Yes, you can leave a hot tub empty. It is essential to drain the hot tub thoroughly to ensure no water remains in the pipes and hoses. If water remains in the spa, the pipes could freeze in the winter. In the summer, mold and debris could be left behind.
Tip : Keep a hose in your house during the winter months, so it's easier to fill up your hot tub when needed. You will need to thaw the outside water spigot with hot water to unfreeze the tap, and then hook up your hose and fill up the hot tub.
Water left in the pipes and equipment can grow bacteria biofilm, which is difficult to eradicate. Plus, without water, seals and gaskets become dry and begin to leak. Therefore, make sure to not leave your hot tub sitting empty.
Keep in mind, we strongly recommend that you never leave your spa empty for a period of 2 weeks or more. Leaving your spa empty can cause damage to the pumps, heater element, and shell.
Usually, 10 to 14 days. It will not freeze overnight. Leave the cover securely fastened in the event of a power outage and keep the cabinet door shut. Additionally, you could put a light bulb or space heater in the cabinet around the mechanicals to buy a few more days.
Draining your hot tub if you won't be using it in summer is, as mentioned earlier, a good idea. However, leaving it exposed to the sun isn't. The problem is that the sun's UV rays can be exceptionally damaging to acrylic. It's so detrimental that leaving the tub exposed can void your hot tub's warranty.
A hot tub cannot typically freeze overnight. It would take a temperature of below 28 degrees and at least 36 hours for the water to start freezing. If there is no power and the cover is firmly in place, the hot tub can run up to three days before freezing.
On average, you should aim to completely drain it about three to four times a year. Lucky for you, the time it takes to drain your hot tub is usually around an hour or so. One hour of time spent cleaning roughly four times a year is only four hours of your time to ensure that you are resting in a sanitary hot tub.
Saltwater spas and hot tubs should never be drained on a lawn. However, more traditional chlorine-treated hot tubs can be drained safely if the cover is left off and the chlorine and bromine levels are allowed to dip below 1 ppm or, even better, below detectable levels.
With average use, your hot tub should be drained and refilled about once every three or four months.
You should put chlorine in your hot tub at least once a week. However, some people prefer to add a small amount after each use. Finding the best water care routine will depend on how often and how many people use it. Chlorine levels should be between 1.5 and 3.0 ppm.
A floater is really the worst way to take care of sanitizing your tub—about the most “dinosaur” method still used. It's difficult to regulate the amount of sanitizer being dissolved into the body of water. Then, it starts to seek out what it wants to “eat” after bacteria is gone: pH, tub shell, and more.
A typical use of one person taking a 15-minute soak once a week might only require adding chlorine every 2-3 days, while more frequent use can mean topping up the chlorine every day. Another factor that contributes to how often you need to add chlorine is the total amount of bathers in your hot tub at one time.
Causes of cloudy hot tub water. When it comes to cloudy water, it's likely one of a few culprits — high pH, high alkalinity, and low sanitizer. Dirty filters, body care products, and old water can also be responsible for cloudy water.
Your water can emit an odor if there's low levels of sanitizer, your pH is out of range, or there's bacteria or algae growth. For addressing this issue we will potentially need either dichlor chlorinating granules, pH Up, or pH Down.
The majority of hot tub users prefer a water temperature in the range of 100°F-102°F. 104°F is the standard maximum temperature, which some users also prefer. Always consult a physician before getting in the hot tub while pregnant.
Do You Have to Shower After a Hot Tub? It is a good idea to shower or at least rinse your body after soaking in a hot tub, especially for people with sensitive skin. Chemicals and germs in the water may cling to your skin and hair, potentially creating rashes and irritation.
Using the drain spigot
Your hot tub comes equipped with a drain spigot, which is located on the outside of the tub, near the bottom rim. (Some models have two spigots, a primary and an auxiliary. The primary spigot is the one you'll use to drain the hot tub; the auxiliary one is for bleeding the internal lines.)
Place your submersible pump in the hot tub footwell or deepest point. Run the hose to your drain. Turn the pump on and let the spa drain. When the hot tub is empty, turn off the pump, remove it from the spa, detach the hose, and return it to storage.
On the rare occasion you lose heat to your hot tub when it's cold outside, don't panic. For most hot tubs to freeze, the temperature needs to be under 28 degrees for at least 36 consecutive hours. And, as long as your hot tub and pumps are still working, and your water is circulating, your hot tub won't freeze.
*A hot tub can be left without power up to 3 days without risk of freezing, IF you follow these tips: 1. Keep hot tub cover closed and locked in place.
Disease outbreaks tied to swimming happen even in the winter, often after people go in hot tubs or spas, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.