Hot Tubs need to be drained more frequently than pools because they contain much less water and tend to get contaminated with potentially harmful bacteria and other organic contaminants over time. This could lead to unhealthy conditions and potential health risks . As a rule of thumb, water should be drained and replaced about once every 3 months.
Other common reasons for draining include performing a good cleaning on the shell, winterizing for storage, or simply having nasty water that hasn’t been balanced properly and you need to clean and start fresh.
Here are a few steps that will help you understand how to drain your hot tub:
- Read your hot tub’s manual to understand how the manufacturer recommends draining. Hot tubs come with different options for draining and you may have less work than you think, but you need to read the manual to know that. Less work is a good thing!
- Plan and prepare what you need for the job. This holds true for any work you are going to do, whether it’s putting together furniture or working on your spa, you need the right tools and supplies for the job to make things go smoothly. *It takes some people a lifetime to learn that, and some never do. But, we know that our customers are always prepared!
- Clean your lines with a flush product to remove the biofilm and gunk that may have accumulated. Typically the water will need to be circulated for a period of time to ensure that it has time to work properly. As with all products, follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Remove power at the circuit breaker to prevent the risk of electrocution.
*Pro Tip – Put a sticky note or index card on the breaker to tell people not to reset the breaker while you are working.
- Drain the water. Two of the most common ways are through the use of a submersible pump with an attached garden hose or simply using the built-in drain port on your hot tub (with or without a garden hose). If you use a submersible pump, be sure that you put it in the spa before plugging it into an outlet, and also be sure you use a GFCI rated outlet to minimize the risk of electrocution. You may need a little extra help to remove all of the water and you can use a wet-dry vac or an absorbent cloth like a towel to remove any small puddles.
- Once you have drained the water it’s a good idea to clean your filters as well, and we recommend using a filter cleaning product to make sure you get it squeaky clean.
- Lastly, it’s also a good idea to clean the interior since you are able to access it easily. Use a good multi-purpose cleaner and soft cloth followed by a good rinse.
Don't know what chemicals to add or when? Sutro will tell you!