Are you planning to shut your hot tub down for the winter? If so, that means you should winterize it before saying goodbye for the season. Arizona winters aren’t nearly as harsh as in other parts of the United States, but anytime you let an appliance hibernate for months, you should take special care to ensure it runs well when you get it running next season.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to prepare a hot tub for cold weather in Tucson, AZ.
- Let your chemical levels drop: Your hot tub contains a lot of chemicals that shouldn’t be released into the drains or groundwater supply. Before you start winterizing your hot tub, let the sanitizer levels to drop to zero. This might take a few days. Continue to test the water until you reach the desired level.
- Turn off the breaker: Water and electricity don’t mix. Either unplug your hot tub (if it uses a traditional plug) or flip the breaker. The most important thing is that no electricity should be reaching your hot tub—it can be deadly!
- Drain the water: Next, take off the drain cap and attach your garden hose to the spout. Be sure that wherever you drain the tub, it can handle the water. You’ll be sending about 400 gallons down the sewer or into your yard. Some water will remain in the tub, but you’ll siphon that out later.
- Drain the blower: If you have an air blower, that needs to be drained, too. First, turn the heater to the off position. Then, plug the tub back in or flip the breaker on. Turn the tub on to run the blower for about 30 seconds, then turn off and unplug.
- Drain the plumbing lines: Next, open the access panel to the heater and pumps. Unscrew the unions slightly to allow water to drain from the plumbing lines.
- Clean the filters: Take the filters out and clean them according to your usual process. Find a clean, dry place to store them during the winter. If they’re particularly dirty, you might want to install new filters in the spring.
- Blow out the lines: Next, use a shop vacuum to blow all water out of the lines. If water freezes inside pipes or plumbing lines, it can expand and crack. Depending on how much water is left in the shell, you can siphon it out with the shop vac.
- Clean the shell: Using a hot tub cleaner or baking soda and vinegar, give your tub shell a good scrubbing to remove bacteria and debris.
- Clean and secure the cover: Finally, you should clean the cover thoroughly—make sure to get in all the nooks and crannies so that mold and algae won’t form while your hot tub is closed up. Then, secure the cover, using locks and wind straps to make sure it stays completely closed all winter long.
If you have questions about how to winterize your hot tub in Tucson, AZ, Arizona Pool & Pond Company can help. We offer complete maintenance and repair services for pools and spas. Call today to get started.