How to Winterize Your Spa

Many hot tub owners love using their spas during the winter, but for anyone who travels extensively during the holiday season, it’s a good idea to go ahead and winterize your hot tub. If you plan on being out of town for a long period of time, taking the steps to winterize can help you save big on your monthly energy bill and protect your spa from potential damage.

Weigh the Pros and Cons

Before starting the process, make sure to check your schedule and assess whether or not winterizing your spa is worth it. If you have a handful of trips planned but will be returning to your home in between each one, it might not be worth the time and effort necessary to properly winterize your spa. In this case, it will be better to simply keep your hot tub constantly running, filled with sanitized water, and covered whenever not in use. Winterizing is really only necessary if you plan on spending a majority of your time this winter away from your home.

Make Sure to Prep

If you make the decision to winterize your hot tub, kick off the process by cleaning the water and balancing the chemicals. While this might seem like an unnecessary step since you’ll be draining the water soon, sanitizing everything first will reduce the risk of bacteria growing in the pipes while you’re out of town. In addition to doing a thorough clean, you’ll also want to gather a few tools that will make the rest of the process easier:

• A wet vacuum or submersible sump pump. If you need to purchase one, Home Depot has some great options
• Towels to soak up any splashes
• A spa-safe sanitizing solution
• Scrubbing tools

It’s Time to Winterize

 Each hot tub model is different so before starting the process of draining the water, it’s important to refer to your owner’s manual for specific instructions. If after checking out the manual, you’re still looking for extra guidance, feel free to contact our team. When you’re ready to start draining, go ahead and grab your wet vacuum or sump pump to start sucking up the water. If your spa is equipped with drain plugs, you can remove these and just use your vacuum or pump at the very end to soak up leftover puddles.

Once everything is drained, blow the jets for a moment to eliminate any remaining water from the pipes. Next, take a few minutes to clean the jets, filters, jet baskets, and the hot tub’s basin with your sanitizing solution. This step is incredibly important because if there’s leftover bacteria and you leave your spa unattended for too long, this can cause clogs and unsanitary conditions. After you’re finished cleaning, close your cover and you’re all done! When you’re back in town, you can refill the water, balance the chemicals, turn up the heat, and start enjoying your personal slice of heaven again.

How Can We Help?

If it’s your first time winterizing, it can be a bit overwhelming but our team members are happy to walk you through the ins and outs of each step in the process. Contact us today and let’s talk!