Winterizing Your Hot Tub

Environment Canada is calling for the snow to end sometime today with total amounts in the 20 to 30 cm range. Ready or not winter is knocking on our doorstep. So how do you prepare? Snow tires ... check, snow blower … check, drain the pool … check.  What about the hot tub?

If you have a hot tub that you want to close up for the winter it starts with the realization that hot tub spas get damaged because they aren’t properly winterized.  It also costs a lot to repair them.  Don’t let it get that far.

You have to start by turning off the circuit breaker for the spa’s electrical line and even better unplug the unit. Then remove the hard thermal cover and drain out the spa by hooking a garden hose to the spa’s bottom drain spout. Make sure that you leave the bottom drain spout open when you’re finished.

After you turn off your spa heater and  replace the hard thermal cover on the spa and turn the spa’s circuit breaker back on, or plug the unit back in. If you have an air blower, let it run for approximately 30 seconds in order to blow all the water out of the air channel under the spa seats.

Remove the cover and soak up all the remaining water from inside the spa with towels or the best way possible, making sure that you get all the water out. Take out the hot tub filter and empty the water out of the filter canister compartment.

You’ll have to get the water out of the jet piping.  You can do this by blowing air through a compressor or hose into the jets. Get out of the spa and put the hard cover back on the unit. Tie down the cover to so that wind it doesn’t get flipped up by wind.

If you have an in ground or in deck hot tub, you’ll have to attach Winter Spa Cover over the hard thermal cover. One neat trick is to place the winter cover over the hard cover and lay swimming pool type water tubes around the hot tub decking which will prevent rain or water from getting into your spa over the winter.

All that’s left to do is bury your head and wait for spring. If you go through withdrawal, there are always outdoor spas. 

Is it Time to Replace Your Spa Cover?

Don’t be alarmed if your hot tub cover is starting to fall apart or lose its shape, it’s just nature’s way of telling you to change your spa cover.

There are a few ways that your hot tub is telling you it’s time for a new cover. When the cover is retaining water and is waterlogged you need a new cover. It seems more serious than you think. There are health risks of continuing to use a waterlogged cover because the vapor barrier fails due to the chemicals used to keep the water healthy eventually break down this barrier. The foam cores inside the cover will absorb the moisture from the warm and humid air underneath creating a paradise germs and bacteria. The condition of the vinyl will crack and break. Another cause of spa cover deterioration is forgetting to treat the cover with the suggested cleaning products regularly. We’re all busy but if you do not treat the vinyl on your hot tub cover using the recommended products the sun air, rain and snow will beat it up letting water in.

So what can you do to prolong your hot tub cover’s life expectancy? While we suggest that you use only those products that have been recommended for your hot tub, leaving the hot tub cover off for about 20 minutes after using chemicals in your hot tub, will allow the vapors that can destroy the plastic vinyl cover to escape. This also prevents them from staying in the hot tub, where they shouldn’t be. Be nice to your spa cover, don’t put anything heavy on it. And be careful how you handle it. Dragging it around on the ground will cause premature wear and tear. 

Energy and Money Saving Tips for Your Hot Tub

If you want to save energy and money when it comes to your hot tub, here are a few tips:

By starting your spa or hot tub with its cover on, you won’t lose as much heat. Think of it, because heat rises just like the heat rising in our home, by insulating the attic or keeping the cover on our spa, we can prevent up to 85% of heat from escaping through the roof. Also replace your cover if it’s ripped and cracked from age. Water will accumulate in the cover decreasing its effectiveness, wasting energy and money.

Another effective way to save hot tub heating energy is by creating a windbreak around your spa. By cutting wind exposure with shrubs, privacy panels, or fencing, as well as spa enclosures you can significantly reduce heat loss.

You can also take advantage of using off-peak heating. Since many power utilities offer reduced rates during off-peak hours, when demand is lowest, you can benefit from using those time slots to heat your hot tub. If your hot tub has a timer circuit that allows you to program off-peak heating your hot tub can maintain its heat for several hours after the heater is turned off by correctly insulating your spa and getting a good cover.

With the price of everything these days, everybody wants to save a few dollars more. These are some helpful tips for reducing energy to heat up your spa but there are many others. Check back regularly for more useful tips.