How To Winterize Your Hot Tub

Your hot tub is designed to serve you well throughout the coldest months. However, if you won’t be around in the winter to use it, you can take steps to keep it safe from the ravages of rough weather until your return, either by winterizing it yourself or have us take care of it for you.
Winterizing your hot tub is not a task that should be left until the last moment, so plan ahead and get an early start. To reduce the risk of bacteria lingering in dormant pipes during your absence, make sure your water is clean before you drain it. Pick a clear day when the temperatures are above zero, or else water could freeze in your still-draining spa.

What you’ll need:

• wet/dry vacuum cleaner
• garden hose
• absorbent towels
• Propylene Glycol antifreeze (never use an antifreeze containing Ethylene Glycol)
• long funnel

Drain Water

Turn off the power to your hot tub by tripping the GFCI breakers at your spa’s electrical panel. If you don’t know how to do this, consult your owner’s manual or call our service department.
If you own a sump pump—a submersible pump designed to remove water from a large area, such as a flooded basement—you may use it to drain the water out of your tub rapidly. Otherwise, let gravity do the work for you: Unscrew your hot tub’s drainage plug, attach the drain valve nozzle to a garden hose, and let the water flow out. Be prepared for this process to take a long time. When most of the water has drained, use your wet/dry vacuum to suck up any water remaining at the bottom of your spa.

Take Out Filters

While your tub is draining, remove the filter cartridges, clean them, and store them in a warm space until you return. If your hot tub’s control panel comes with a wireless remote, store that indoors as well. Remove filter stand pipes if possible.

Remove Excess Water

Even after draining, several gallons of water may remain hidden in your hot tub. To prevent this water from freezing and damaging your spa, get rid of as much of it as possible. Use a wet-dry vacuum to either suck or blow any remaining water out of the jets, the filter standpipe, and any other feature or opening in your hot tub where water may hide. Consult the owner’s manual for your hot tub model for instructions specific to your hot tub.
Using a clean, absorbent towel, wipe any remaining moisture from your hot tub shell.

Reinstall Drain Caps

You got this 😉

Add Antifreeze

Use the Propylene Glycol antifreeze (6 gallons) and a funnel and pour the antifreeze down each jet, your filter standpipes, and any other opening through which water may enter or leave your spa.

Close Cover

Replace your hot tub cover and securely strap it into place. It may be a good idea to place plywood boards on top of your cover to prevent it from being damaged by the weight of accumulated snow and ice, then secure a plastic tarp over the entire top of your cover.

Wait 6 Months to Enjoy Life Again (J/K)

You’ll need to remove any trace of antifreeze from your tub before it’s safe for you to use. Fill your spa with water, as usual, add double the usual amount of chlorine to neutralize the antifreeze, then drain and refill your spa once again before fitting your clean filter cartridges back in place. Your owner’s manual will be able to guide you on this process. You also can call our Service Department in West Fargo, ND. 701-532-0784

**Disclaimer**

HotSpring Spas & Pool Tables 2 can not guarantee the proper winterization of any hot tub that was not performed by one of our trained service technicians and therefore is not responsible for actions taken from reading this post.