Get Your Hot Tub Ready for Winter

Are you ready to put your hot tub away for the winter? Is your hot tub at a vacation house where it will sit unused for months at a time? Maybe you’re trying to reduce your monthly energy bills.

There are several reasons why you might need to winterize your hot tub. Doing it correctly will keep your hot tub working at peak performance when you switch it back on again.

1. Get the Supplies You Need

You don’t need specialty products to do this, but if you have hot tub cleaners, use them. For thorough cleaning, you will need:

• Soft cleaning rags.
• Bucket.
• Shop vacuum.
• All-purpose cleaner. Use a gentle, non-abrasive cleaner that contains no ammonia.
• Regular garden hose.
• Sump pump.
  

2. Turn Off the Power

Turn off the power completely before you start draining and cleaning your tub.

3. Remove the Cover

Take off the cover and set it aside. Doing this allows the chemicals in your hot tub to dissipate safely into the air. Don’t dump your water until the chemicals have escaped from your water. They’re harsh enough to damage your grass and stonework.

While you’re waiting, clean the hot tub cover. Your hot tub cover is probably made of acrylic. It’s easy to scratch acrylic, so use a soft sponge and a gentle cleaner with no bleach, ammonia or harsh chemicals.

3. Drain the Water and the Lines

Once the water is free of old chemicals, drain it and dump it. Use a sump pump to remove all the water clinging to the shell. Check all the corners, gears, and machinery for clinging water. Loosen everything you can to shake free the water collected there.

When you’re sure that all the water is gone, use your shop vacuum to clear the hot tub lines. This is the most important part of winterizing your hot tub. To do it, start by loosening all drains and taps. Set your shop vacuum to the “blow” setting and hold it over each line opening for 10 to 15 seconds.

4. Clean the Filters

Remove the filters by turning each one in a counterclockwise direction. Start by hosing off any obvious dirt and debris. For the next step, fill your bucket with a few drops of cleaning solution and water. You can use cold water for this step. Place each filter in the bucket to let it soak while you finish winterizing.

5. Clean the Shell

Use your cleaner to clean the hot tub shell. Like the cover, the shell is probably made of highly delicate acrylic. Don’t use anything harsh to clean it. Let it air dry or scrub it dry with a soft towel.

6. Check the Panels

If your spa has a cabinet, check the panels and fittings. If anything is loose, fasten it. Check inside the cabinets to ensure they’re empty. Wipe them clean.

7. Finish the Filters

Once your filters have soaked for at least 20 minutes, remove them from the bucket and let them dry. Don’t replace them in the hot tub. Leave them in a dry location until the next time you use your hot tub.

8. Dry Everything

Use your soft rags to dry all the hot tub surfaces. The leftover water can cause problems as your hot tub sits unused over the months. It can grow slime, mold, and other unwelcome guests. Get everything as dry as possible before you lock it up.

9. Retighten and Replace

If you loosened anything, tighten it. Replace the hot tub cover and seal it firmly.

10. Turn It Off

If you turned your hot tub on at any point, turn it off before putting it away for the winter.

Is Your Hot Tub Ready For Winter?

Follow these steps when you know your hot tub is going to be unused for a while. Winterizing your hot tub requires about three hours of solid work, but it pays off in the spring when you fire up a fresh, clean hot tub that’s ready to work perfectly for you.

If you would like help with getting your hot tub ready for winter and looking for a professional hot tub maintenance company to do the work for you, do not hesitate and contact Skovish Pools and Spas. We are ready to clean and close up your hot tub for winter so it is ready to open up in the spring.

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