Backyard Blogging.

Fall and winter are prime time hot tub soaking season. That means you’re using your hot tub more, and you want to make sure it’s always hot and ready to go.

In this article, we look at taking care of your hot tub in cold weather so you can soak any time.

When Does a Hot Tub Freeze?

Your hot tub generally won’t freeze unless the water stops circulating. Even if your hot tub loses power, and you have good insulation and a hot tub cover, you generally have a few days before the water will start to freeze.

If you have a fully-foamed hot tub, the temperature needs to below below 28 degrees for at least 36 hours to begin to freeze. again, if your hot tub pumps are still working, and your water is circulating, the water won’t freeze.

If you are like most hot tub owners, you keep your hot tub between 102° and 104°. If your spa is at that temperature, you would have about seven to 10 days before your water froze if you lost power.

So, if you have a power outage, please keep your cover on and don’t open the cabinet door unless you have to.

If you have an external drain on your hot tub, you need to worry a bit more about spa freezing. Your drain will freeze very quickly and break. The hot water will run out, and your spa loses the heat it needed to keep the water from freezing. If you have an external drain, please come talk to us.

General Care Tips

If you’re worried about freezing temperatures, and you are waiting on parts or service, here are some tips to follow.

• Please don’t ever drain your hot tub if the temperatures are freezing. (If you are fully winterizing your spa, that’s another story.) Draining your hot tub won’t protect it from damage. In fact, it will cause problems in your pipes and jets. Leave the hot water in it.
• Keep your spa covered when you aren’t using it. This keeps the hot water temperatures hot. Leaving your spa cover off makes your hot tub lose heat, and it makes your heater and pump work harder.
• Make sure your hot tub cover is in good shape. If not, it’s time to order one.
• Circulate your water by running your hot tub’s jets.
• Consider using a sump pump. If your pumps quit working, you could use a sump pump to keep the water circulating. Just put it in the middle of your hot tub’s foot well and let it run. This should help heat the water and keep it from freezing.
• Use a ceramic heater. Place it in your equipment bay to keep your spa’s components from freezing. Make sure it doesn’t directly contact any of the PVC pipes or components. And, you want to keep circulating the water.

Final Thoughts

If you have any more questions about cold weather, we are always here to help! Our expert service techs are on hand to service your hot tub, and our staff is here to answer your questions.

We are here so you can enjoy your daily soak every single day!