Dirty or worn filters
The filter is the first place debris and oils collect. If it is clogged, torn or flattened, the water can’t clear.
Signs: the water clouds again soon after you think you’ve cleaned it, or the filter never rinses clean.
Cloudy or foamy hot tub water?
Cloudy or foamy water is usually a water-care or filter problem, not a broken heater. Here’s how to tell what’s going on, what you can safely try, and when it’s time to call us in Cornwall.
- call-out, including the first hour
- £75
- an hour after that
- £35
- extra, priced once we’ve found the fault
- Parts
We’re based in Camborne, covering Mid and West Cornwall, from Bodmin and Newquay to Penzance and everywhere in between.
- Working on hot tubs since 2002
- Hot Spring factory-trained in California
- EAL and City & Guilds electrical qualifications
- Pool Plant Operator (PPO) qualified
- 12-month guarantee on our work
- £2 million public liability insurance
Before you call
Check these first
These checks need no tools. They’ll tell you whether this is a filter or water-care job you can start yourself, or something we should look at. For the how-to steps, use the guides linked below – this page is about what’s going on and when to call.
Worth checking
See 6 things worth checking
- Test the sanitiser and pH with your usual test strips or kit, and correct them if they’re out of range. Don’t add a second sanitiser on top of the first.
- Take the filters out, rinse them, and deep-clean them if they’re greasy or overdue. A blocked filter is the first place cloudy water shows up.
- Replace a filter when the pleats are torn or flattened, or it stays dirty after a proper clean. See our filter cleaning guide.
- If the water is foamy when the jets are on, shower before you get in and avoid bath oils, detergent and clothing that sheds soap into the water.
- Just refilled or shocked it? Cloudiness can take a day or two to clear as the filter catches the debris. Keep the filters clean while it settles.
- If you can see black specks, that’s often a worn pump shaft seal, not a chemical problem. See black bits in hot tub water.
Best avoided
See 5 things to avoid
- Don’t keep adding more chemical if the levels already look right and the water is still cloudy. That often makes it worse.
- Don’t mix chlorine and bromine treatments, or tip a dose of un-dissolved chemical onto the shell.
- Don’t drain the tub and leave it empty in hard frost, and don’t drain it if you’re not sure how to refill and restart it safely.
- Don’t ignore water that is green, slimy or smells strongly off, especially in a holiday let. That’s a reason to call rather than keep topping up.
- Don’t run the tub for long with the filters left out.
Still cold? Tell the troubleshooter what the display says. It’ll walk you through the safe checks.
Ask the troubleshooterLikely causes
Why the water goes cloudy or foamy
These are the causes we see most often. This page is a diagnosis, not a second chemical how-to: the existing guides cover how to clean a filter and how to look after bromine or chlorine.
Sanitiser or pH out of range
If the sanitiser is too low, or the pH or alkalinity is off, the water can go dull, cloudy or irritating. Follow the how-to in the bromine or chlorine guide for your system.
Signs: test results outside the range your product asks for, or water that stings the eyes.
Foam when the jets are on
Foam is often oils, lotions, detergent or soft water being whipped up by the jets, rather than a broken part.
Signs: a white head of foam that appears as soon as the jets start, and settles when they stop.
Cloudy even when the levels look fine
Spent water, a filter that’s past it, or debris still in the pipework can leave the water dull after the readings look normal. A drain, clean and refill is sometimes the honest fix.
Signs: the water won’t clear after a clean filter and balanced readings, or it’s been months since a water change.
See 3 more causes
After a shock or a refill
A shock or a fresh fill can throw a lot of debris into the water. That’s often temporary, as long as the filters are kept clean while it settles.
Signs: it went cloudy right after you shocked or refilled it, and it’s slowly improving.
Green or slimy water
A green tint or slime usually means the water has been under-sanitised and algae have got going. Don’t just keep adding product if it won’t shift – especially in a holiday let.
Signs: green water, a slippery feel, or a strong musty smell.
Black bits in the water
Black or grey flakes are often from a worn pump shaft seal or impeller, not from the chemicals. See black bits in hot tub water and, if the pump is noisy too, hot tub pump problems.
Signs: specks that collect on the filter or on the floor of the tub, sometimes with a leaking pump.
When to call
When it’s time to call us
A lot of cloudy or foamy water is something you can start yourself with the guides above. These are the points where it is worth getting us out.
| What’s happening | Why it matters | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| It won’t clear | The filters are clean, the readings look right, and the water is still cloudy or foamy after a couple of days. | Call us. There may be debris in the pipework, a filter that’s past it, or a mechanical problem. |
| It keeps coming back | The water clears and then clouds or foams again, especially between holiday-let guests. | A clean, a water change or a pump fault may be needed. Holiday-let owners can start with holiday-let hot tub care. |
| Green, slimy or smelling off | The water has gone beyond a simple cloudy day. | Don’t keep adding product. Switch to a drain and clean, or ring us if you’d rather we did it. |
| Black bits or a leak | Flakes in the water, or a puddle under the cabinet, point to the pump rather than the chemistry. | See black bits in hot tub water and pump problems, and call us if the pump is leaking or noisy. |
On the visit
How we find the fault
If you want us to take it on, we look at the water, the filters and the cabinet, and tell you whether this is a clean, a water change, or a fault such as a leaking pump. We won’t know which until we’ve seen it.
See the 6 steps of a visit
- Look at the water and ask how long it has been like this, and what you’ve already tried.
- Check the filters, and whether they’re still serviceable.
- Look in the cabinet for leaks, a worn pump seal or other debris being thrown into the water.
- Talk through a clean, a drain and refill, or a repair if a part has failed.
- If you want a written note of what we found, for a holiday let, just ask.
- Tell you what it will cost before we do the work.
If a part has to be ordered, we come back to fit it. Parts availability varies by make and model, and for some older or less common tubs, a part may no longer be made. If that’s the case, we’ll tell you straight away.
Google reviews
What past customers say
5.0
From 63 reviews on Google
“John is very friendly and knowledgeable.
He sorted out our hot tub which had stopped heating and had a leak, promptly and he is reasonably priced.
I will always call on John for any future problems. I can highly recommend him”
“Called Jon last minute as the hot tub stopped working and Jon messaged straight away to say he was on a job and would get back to us asap and he did, called this evening and was so so helpful!! Explained to my husband about things he can check himself and he was so honest to explain that it might be something we can fix before he comes out. If the problem can't be solved we will 100% call Jon out to help us, thanks Jon! This is what customer service should be like everywhere!”
“Jon an absolute legend, very friendly, came out diagnosed the issue went away ordered the part came back fixed it tested it fixed another problem that came up after testing again and all for a very reasonable price. Will use him again and again 🌟
Paul from porth / newquay”
Prices
What a water-care visit costs
You pay for our time and any parts. There are no surprises: we tell you what’s needed before we fit anything.
- Call-out, including the first hour
- £75
- Each hour after that
- £35
- Parts
- Extra
- A clean or a drain and refill is priced as the published clean or full service, not as a guess on this page. If a pump or filter has to be replaced, we price that once we’ve seen it. Larger jobs are quoted first.
- We’re not VAT registered, so there’s no VAT to add.
- If your filter is past cleaning, we can supply a new one. It’s an extra, priced on the day.
FAQs
Cloudy water: your questions
Why is my hot tub water cloudy?
The usual causes are a dirty or worn filter, sanitiser or pH that’s out of range, old water, or debris after a shock or a refill. Foam when the jets are on is often oils or detergent. Work through the checks above, then use the filter and chemical guides for the how-to.
The levels are fine. Why is it still cloudy?
The readings can look right while the filter is spent, the water is old, or there is still debris in the pipework. If it doesn’t shift after a clean filter and a day or two, it’s worth a visit or a drain and refill.
Why is my hot tub foamy?
Foam that appears when the jets start is often lotions, detergent or soft water. It is not usually a heater fault. Shower before you get in, check the filter, and avoid tipping household cleaners into the tub.
Should I drain it?
Sometimes, yes, if the water is old or it won’t clear. If you’re not confident draining and restarting it, or the weather is freezing, call us rather than leaving a tub empty.
We have a holiday let and guests arrive tomorrow. Can you help?
We can often take a look. Tell us the town and the changeover day. For regular care, see holiday-let hot tub care. We can’t promise a same-day visit.
Can you look after my make of hot tub?
We work on most makes, including Hot Spring, Hydropool, Canadian Spa, Jacuzzi, Arctic Spa, Caldera, Roto Spa and Beachcomber, and on Balboa, Gecko and SpaNet control systems. Tell us what you’ve got when you ring.
Water still cloudy or foamy? Tell us what it’s doing.
Let us know the make, how long the water has been like this and what you’ve already tried, and we’ll get back to you with a date.
If your tub is sunk into decking or the ground, or set against a wall, it helps to mention it when you book. If you’re not sure, a photo is fine.
Areas
Water-care visits across Cornwall
We’re based in Camborne, covering Mid and West Cornwall, from Bodmin and Newquay to Penzance and everywhere in between. Towns we cover include:
See the 18 towns we cover
Somewhere else in Cornwall? Just ask. Every area we cover