Spa Air Controls

Collection: Spa Air Controls

256 products

Spa air controls are the unsung mechanical heroes of a hot tub — the air buttons on the deck, the bellows under the foot well, and the pneumatic switches that fire the pump when you press them. Our spa air controls collection stocks the full range: Balboa and Waterway air buttons in every hole size, Herga foot bellows and microbellows, Presair and Tecmark FF switches and sequencing switches, CMP and BWG/HAI stem assemblies in white, gray, black, and chrome — everything you need to fix a stuck button or a leaky bellow without tearing the deck apart.

Air controls work in matched pairs: a deck-mounted button or bellow generates an air pulse, and a pneumatic switch buried in the equipment bay converts that pulse into a 24VAC pump call. When a hot tub jet won't turn on with the button press, the failure is usually a cracked bellow leaking air or a tired switch that no longer registers the pulse. Our Spa Topside Panels collection covers the electronic alternative — touchpad-driven controls — but a properly maintained pneumatic system is dead simple to service and lasts decades. Reference Presair's pneumatic switch reference for SPST vs. SPDT wiring and momentary vs. latching operation.

When you replace a hot tub air button, measure two things: the hole size (1-1/8", 1-5/16", 1-3/4", etc.) and the trim diameter, both stamped in the product titles below. Crescent, scalloped, and notched faces are mostly cosmetic, but trim color and material need to match the deck. Matching tubing kits and replacement bellows live in our Spa Plumbing Parts collection, and the pneumatic switches that fire from these buttons are right here in this collection too. For switch-only failures with intact buttons, Tecmark publishes excellent datasheets on Sas-series sequencing switches.

Shop the full spa air control lineup below — buttons, bellows, FF switches, and sequencers ship from one of our ten U.S. warehouses for fast repair.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know what size spa air button I need?
Pull the old button out and measure the hole in the deck. The two numbers that matter are hole size (the diameter of the cutout — common sizes are 1-1/8", 1-5/16", 1-3/4") and trim diameter (the outer ring you see on top). Both are stamped in the product titles below. If the deck isn't drilled yet, choose based on the spa cabinet's existing button cutouts so you don't have to enlarge a hole.
What is an FF switch and where does it go?
An FF switch (also called a foot-activated or finger-activated pneumatic switch) is the mechanical relay that lives in the equipment bay between an air button and a pump or blower. The air button on the deck generates a puff of air through tubing, the FF switch detects it, and a contact closes to fire the load. Presair and Tecmark are the two main brands. SPST switches fire one circuit, SPDT switches can route between two loads, and sequencing switches step through high-low-off on repeated presses.
My hot tub air button feels mushy and the jet won't fire — what's wrong?
Most often it's a leaking bellow inside the air button itself or a cracked tubing run between the button and the pneumatic switch. Press the button while listening for a hiss — if you hear air escaping, the bellow is split. If the button feels firm but the jet still won't run, the FF switch in the equipment bay has worn out internal contacts and needs replacement. Bellows and switches both wear out faster in warm, wet environments, so replacement every 5-10 years is normal.
Can I replace just the bellow without swapping the whole air button?
Sometimes — Herga and a few other brands sell internal bellow replacements that drop into existing housings. Most Balboa, Waterway, and CMP buttons, though, are sold as a complete assembly because the bellow is bonded to the housing. Check the product title: titles that say 'Bellow' or 'Air Bellow Internal' are the rubber-only replacements, while 'Air Button' or 'Air Ctrl' titles include the housing, bellow, trim, and stem.
What does 'hs' and 'fd' mean in the product titles?
'hs' is hole size — the diameter of the cutout in the spa deck. 'fd' is face diameter — the outer diameter of the trim ring you see from the top. So '1-3/4"hs, 2-1/2"fd' means the button drops into a 1-3/4 inch hole and the visible trim ring is 2-1/2 inches across. Match both numbers to the existing deck cutout so the replacement covers any wear ring left by the old button.