If you plan on using your hot tub throughout the winter, then there’s no need to close it. This post isn’t for you.
As long you’ll always be around to keep it running, you won’t have to worry about it freezing up. Nearly all hot tubs can maintain their temperature well enough as long as they’re covered and left on.
That said, there are times when the best choice is to winterize a hot tub.
When to close/winterize a hot tub
If you won’t be around to keep the hot tub running throughout the winter, then you should definitely close it. Whether you’re going on vacation for a few weeks, or working doubles all season long, keeping the hot tub warm is a must.
So, if you won’t be able to do that, the best choice is to winterize a hot tub.
Winterizing a hot tub protects the shell, pipes, and equipment freeze damage even during colder temperatures. And if you follow the steps we outline in this point, you can winterize a hot tub with ease.
Ready to close your hot tub for the season? Keep reading to get started.
Need to close your pool for the season?
[Learn how to winterize your swimming pool here]
How To Winterize a Hot Tub
1.) Turn off the power
To power down your hot tub, turn off power at the circuit breaker. After that, unplug the cord from the outlet, if possible.
2.) Drain it
Drain the water
With the hot tub powered down, it’s time to remove the water. You have a few options here.
You can use a submersible pump, a bucket, or the hot tub’s drain plug. You can even try a combination of all three.
Overall, the fastest method is the submersible pump.
That said, no matter which method you choose, be sure to remove the drain plug when you’re finished.
IMPORTANT: Turn off the heater first! This prevents accidental damage in a later step
Drain the air blower (if your spa/hot tub has one)
With the spa heater powered down, cover the hot tub and power on the air blowers. To do this, reapply power to the hot tub and turn it on. Make sure the heater is off.
Let the air blower run for at least 30 seconds, then power down the hot tub at the breaker again.
At this point, you’ll be keeping the hot tub powered off. This not only keeps your equipment safe but also helps lower your spa and swimming pool bills.
3.) Take out the filter
Remove the hot tub cover, then open up the filter well. Take out the filter cartridges and rinse them down to remove dirt and buildup.
If you have any TSP solution lying around, like Simple Green, you can create a soak to clean out the filter cartridges. Add 1 part TSP solution to 5 parts hot water, and let the filters soak in the mixture for a few hours.
When done soaking, allow the cartridges to air dry to in a warm area.
Remove any excess water remaining in the filter well with a pump or shop vac.
4.) Drain the pump and loosen the fittings
Locate your hot tub’s cabinet compartment to access the pump and motor.
Open the cabinet, and disconnect any PVC union pieces that you can see. These are usually found on either end of the pump and/or filter.
With the unions disconnected, locate and remove the drain plugs on your filter housing, heater, and pumps. This little step safeguards your pool equipment from accidental damage from lingering water.
5.) Blow out the pipes
You’re almost done. All you have left to do is clear the remaining water out of the pipes.
The easiest way to do this is with a shop vac. But really, you can use anything that can blow out pressurized air.
Using a shop vac, take the lower end of the hose and press it against a jet. As you do this, you should see water emptying out from the disconnected union pipes.
Keep blowing out the jets until water stops coming out of the pipes.
Important Note:
Don’t put antifreeze in your hot tub or pipes. Just don’t do it.
If you’re winterizing your hot tub, then you don’t have to worry about frozen pipes in the first place. Also, keep in mind that antifreeze is incredibly difficult to remove entirely from spa plumbing.
6.) Clean the hot tub shell and cover
If you still have your TSP solution handy from earlier, you can use it to clean off your hot tub shell and cover.
If not, you can also create a homemade cleaning solution using lime and baking soda.
[Check out these other household pools cleaning products]
Grab a sponge or soft bristle brush, and thoroughly scrub the shell and cover (both sides) using your cleaning solution.
No matter which cleaner you decide to use, it’s usually a good idea to rinse off the cover when you’re done.
7.) Put on the cover
With the hot tub properly cleaned and winterized, it’s time for the final step: securing the cover.
This might be the most important step to get through when you winterize a hot tub. If you don’t secure the cover properly, you risk getting a whole range of stuff stuck in there, from excess water to rodents and bugs.
So if you want to open up a clean and spotless hot tub in a few months, take the time to secure the cover now. This means properly applying all latches and straps built into the cover.
Once the cover is applied, seal the deal with a winter spa cover or waterproof tarp.
Drape the tarp (or cover) over the hot tub cover, and allow it hang a few feet off of all four sides. Use heavy stones, sandbags, or water tubes to secure the loose hanging ends of the tarp to the ground. This final touch adds an extra layer of water protection to the hot tub.
What to do now
If you follow the steps in this post, then you’ll be stress-free when it’s time to winterize a hot tub. Most of the preparation revolves around emptying out the tub and pipes, aka, avoiding freeze damage.
So now that you have a closed hot tub, what’s next?
Have you serviced your pool heater since the last big storm? Will it be ready to heat your water when you need it to?
To get the most out of this swim season, schedule your annual pool heater maintenance call today.
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