Most
hot tub and home spa owners in colder climates like to use their spa
outdoors during the cold winter months.
If you’ve ever enjoyed sitting in a hot tub in the middle of a major
snow storm, you’ll know why. If you haven’t had the opportunity to
experience this, seek it out! It is amazing to soak outdoors in the hot
water while the snow swirls in the air all around you. Or to soak under
the stars on a cold winter night. However, if you want to drain your tub
for the winter, the following tips will point you in the right
direction.
The first thing you have to do, of course, is to drain all the water
from your tub. You can accomplish this in a number of ways. Most hot
tubs have a drain that you can attach your garden hose to. You can also
siphon the water out of the tub by placing the end of your garden hose
in the tub and running the water for a moment. With the end of the hose
still in the tub, disconnect the other end from the tap and connect it
to the tub drain. The water should flow when you remove the hose from
the tub.
This is also the ideal time to remove and check your filter cartridges
and drain the water from the water blowers. Just turn the air blowers on
and let them run for a minute or so. You might leave the lid on the tub
while doing this. When you’ve finished, disconnect the power supply to
the tub. If your tub was properly installed, it will have a dedicated
circuit on your panel. Turn off the power by flipping the switch on the
panel.
Take care to loosen the couplings on your heater housing and your pumps.
You should also loosen any other drainage valves on the equipment. This
will allow all the water to drain from the system. Some people put
antifreeze in the lines during the winter. This is not a bad idea, but
it’s not necessary if you drain all of the water out of the lines. You
can use a shop vacuum to remove any remaining water. Then the only thing
left to do is to put on your spa cover and close your control panel. For
a proper startup in the spring, follow these steps in reverse.
Always consult a doctor. The opinion above is just that, an opinion.