On a cold, cloudy day in the middle of winter, the best feeling in the world is sinking into the hot, bubbling water of your personal spa. However, if you’re going to be traveling extensively during the holiday season, leaving your hot tub unattended for a long period of time isn’t ideal. Depending on your travel plans, it might be the best option to winterize your spa before departing. This will help you save on your monthly energy bill and protect your spa from potential damage.
Assess the Pros and Cons
Before jumping straight into winterizing your spa, it’s essential to take a look at your travel schedule to determine if it’s necessary. If you have a couple of trips planned but will be returning to your home for a few weeks in between each one, spending the time to winterize won’t be worth the benefits. While it will help to minimize your electric bill, the process can be time-consuming since it involves more steps than simply draining your hot tub and closing the cover. If this situation sounds like you, it will be best to keep your hot tub running, filled with hot, properly cleaned water, and covered while not in use.
Prep Your Spa
If you decide that winterizing is the right choice for your hot tub, start the process by sanitizing the water and removing any debris. Since you’ll be draining the water in a bit, this might seem like an unnecessary step, but by taking a moment to clean everything first, you’ll reduce the risk of bacteria making itself comfortable in dormant pipes while you’re away. Once you’re finished with this step, go ahead and gather a few tools that will make the rest of this process easier:
- A submersible sump pump or wet vacuum
- A spa-safe sanitizing solution
- Scrubbing tools
Start to Winterize
Every hot tub model is unique so the draining process can vary from type to type. Before proceeding, make sure to check your owner’s manual for guidance specific to your make and model. For a vast majority of hot tubs, you’ll need to power it down before starting to drain it. If your spa is equipped with drain plugs, you can remove these, and once most of the water is purged, you can grab your wet vacuum or sump pump to soak up any remaining liquid. For spas without drain plugs, you should utilize your vacuum or pump to remove all of the liquid.
Once finished, turn on the jets for a few seconds to eliminate any water stuck in the pipes. Next, grab your sanitizing supplies and clean the vents, filters, jet baskets, and basin. This will ensure that any leftover bacteria is eliminated. After that, shut and lock the cover and you’re all done! Once you’re back in town after your travels, you can refill your hot tub, turn up the temperature, balance the chemicals, and hop back in for a cozy soak.
Need Assistance?
If this is the first time you’ve ever winterized your hot tub, the process might seem a bit intimidating. For extra guidance, feel free to contact our team and we’d be happy to help!
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