Having your own personal garden SPA is a luxury, one that many look forward to enjoying throughout the year. However, there will be those chilly days where soaking in the hot tub might not be the most appealing activity. During such periods, it’s vital to take proper care of your hot tub, especially to prevent damage from freezing water. Here is a step-by-step guide to preparing your wood-fired hot tub for winter, ensuring it remains in top shape even when not in use.
Step 1: Drain Your Hot Tub
Your first move during the winter should be to empty your hot tub completely. This might seem evident, but it’s an essential step that should not be overlooked. As you might know, water expands when frozen, and this expansion could harm the tub’s components or its pipework.
Even though your hot tub’s insert might be robust fiberglass, it has numerous openings for the whirlpool massage system. It’s critical that you do not leave any water behind in these spaces. Open the draining plug of your tub once the heater has cooled down and let all the water flow out. Remember, draining the tub while the heater is still hot can be dangerous!
Step 2: Clear Every Drop
Once you’ve drained all the water, turn on your whirlpool air massage system to blow air from all the tiny holes. This action will ensure that not a single drop of water remains inside the hot tub.
Step 3: Time for Cleaning
While you’ve got your hot tub empty, seize the opportunity to clean it! The walls of your tub’s fiberglass insert are much easier to clean when the tub has been emptied. Moreover, when warmer weather rolls around, you’ll want to be filling up your tub and hopping in, not fussing with cleaning it.
Step 4: A Little Extra Step
An additional tip is to use bicarbonate of soda for keeping your tub fresh and dry. Fill a few cloth bags with it and leave them in the tub. Bicarbonate of soda is excellent at absorbing moisture and neutralizing odors, ensuring your hot tub is fresh and ready for your next soak.
Remember…
The key lesson here is to only start these winter preparation steps once your heater has cooled down completely. To maintain your tub’s cleanliness and safety, aim to empty it within 48 hours of use during the summer, and drain the water after each use during winter.
Enjoy your hot tub adventures!