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"Spa Opening & Closing Problems"
Proper
maintenance procedures help protect the spa.
The Pool & Spa Informational Website
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Getting Started & Shutting Down
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through some archived SPA & HOT TUB questions and answers.
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Most spas and hot
tubs remain in use all year long, even in cold northern climes. However, sometimes
circumstances will necessitate that a unit be closed for a period of time. Closing or
winterizing refers to the steps necessary, in order to protect the unit and related
equipment from the possible effects of freeze-thaw damage, during the inactive winter
months. Proper winterizing protects your investment and can help make reopening
easier and less expensive. Opening refers to the steps necessary in order to return
the unit to operating status and achieve crystal clear spa water.
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Spa Winterizing?
I have an outdoor 275 gallon spa with a cover. I was wondering if it
would be possible to add a few gallons of antifreeze and some chemicals to help keep the
spa from freezing over the winter. I won't be using it and I don't want to pay for the
electricity. Thank you.
John C., Fishkill, NY,
10/4/2008
Adding a few gallons of antifreeze to a 275
gallon spa will have almost no effect on preventing freezing. The only thing you can do is
to completely drain the spa and remove as much water as possible. Use a shop vacuum to
blow out the lines. At that point, you might want to add a gallon or two of a
propylene glycol based antifreeze (used in boats and campers) and pour it into the lines
or other areas that might still hold some water. Afterwards, cover the spa securely and
seal to prevent water from getting in. Make sure that snow or ice does not accumulate on
top and collapse the cover. The spa manufacturer might have additional winterizing
instructions, in a spa maintenance tips guide, that you can follow or you could check with a local spa professional. I hope
that I have been helpful.
Sincerely. Alan Schuster,
10/4/2008
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Frozen Hot Tub?
Please Help! I have a hot tub
that's been outside in Below Zero temperatures for the winter. It's been covered
up to keep snow off it. Water was drained out before winter hit, but no vacuum
was available to get all the water out. What parts do you suppose I'll
need to replace before attempting to use it again. The tub itself still looks
new. It's only three years old. Thanks for your advice.
Leslie in Alaska, 2/23/2006
I'll take that to
mean that some water, few inches, remained in the bottom? Depending
upon the spa design and features that could have allowed some pipes to have
water in them and this could result in freeze-thaw damage. There is no way
to be sure, other that filling the spa with some water. A schematic might
help determine which pipes, if any, might need replacement. Good luck and
I hope that I have been of some help.
Sincerely.
Alan Schuster, 2/24/2006
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Extended Absence?
We just refilled our spa and switched to a non-chlorine
regimen of maintenance with mineral purifier cartridge (about 2 weeks ago). Now
we will have to not use the spa for several months due to certain health
concerns. What is the best way to maintain our spa during this period - should
we empty it, turn the heater off only or keep the temperature low (how low?) and
adding chemicals? We live in central Florida. Thank you for your
help.
Rich and Irena L., Florida, 10/30/2009
You have two basic choices. Draining the spa completely will be the least
expensive, but could result in seals drying out. This is something that
you might have to confirm with the manufacturer. This is probably the
safest course of action, as it avoids the possibility of electrical problems.
Otherwise, shut off the heater and make sure that the water is balanced.
If you are supplementing the
mineral sanitizer with chlorine boost the level to
about 5 PPM before leaving. If the spa has an
ozonator, the chlorine
should not be needed. Because the spa will not be in use, you should be
able to cut the hours of filter operation in half. Ask yourself if you
really want to leave this equipment switching on and off for several months?
I would opt to drain the spa. I hope that I have been helpful.
Sincerely. Alan Schuster,
10/30/2009
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►
Is Anti-Freeze Necessary?
I recently closed my spa, I hired someone to do it. I felt the guy he hired did
not do a good job. Let's say next spring when I open the spa, some of the pipes
are damaged, who is responsible for it? Do you have to put anti-freeze to close
the spa? Thank you.
Verna, 12/18/2006
This could easily become a case or you said and he said.
Not all spas are alike and some things may have to be done differently.
I doubt that it is possible to completely drain all of the water from the
lines, especially those on the floor. What does the instruction manual
say? Water remaining in the lines could subject the pipes to freeze-thaw
damage. Removing as much water as possible and then adding a few
gallons of a propylene glycol based antifreeze should help prevent a problem.
Next spring, fill the spa, clean and drain to remove the antifreeze. I
hope this information will prove helpful.
Sincerely. Alan Schuster, 12/18/2006
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Power Outage?
We had a short power outage today and started up the hot tub
without problems a few hours later, but it got me thinking - what should I do
if we ended up having a long period of power outage? Temperature today with wind
chill was -10 degrees F. How long would it take before pipes would freeze and
again - what should I do if we had a long period of power outage? Thanks.
Cindy S., 2/6/2007
This is a very good question.
I
really can't tell you how long it will take to run the risk of freeze-thaw damage,
as it depends on spa size, temperature and how well it is insulated.
Eventually, it will freeze, given the worst case scenario. It should be a
minimum of several days and by that time, it may prove difficult to drain
completely. Under good circumstances, it is difficult to completely empty
a spa. Adding a few gallons of a propylene glycol formula antifreeze (RV
vehicles and marine applications) to the last of the remaining inch or two might
help. I suggest that you ask the manufacturer, as they know their product
best. Let's hope the outages are few and short.
Sincerely. Alan Schuster,
2/6/2007
► Deep Blue Spa Water?
Thanks for a great site. I hadn't used my spa lately but I
keep the heat on daily during periods of freezing weather to protect the pipes.
I went to use the spa and when I opened it up it looked like someone had poured
blue dye in it. There was a blue ring and the filter had a blue residue on it.
The water had gotten very acid. I drained and cleaned the tub and system, but I
don't know what caused it to turn blue. First time in 20 years. Best
regards.
Rodger G., 2/21/2006
A blue color? The cause was low pH (below 7.0)
and the presence of chlorine or bromine. This resulted in
corrosion of copper in the heater. You probably only paid attention to the
chlorine level during this period of disuse. Hopefully, the damage was not
extensive. In the future make sure that the pH is 7.2-7.6. A TA
around 100 PPM can help maintain a proper pH. I hope that I have cleared
up the mystery.
Sincerely. Alan Schuster, 2/22/2006
►
Spa Opening?
We were not anticipating using the spa during the winter, so we
followed the spa dealer's suggestions last fall, and closed it up. We drained the
spa and added some antifreeze. Is there anything special that we need to do to get
back into the spa? We use well water and did have some iron problems last
year. Thank you.
C. S., Colorado Springs, CO,
5/1/2008
Make sure that you rinse and drain the spa
thoroughly, in order to remove all of the antifreeze. There will probably be some
mold or other microorganisms, needing to be destroyed. Here is where
some planning can save you a lot of time and even money!
You can use a
METALTRAP Filter
to pre-treat all new water added, which helps keep additions of iron and other
metals out and minimizes the possibility of staining. You should, also, use
The METALTRAP to treat any water added to top off the spa. A single
METALTRAP
Filter can be used to refill a typical spa about 20 times. All you have to
do is attach the METALTRAP Filter to the garden hose that is used to add water
to the spa. You will definitely save money, by not having to buy metal
treatments. Get the spa refilled and
running and add a healthy dose of shock. Make sure that the filter
cartridge is clean: using
The BLASTER Filter Cartridge
Cleaner makes it easy. I'm not certain about which product to
recommend, because you did not provide sanitizer information.
Basically, you must
raise the sanitizer and/or oxidizer levels high enough to completely destroy any microbial
accumulations. This can be done while the temperature is being
raised. When the spa temperature is up where you want it to be and the water is clear, there are no
signs of microorganisms and there is an adequate sanitizer level, you should be able to
resume normal usage. I hope that I have been helpful. Enjoy.
Sincerely. Alan Schuster,
5/1/2008
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Away For A Few Weeks?
I have just drained my spa and in the process of doing a spring cleaning.
However, I will be gone for the next three weeks, and will not have anyone to do
the required weekly maintenance. Will it hurt anything to keep the spa empty
until my return. I live in Northern Nevada, with temps currently into the high
20's, low 30's at night. Thanks!
Mary J., Nevada, 3/8/2006
A lot depends on
the actual spa design. If all the water is removed that is one thing.
However, if there can be small amounts left in the pipes, it could freeze and
that would be bad thing. If unsure, fill the spa up and add a full
bromine floater. Make sure that the pH is around 7.8 and you should be good for
a few weeks, especially if the heater is off. If you have an ozonator, there
should be even fewer problems with the water quality, during your absence.
With all the water in, freezing is not likely to occur overnight, under the
conditions that you described. Good luck.
Sincerely. Alan Schuster, 3/9/2006
►
Winterizing A Pool/Spa Combo?
We are going to be closing our inground pool and spa
combination down for the winter. This is our first year of ownership. Until
now we have been doing all of the maintenance ourselves. What is involved in
winterizing a combination such as ours. Our spa did not come with a Spa
Care Guide or a Problem-Solver, so your help will be appreciated.
Carla M., New
City, NY, 9/2/2004
Closing a combination pool/spa unit, such as you
are describing is more complicated than winterizing separate units. It would be best
to allow the builder and/or an experienced service company to close the pool/spa for the
first time.
You may
not be able to just empty the spa, cover it and be finished.
Hydrostatic pressures could "pop" the spa out of the ground and this can result
in severe damage.
If the possibility of hydrostatic pressure causing such a problem exists, in all
likelihood, the spa will have to be left with some or most of the water in it,
before completing the winterizing procedure. Depending upon how the unit
is actually constructed, there are various steps that need to be taken.
All the lines have to be blown out and as much water removed, as possible.
A propylene glycol based antifreeze should be added to completely fill all the
lines. Do not use automotive antifreeze. Drain all equipment.
All equipment that can be drained and removed to a safe indoor location, should
be treated according to the manufacturer's directions. Seal off the
skimmer intake with a plug, remove the weir, place an ice compensator in the
skimmer (a plastic bottle or crushable shape), add antifreeze to the skimmer.
Place a poly or vinyl sheet (at least 6 mils thick) on the bottom (helps deal
with the hydrostatic pressure) and refill the spa to just below the skimmer.
Place an ice compensator or crushable shape on the water surface. This
will help avoid freeze-thaw damage. Add some winterizing chemicals, as
used in the pool. Cover the spa securely with a solid cover and hold
down with water bags or other suitable means. Use a cover pump to prevent
accumulations of water on the cover top. Before the arrival of
serious winter weather, check the water level to make sure that it is still
below the skimmer. The pool, of course should be winterized appropriately.
These instructions are a guide - your spa might require something different,
making it important to check with the builder or dealer! I hope that I
have been of assistance. Good luck!
Sincerely.
Alan Schuster, 9/2/2004
►
Closing For The Summer?
My question is that I have a
hot tub and I want to close it down for the summer months. Will it cause a
problem. I have no water in it and I turned the power off and put a
box of baking soda in it. Thanks.
Jacqueline L., 5/13/2009
The baking
soda might help, but will not be enough. Most likely you will see mold growing
on some surfaces and elsewhere in the plumbing. Remove the filter cartridge and
allow to dry out. After the summer, when the spa is refilled, you will
probably have to add some extra chlorine to eliminate any mold growth. Once you
get the sanitizer level stable and the chemistry right, as long as the water is
clear the spa should be good to go. I hope that this information
will be helpful.
Sincerely. Alan Schuster, 5/13/2009
►
Opening The Cover?
We have a large hot spa and the cover is really a
handful to manage. If it was a must to have one, I would gladly get rid of
it. But, I realize that evaporation and heat loss would lead to a host of
problems and expenses. What is an easy, affordable solution.
Brenda J., Greensboro, NC, 1/4/2009
Not having a cover is not an
option. The best thing is to use something that will make it easier to
remove and replace the cover. A
spa cover lifter
is just what you are looking for. There is a model with features that make
it easier to open the spa and easy to cover it. And is space is tight, the
good news is that it only requires about 6" of space. For more
information, please visit
The Website Store.
I am sure that this will solve the problem and make the hot water experience
even better.
Sincerely. Alan Schuster,
1/5/2009
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Draining For The
Winter?
Is it possible to drain the
spa for the winter and not have any damage to it? What would I need to do?
Mike, 11/5/2004
Try as you
might, if you drain the spa, there is a possibility that some water will remain
in some of the lines in the lowest part of the spa. This could lead to
freeze-thaw damage. If you have to drain the spa, make sure that you
remove as much water as possible and add some propylene glycol based antifreeze.
Consult the spa manufacturer's manual for other recommendations and suggestions.
Good luck and have a good winter.
Sincerely.
Alan Schuster, 11/5/2004
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