Emergency Procedures for spas and hot tubs in freezing conditions

There are a few tricks that a homeowner can do to keep a spa from freezing until help arrives. First and most importantly: Do not drain the spa!!! Unless you are capable of blowing out all of the plumbing lines and equipment with a very powerful shop vac you do not want to attempt to winterize the spa yourself. We repair many spa leaks in the spring that were “winterized” by someone who was not properly trained.

If your spa is running but not heating: Leave it running. Most spas have freeze protection which means the pumps will turn to high speed if the water temp goes below 42 degrees. You can also help by turning the high speed of your pumps on throughout the day and evening. This will actually heat the water since the pumps produce heat. It also circulates the water through the plumbing which helps prevent freezing. If your spa pumps do not run: Make sure you check the GFCI breaker/both breakers. Turn them ALL the way off and then back on. If the breaker still trips or the spa does not turn back on then try putting a heat source inside the spa cabinet. A very small space heater set on LOW will help warm the spa. A high-wattage shop light will sometimes do the trick as well.

The best alternative is to use a submersible sump pump. Not to drain the spa but to heat and circulate it. Put a garden hose on the pump. Remove a filter from the spa and put the end of the hose into the filter area, down the pipe if possible. The objective here is to move water in the spa and in the plumbing if possible. The heat from the pump will actually heat the water while it’s circulating.

Also, remember to keep the cover on tight and close up the cabinet.

Call us as soon as possible so we can have one of our pros come out and diagnose the cause of the problem as soon as possible.

Following these tips could possibly save you hundreds of dollars and protect your hot tub investment.