Tips for Winterizing Your Spa or Jacuzzi

Fellow Do It Yourselfers Unite, and meet me out back by the spa or Jacuzzi. Today’s the day we drink a toast to all the enjoyment they have provided and lovingly close them up for the season. Before we get started there are some things you’ll need to fetch, but first let me tell you most manufactures recommend having this done by a professional. If all of the water is not out of the pipes and equipment you run the risk of damage from freezing even with winterizing. With that being said here’s the list:

1. Owner’s manual, everyone’s plumbing is different.
2. Channel Lock Pliers. Your neighbor probably has some.
3. Shop Vac- Same neighbor
4. Clean Towels
5. Winterized cover
6. Tarp

On a scale of “piece of cake” to “I’m not a rocket scientist”, this chore gets an “I won’t let it beat me” rating. Tell your loved ones you’ll be busy for a good 3 hours, gather up the stuff, and let’s get going. Procrastinating will only lead to costly repair later. Letting the water freeze is going to crack the plumbing. Ready? Here we go!

1. Turn off the heater
2. Drain the water
3. If you have air channels, run the blower and get all of the water out. Make sure the pumps are OFF.
4. Unplug the spa or turn off the circuit breaker
5. Loosen plumbing connections for the pump and heater and vacuum out any water
6. Reconnect the heater plumbing and lower two connections of the pump
7. Vacuum all the jets and injectors
8. Wipe up any remaining water in the spa or Jacuzzi

Some people add nontoxic RV antifreeze to all the plumbing you just drained. This reduces the risk of freezing by small amounts of water which may have been left behind. Consult with your manufacturer before attempting to do this.

Now that the spa is drained and winterized the last step is providing a protective cover. If you live in an area which experiences heavy snow or rains a thermal cover may not be enough. You might consider an inflated pillow covered by a specially designed winter cover. You can also reinforce the existing cover with �¼ inch plywood .Once the spa or Jacuzzi is covered you want to place a well anchored tarp over it to protect it from the elements. Remember any heavy snow will have to be removed by hand.

Sources:
http://www.home-wizard.com/maintenance/hottubspa.asp
http://www.ezhottubs.com/news/spa_winterizing.htm
http://www.hottubliving.com/facts.aspx