adminNot everyone has the luxury of a hot tub in their backyard. If you live where winter is cold, there’s usually no way to keep your water warm enough for use during these months. Here are some tips and tricks that might be able to help!
The “hot tub antifreeze winterize” is a process that can be used to keep your hot tub in good shape during the winter. The process involves adding an antifreeze solution to the water.
Having an at-home spa and hot tub necessitates a significant amount of upkeep, particularly if you want to keep your hot tub open during the winter. If you want to avoid all of the effort, winterizing your hot tub is the best option.
Many new hot tub owners are unsure if they may keep their spas empty over the winter. Yes, it is true! For others, draining and winterizing their hot tub is preferable than leaving it open.
There are firms that will come out and prepare your hot tub for a winter of not being used, and some hot tub manufacturers may provide a service exclusively for their hot tubs, but these services are generally pricey.
If you’re like me and like to get your hands dirty to save money, I’ve got the steps to winterize your hot tub yourself, as well as some wonderful reasons why it’s a good idea to winterize rather than keep it open!
Of course, if you have an inflatable hot tub, it will be much easy to winterize.
Contents Table of Contents
- What You’ll Require
- Step 1: Turn off the electricity.
- Drain the Water in Step 2
- Step 3: Remove your air blowers and drain them.
- Step 4: Put Your Filters Away
- 5th Step: Loosen the Fittings
- 6. Blow the Pipes Out
- 7. Remove all of the water from your hot tub.
- 8. Keep your hot tub and its cover clean.
- 9. Fill the openings with antifreeze.
- Step ten: Ensure the Cover and Everything Else is in Place
- 10. You’ve completed the task!
Contents
What You’ll Require
You’ll need a few different items to get started on this project. I recommend acquiring all of the supplies well ahead of time so that you can give everything a brief test to ensure that everything is in functioning order. Stopping in the midst of this procedure should be avoided unless absolutely essential.
You will need the following items:
- Pump for Sump (optional)
- Shop Vac
- Cleaner for filters
- Cleaner for hot tubs (MUST be for a hot tub SPECIFCALLY)
- Antifreeze for Hot Tubs (MUST be for a hot tub SPECIFCALLY)
- Cleaner for the Covers
- Kit for a garden hose and a discharge hose (one or the other would be fine)
- Push the broom around (preferably plastic)
- Towels made of soft microfibre
- Funnel
- Drainage area that has been designated
- A Friend Who Is Extremely Beneficial
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Finding a Drainage area that has been designated is very important! The water from your hot tub could be slowly draining for hours or pushing out a lot of water very quickly, depending on which method you use.
A location distant from any private property or a communal space would be perfect for draining. Ideally, a location where there will be few other people on the day you decide to accomplish this. If you can locate a nearby sewage or storm drain, it would be the ideal location for your hose.
The majority of the water will pool into your local water system if you direct your hose towards a storm drain or sewage drain, but you must do it carefully. If you want to discharge your pool water into a storm drain, LAStormwater.org provides some useful recommendations on how to protect it from becoming ecologically hazardous.
Although not all jurisdictions allow pool water to be drained into the street, if yours does, follow these simple guidelines to ensure that you are doing it in an ecologically responsible manner.
LAStormwater’s advice
- To clean the pool water of possible impurities, let it alone for at least five days without adding chlorine or de-chlorinizing products.
- Before draining pool water into a storm drain, ensure sure the collect basin in the corner isn’t obstructed. Because clogged basins might cause flooding, notify your local authority about any basins that need to be cleaned.
- Pool water should only be discharged into storm drains between the hours of 8 p.m. and 8 a.m.
- If you live in a region where it has recently rained, wait at least 48 hours after the rain has ceased to prevent overloading the sanitary sewage system.
- Your pool water cannot be released into the storm drain system if it includes copper-based algaecides or colors. Only particular circumstances, detailed in your city’s or county’s municipal code, allow dyed water to be discharged into the sanitary sewage system.
If you have any more questions or would want to learn more about emptying your water in the street, you may visit this website or contact your local government for information on local rules and ordinances.
Step 1: Turn off the electricity.
It is essential that you switch off the electricity to your hot tub before you begin. If the electricity was accidently turned on when the hot tub was empty or full with cleaning materials, it might cause harm. Don’t simply switch off the hot tub to prevent this. Also, if you can safely reach the power connector, turn off the circuit breaker attached to your hot tub or disconnect it entirely.
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Drain the Water in Step 2
Once you’ve identified a safe location to drain your water, you can begin the actual draining procedure.
There are two major methods for doing this. One method is siphoning, which involves simply Making Use of a Hose and gravity to empty the water from your hot tub. Another option is to use a submersible pump, commonly known as a sump pump. Because you’re here, I’ll go through both options.
Pumping with a Pump
Draining pools and hot tubs using a sump pump is the preferable method since the equipment works quickly and effectively. However, the expense of the pump, as well as the cost of powering and maintaining it, comes with its convenience.
The first step is to connect the hose.
Sump pumps do not come with discharge hoses, thus you will have to purchase one separately. A discharge hose kit may be found from your local hardware shop or online, and costs vary from about $20 to close to $200. Don’t bother about attempting to measure your sump pump since most discharge hose kits will come with a variety of adapter sizes.
You can save money by using a regular garden hose, but you’ll need to purchase an adapter unless your sump pump includes a connection that fits your garden hose.
A twin sump pump set might help you remove the water even quicker. This would enable you to connect hoses to the sump pump, allowing twice as much water to flow out!
Step 2: Submerge the Pump in Water
The next step is the simplest: just immerse it in water!
Don’t worry about being electrocuted or anything since sump pumps are designed to be submerged in water. There will also be no need for an on/off switch. A float switch may be found in sump pumps. The float switch detects when the pump is submerged in water and activates the mechanism.
When submerged in water, the float switch activates the sump pump, which instantly begins draining. Though it may seem simple, you must continually keep an eye on the sump pump as it rests in the pool. Many factors might cause the float switch to turn off since it utilizes the water level it floats on to decide whether it should remain on or not.
It’s not an issue if the float switch switches off the sump pump. To turn the sump pump back on, just grip the float switch and raise it over the sump pump.
Step 3: Add the Final Touches
It may be difficult for the sump pump to take up the water as it reaches the final few inches. Your push broom will come in helpful here. Simply push the remaining water towards the sump pump while someone holds the float switch.
If you see any dirt or debris at the bottom of your hot tub, remove it yourself to avoid damaging the pump.
Making Use of a Hose
It’s known as siphoning when you use a garden hose to empty the water from your hot tub. Siphoning is a simple and generally inexpensive method of draining the water from your hot tub.
Some individuals attempt to siphon water the old-fashioned manner, sucking it through the hose to start it flowing. That is a dreadful concept. It’s not only awful since you’d be drinking unclean hot tub water, but it’s also dangerous due to the chemicals used to keep hot tubs and spas clean.
Please follow these instructions, which are considerably simpler, more hygienic, and generally safer.
Place the hose in the hot tub first.
Simply place the hose’s end in the hot tub. This portion, like the sump pump, is straightforward. The only thing to remember about this step is to keep the hose attached to the outside tap.
Step 2: Open the tap.
This step may seem to be counterintuitive, but trust me when I say it works. It will just take a few seconds for the water from the tap to flow.
While you’re turning on the water, have your extremely helpful buddy peek inside the hot tub. Continue to run the water until no more bubbles appear in the hot tub. Turn off the water and remove the garden hose from the tap after the bubbles have ceased.
Step 3: Go with the Flow
The following phase involves some interesting science. Make sure the draining end of the hose is always below the water level of the hot tub when you turn off the water.
You’ve built a link between the water in the hot tub and the end of the hose outside by first putting water through the garden hose and into the hot tub. Gravity will force the water from the higher water level down when you remove the hose from the tap. That’s how the water goes down!
Because this method relies on gravity rather than a machine, it may take a bit longer. At a rate of around 6 inches per hour, the water should drain. But, much as with the sump pump’s twin pump adaptor, you may utilize two hoses! Depending on how many hoses you have, you may need even more.
Step 4: Add the Final Touches
Use the push broom to send water towards the hose as it gets lower, just like you did with the pump, being careful to collect any dirt or debris that you notice.
Step 3: Remove your air blowers and drain them.
If your hot tub contains jets, the air blowers will still be clogged with water. This step is critical because if the water in your hot tub’s blowers freezes, the components might fracture or shatter, causing your hot tub to break down. Damages can be rectified in certain cases, but it will be quite costly.
The first step is to turn off the heater.
Find the location of your hot tub’s heating mechanism and switch it off using the owner’s handbook. When the hot tub isn’t full of water, the heater should never be turned on. This may cause damage to your heater, which will be costly to fix.
Step 2: Fill the Hot Tub with water.
Replace the lid on the hot tub to keep the old water from the blowers from splashing out. Reconnect the electricity to your hot tub. Turn the power back on to the hot tub, whether you disconnected it or switched off the circuit breaker.
Then, for approximately 30 seconds, turn on the jets to their maximum level and run the hot tub. The water will be forced out of the blowers and into the hot tub as a result of this.
Step 3: Once again, turn off the hot tub.
Turn off the jets and the hot tub after you’re confident all of the blowers are empty. As previously, make sure the hot tub’s electricity is turned off entirely.
Remove the hot tub cover, and if there is a lot of leftover water in your jets, you can drain it again, but if it isn’t too terrible, you can leave it since the hot tub will be dried later.
Step 4: Put Your Filters Away
Remove all of the filters from your hot tubs. They won’t be using the hot tub throughout the winter to avoid becoming wet and freezing or becoming mildewed. To keep them, choose a good, dry spot indoors.
Since you have them out, this is a great time to clean your filters! Grab a soft bristled brush and remove any big pieces of dirty from the filter before soaking it in your Cleaner for filters. Since you will be storing it for the winter, it’s a good idea to do a nice 24-hour soak so that it’ll be squeaky clean for next summer.
While the filter is soaking, ensure sure there is no water in the filter area; you may use the shop vac to suck the water out or one of your microfiber towels to dry it out. Regardless of how you go about it, be sure there is no water around.
5th Step: Loosen the Fittings
In the winter, your hot tub has a number of small nooks and crevices that may collect water. This following action will assist in preventing this from occurring.
To begin, open the cabinet to your hot tub and locate the pump. Some hot tubs have many, so make sure you have your owner’s handbook accessible so you know what to anticipate. Loosen any unions on the hot tub’s pumps that you notice.
Remove all drain plugs from the pumps next. If any condensation forms within the pipes without the plugs covering them, the water will be able to trickle out instead of freezing inside.
When you’ve removed the drain plugs, keep them somewhere secure so you don’t lose them when it’s time to reopen your hot tub.
6. Blow the Pipes Out
We’ve arrived at the most crucial part of the process: the pipes. When you drained the water from your blowers a few steps ago, the pipes in your hot tub should be empty, but there is likely still water in the pipes that has to be emptied before you can shut up your hot tub.
Close the air control knobs on your jets first. Because every hot tub is different, make sure you have your owner’s handbook handy so you can figure out where your air controls are. Get into the empty hot tub with your shop vac and blow air into the facing of each jet. You’ll want to be quite thorough here, so don’t be hesitant to circle each jet a second or even third time.
I can’t emphasize how crucial this step is. If you leave any water in your pool throughout the winter, it will freeze, expand, and ruin your hot tub’s plumbing. This is a really important phase, so please pay great attention.
7. Remove all of the water from your hot tub.
It’s now time to get rid of the remaining bit of water now that we’ve drained every location that may possibly be storing water. It’s best if the hot tub is mainly vacant. Only the water from the blowers and pipes should be used in the hot tub, which should not be much.
You should be able to suck up the final few drops of water with your shop vac or soak it up with some microfiber towels. If there was more water in your blowers and pipes than you thought, you may remove the water using the same approach you did previously.
For the following phase, you’ll want the hot tub’s surface to be as dry as possible, so attempt to make the empty hot tub as dry as possible.
8. Keep your hot tub and its cover clean.
It is critical that while cleaning your hot tub, you use only hot tub-specific cleansers and not any of your home cleaning products.
Although it may be tempting since it is so handy, the chemicals in household cleansers may be too harsh for your hot tub’s shell and cause damage to the surface. It may also leave a film surrounding the hot tub, which may influence the water the next time you fill it up.
Because the bubbles will force you to rinse the hot tub after all of that labor to get the water out, I suggest using a non-foaming hot tub cleanser. You don’t have to let non-foaming cleansers sit in the hot tub since they’re generally spray and wipe solutions, but you may if you wish.
Take some time to clean your tub cover after you’ve cleaned the hot tub. If your current cover is flimsy, I recommend investing in an insulated hot tub cover. Your hot tub will be covered for the winter to keep it safe from the snow and ice. If your cover isn’t thick enough, it might rip, allowing snow to enter your tub and undo all of your hard work.
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9. Fill the openings with antifreeze.
This step isn’t commonly seen as essential. Some hot tub owners consider it is an unnecessary additional step, while others believe it is essential. Before electing to use antifreeze, I recommend doing your own research, consulting your owner’s handbook, or contacting your hot tub manufacturer.
If you opt to put antifreeze in your hot tub, the procedure is straightforward. Simply dilute the antifreeze according to the label’s directions and pour it into your jets, the pipes to which your filter was attached, or any other holes where water may enter during the winter.
Use hot tub or pool specialized antifreeze to ensure your safety. To keep your pipes safe, hot tub antifreeze will be produced using propylene glycol as the active element. Because ethylene glycol antifreeze, the kind used in autos, is harmful, you should never use it.
When you reopen your hot tub, using automobile antifreeze will not only ruin the workings of your hot tub, but it will also hurt you or anybody else who uses it.
Step ten: Ensure the Cover and Everything Else is in Place
It’s time to cover the complete hot tub now that the interior and all of its pieces have been emptied, cleaned, protected, and dried.
Cover the hot tub entirely with your insulated hot tub cover. It would be much great if you could secure your hot tub cover. If your hot tub cover does not have that function, you may still fasten it with some strong duty wind straps. During harsh winter storms, these straps will hold the cover on tight, protecting your hot tub.
Remember to replace any panels, covers, or locks you removed from the hot tub during this procedure. Unless it is anything you are concerned about freezing, it should be returned to its proper place to guarantee that everything is secure.
10. You’ve completed the task!
You’re finished once the cover is firmly in place. Clean up all of your supplies and double-check that any chemicals are handled appropriately according to their labels and cautions. Check your designated drainage area to ensure that the water from your hot tub did not flood anything or create any issues.
Congratulations! Your hot tub can be successfully winterized! This choice will save you money on your energy costs and relieve you of the burden of keeping your hot tub open all winter.
The “how to winterize a nordic hot tub” is a guide on how to winterize your hot tub. The article will teach you what steps you should take to prepare your hot tub for the winter and make it last longer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I leave my hot tub empty in winter?
A: This is a very difficult question to answer. You can try putting ice into the hot tub, but if it doesnt cool down enough you may need to get a new one.
Do you have to winterize a hot tub?
A: One thing to note is that its important not only the temperature of your hot tub, but also its depth and volume. If youre winterizing a 3-4 foot deep hot tub with an average capacity of 100 gallons in size, you should be good for about 5 days without any major issues as long as there isnt anything unusual happening like large amounts of snowfall or rain.
Can I put antifreeze in my hot tub?
A: No, you cannot put antifreeze in your hot tub. The chemicals in the antifreeze would damage the surface of your hot tub and contaminate it.
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