Can A Hot Tub Sit Empty?
Can a Hot Tub Sit Empty?
When you first become a hot tub owner, you may never imagine a time where you would want to leave it empty. However, there are some reasons why you may want to drain your hot tub for a period of time. If you are trying to find an answer to the question, ‘Can a hot tub sit empty?’ you have come to the right place. Yes, it can be left empty but there are some precautions to take to ensure that it does not become damaged.
Why Leave a Hot Tub Empty?
The two most common reasons a hot tub gets drained and left empty is because people are winterizing or summerizing their hot tub. While a hot tub can be used year round and in any type of weather, some owners prefer not to use during different seasons. This can be for a number of reasons including that they are snowbirds in the winter or that their family spends most of their free time away at a camp in the summer. In these cases, it makes sense to drain and properly ‘winterize or summerize’ your hot tub.
How to Winterize a Hot Tub
Especially in winter, if any water is left in your tub, it can freeze and cause cracking. When draining your hot tub, it is important to get out every last drop. Start by turning off your power supply and drain the water. There are two common methods, using the drain plug with a garden hose or using a sump pump, which is much faster. For either method, once you are finished, make sure to remove the drain plug from the hot tub. Once the water has drained, use a shop vac to go over the entire surface to suck up every last water droplet.
If your hot tub has an air blower, make sure that you check to make sure that all the water has been removed. This can be done by turning off the heater and turning the electricity back on to run the blower for approximately 30 seconds to remove any leftover water drops. Once you are finished, shut off the water again.
Next, remove all the filters from your hot tub and clean with a specialized 24-hour chemical soak before storing for the winter. Once cleaned, make sure all the water has dried and use a shop vac if you need help getting the last few drops out.
In your hot tub’s cabinet, locate the pumps and remove the drain plugs and piping. Use a shop vac to blow out any water inside the pipes.
Finally, give the shell of your hot tub a good clean and secure tightly with the cover. It is important to have a lockable cover that cannot be blown away in high winds or storms.
How to Summerize a Hot Tub
Letting your hot tub sit empty in the summer isn’t a problem provided that you have it properly secured with a cover. Having your hot tub covered is essential - in fact, one of the easiest ways that an acrylic hot tub can be damaged is by being left empty in direct sunlight. Doing so can actually void your warranty.
After you drain your hot tub, give the shell a good cleaning and take the time to properly clean and store your filters. Once you are ready to start using the hot tub again, it is recommended to give the hot tub another quick clean to remove any possible bugs which may have gotten inside from the pipes. Running chlorine through the pipes will also help flush out any insects, dirt or debris prior to refilling.
Now that you know that you can safely let your hot tub sit empty, find out more about the wonderful benefits hot tubs have to offer by downloading a hot tub buyer’s guide.
