Using Your Outdoor Hot Tub in the Winter
If you’ve just installed an outdoor hot tub and enjoyed using it through a luxurious summer and into the autumn, you may assume that, as temperatures drop, it’s time to drain the tub, put the cover on it, and forget about it until the spring. On the contrary, the depths of winter may be the most magical time of all to enjoy your hot tub. Lying back in a tub full of hot water with snowflakes gently falling all around you is certainly an experience not to be missed!
You should drain and clean your tub before the winter; you don’t want to take on this task during the coldest part of the year. First, flush your plumbing system following the directions that came with your tub. Generally, you will add a liquid cleaning product to the water — either a specialty product for cleaning plumbing lines, or even dishwashing detergent and bleach — and run the jets for 15 minutes; this will circulate the cleansing solution through your jets and plumbing lines. Be sure to use an appropriate cleansing fluid; consult with your dealer as necessary.
Once the plumbing is flushed, cut off all power to your hot tub; turn off the system and cut off the breaker in your breaker panel. Then drain the water from your tub, ensuring that you get all the water and debris out of any cavities on the tub floor. A spa vacuum or submersible pump may speed up this process. If your tub has an air blower, purge that of water as well: this will require that you turn the power back on, but be sure that the heater is not turned on. With the cover in place, run the air blower for about 15 seconds; that should purge it of moisture. When you’re done with that, turn the power back off, including shutting off the circuit breaker.
Next, remove the filters, taking the opportunity to clean and soak them in a filter cleaning solution that is recommended for your particular hot tub. If your filters have had a year or more of heavy use, they may need to be replaced. The filter compartment should be completely dried as well. And blow your jets: first open them, then force air under high pressure into each of the jet fixtures with a wet/dry shop vac. Finally, you can clean the shell with a nonfoaming cleaner, wiping down all surfaces and rinsing with clean water. If you wish, you can apply a coat of spa wax or protective coating to the surface, again only using those products that are recommended for your particular hot tub. And if you have a wooden support structure, the fall is a good time to apply a new coat of protective finish, before the colder temperatures are able to damage the wood.
There are many antifreeze products on the market, but these are not recommended for use in any hot tub; antifreeze may leave a residue that will be difficult to clean out of your plumbing system.
Once your tub is flushed and cleaned, you can then add clean water and get ready to enjoy it during the wintertime. Again, familiarize yourself with the operating instructions that came with your hot tub. The system may be designed with a freeze-protection system; if so, make sure that this system is activated, and turn the heat settings higher than bare minimum. Your system may have a timer or auto-heat selection; if so, turn that on. The auto-heat sensors will ensure that your water does not freeze. If you don’t have automatic freeze protection, you can use a timer switch to turn the heater on and off at frequent intervals. In particularly cold climates, your tub may need heat for 15 minutes every hour to prevent freezing. And if you use your tub frequently in the winter, keeping the water at a constant warm temperature may well take less heating energy than letting the water get cold and then heating it from scratch on a frequent basis.
However, the air jets will certainly use a great deal of energy; these jets use outside air to drive the jets of water into your tub, and this very cold air will require your tub’s heater to work overtime keeping the water at a nice temperature. Go ahead and enjoy the jets while you’re using your tub, but be sure to turn them off when you get out.
Your tub requires more routine maintenance during the winter than during the summer. Be sure to check the water level frequently. With some tubs, the pump will shut off automatically if the water level drops below a certain point. The water then will not circulate, the heater will not run, and your tub could freeze. Add water as necessary. Also, especially in very cold temperatures, check the water temperature on a daily basis to ensure that the heater is functioning properly. You can even install a remote digital thermometer with a low-temperature alarm, that will set off an audible alarm inside your house if the tub’s water drops below a certain temperature.
There are other protective and energy-saving measures that you can take. Purchase a floating thermal blanket for your tub; this will help lower your heating costs by retaining heat in your tub, reducing evaporation, and keeping moisture buildup on the inside of your tub cover to a minimum. Also, take a close look at your cover. If it is waterlogged or badly worn, you will also lose much energy because of the cover’s reduced capacity to insulate. You can apply a seal to your cover to help protect it against the elements, but if your cover is already waterlogged, there may not be much you can do short of purchasing a new cover and applying a seal right away. You can also purchase a coverall for some tubs (depending on the size and layout of your framework); a coverall will help protect your entire tub from the elements.
If you want to shelter your tub, and yourself, from rain or snow while you’re using the tub, find a large spa umbrella that covers the entire unit. You will still have the open feeling of being outdoors in the cold elements while enjoying your hot tub, but you won’t feel cold rain or wet snow stinging your face (and you won’t be polluting your tub water!).
If you live in an area that is prone to power outages, you should have a contingency plan for your hot tub. Usually, keeping the lid on tight is sufficient to keep your water from freezing for a few hours, until power is restored and the heaters can function properly again. If you have power outages that last more than a few hours, you might consider purchasing a generator that can run your hot tub’s heater for a longer period of time. However, in dire circumstances, you may need to drain your tub and completely flush the plumbing and jets before freezing can cause any damage.
There’s no reason not to enjoy your hot tub all year round, and if you take the proper precautions, you can keep your tub functioning safely and normally through the winter.
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