0 to 7.8, at least 3 ppm chlorine or 4 to 8 ppm bromine for hot tubs, and water no hotter than 104°F. It recommends disinfectant and pH testing at least twice daily and more often with heavy use. CDC advises against cyanuric acid and stabilized chlorine products in hot tubs. Read CDC hot-tub guidance and its home treatment and testing guidance. Our spa service page explains the available scope.
In Austin
Fill water matters here. Austin Water reported finished water leaving its three plants in the second quarter of 2026 at pH 9.65 to 9.74, total hardness of 76 to 77 mg/L as CaCO3, total alkalinity of 51 to 60 mg/L, and 2.52 to 2.69 mg/L of chloramines. Those are averages for tap water, not readings of your pool, so test the pool itself after a top-up.
Related articles
- Hot tub water care versus pool care
- Why hot tub jets burn through chlorine
- What a spa and hot tub service visit covers
Sullivan’s Pool Service maintains pools in and around Austin, including Northwest Hills, South Austin, West Lake Hills, Tarrytown, Great Hills, River Place, Crestview, East Austin, North Austin, West Campus, Hyde Park, Downtown Austin and St. Johns, and in Bee Cave, Cedar Park, Georgetown, Leander, Pflugerville and Round Rock. See every service area.
Weekly residential service has one fixed monthly price, set by pool size: see pool service pricing for what each size tier covers.
Tell us about your pool
Tell us your service location and whether you need weekly care, help with equipment, or a one-time service. Call or send the quote form. We’ll confirm availability and the next step for your pool. Repairs and other separately quoted work are discussed before approval.