Smells, black flecks, foam, weak pressure and jets that won't stay put. Here are the six things that go wrong with spa pool jets, what causes each one, and the fix you can do yourself before booking a service call.
Hydromassage is the reason most people buy a spa in the first place, so jets that smell, foam, splutter or fall out of the wall are worth sorting quickly. The good news is that most jet problems are water care problems wearing a disguise, and you can fix them yourself in an afternoon. Work through the six below in order.
If you get to the end and the jets are still weak everywhere, that's the pump, and that one belongs to a technician.
In this article, we’ll cover:
A rotten egg, fishy or dirty sock smell when the jets run means bacteria have built up, usually from low sanitiser, unbalanced pH, or organic matter sitting in the lines behind the jets. Shock the spa, clean the filters, and balance the water. Don't use the spa until you've found the cause.
Odour is the earliest warning sign your water care routine has slipped, and it's the one owners most often try to mask rather than fix.
Black flecks are mould and mildew that have grown on organic matter inside the jets and pipework. Cleaning the shell won't touch it. You need to circulate a pipe degreaser through the plumbing, then drain, rinse and refill.
Flecks tend to appear after a spa has sat unused, or after a long stretch between water changes. They're unpleasant but straightforward to clear.
Foam forms when pH and alkalinity drift out of range, or when the water has thickened with body oils, sweat and personal care products. Test and correct the water first, clean the filters second, and use an anti foam product for immediate relief.
Anti foam clears the symptom in minutes. It won't fix the water, so treat it as a stopgap rather than the answer.
Spa foam is a common problem that has an easy solution.
Jets that have stopped completely usually point to a clogged filter, a circulation pump problem, or a water intake issue. If only some jets are dead while others run fine, the cause is at those individual jets: calcium build up, chemical damage, or a jet face that's been twisted closed.
Check in this order and you'll find it faster: jet faces first, then air controls and diverters, then the filter, then the pump. Each step takes seconds and rules out the one below it.
Weak jets across the whole spa usually mean an air lock, a clogged filter, or calcium build up narrowing the pipes. Weak jets in one spot usually mean a loose, clogged or worn jet. Check your pressure settings first, because plenty of weak jet calls turn out to be a control that was never turned up.
Pressure that returns and then fades again is worth paying attention to. That pattern points at flow restriction rather than a setting.
Jets that won't stay seated are broken, worn, incorrectly positioned, or not screwed in properly. Chemical build up around the jet body is the most common culprit, because it stops the fitting gripping the socket. In most cases the fix is a replacement jet.
The answer to this question depends on how many pumps your spa pool has. Why? Because the pump is responsible for supplying the water to the jets. To achieve a good hydrotherapy level, look for a spa pool with a single dedicated massage pump for every twenty to thirty jets.
For example, a 5 or 6-seater spa pool that has 55 jets would need at least 2 pumps to supply sufficient water pressure.
Spa jets may be one of the smallest parts of your spa pool, yet they play an important role in your overall spa experience. The jets are what make the spa pool.
We hope this article has helped you solve your spa jet problem. Although most spa jet problems are easy to fix, if you need expert advice please call a spa pool expert to prevent any further damage to the jets and your spa pool itself.
Talk to us on live chat, or email us your spa questions and we'll be happy to help!
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