Maintenance issues are par for the course with having a hot tub. But any accessory you can buy to cut down on the maintenance requirements will make your life easier. Here are just a few of the accessories available that will not only extend the life of your hot tub, but will also allow you to enjoy it in the manner you envisioned when you first bought it.

1) Wind straps -

Spa cover wind straps will secure your hot tub cover in high winds and prevent it from blowing across town. It will also help to keep unwelcome critters at bay. For the best protection make sure you get the heavy duty security straps which can keep keep unauthorized visitors and children out of the hot tub.

2) Spa Blanket -

A spa blanket slows down the evaporation process thereby lowering both your heating and your watering costs. Less evaporation means that you'll have to add chemicals to your spa with less frequency. It also means that the chemical balance of the water will have less fluctuation.

A hot tub blanket is typically made of plastic, custom cut to the size of your spa. It fits under your spa cover and acts as a thermal blanket to keep the heat in the pool while the spa cover keeps the outside cold air from reaching the pool. If you use your hot tub a significant amount in cold weather climates, a spa blanket can save you a lot of money.

3) Spa Pre-Filter -

You might legitimately ask, if I have a filter, why do I need a pre-filter? A similar question might be, why do people drink filtered water when the body's liver is perfectly capable of and explicitly designed to filter out impurities? They do it to relieve stress and strain on the liver.

A spa pre-filter serves a similar purpose. It's main function is to get rid of most contaminants in your tap water before it reaches your spa, causing less stress on the spa filter and extending it's life.

Pre-filters come in various sizes and quality. The best ones will eliminate practically all trace minerals and metals from the water as well as most organic contaminants and will last you for at least a couple of years. And they couldn't be easier to use. Just attach it to your garden hose and you're ready to go.

4) Spa Cover Lift -

A spa cover lift just makes the whole spa experience more enjoyable. You don't want to strain your back while struggling with the spa cover every time you want to use the spa. A spa cover lift not only makes your life easier, it also will help extend the life of your hot tub's insulating cover by eliminating the friction that would otherwise be cause by constantly dragging it on and off of the spa. A spa experience is supposed to be relaxing. A spa cover lift helps to make it just that.