Using Your Hot Tub in The Winter
Winter is here! For some people, that means spending more time in their hot tub, for others that means getting their tub winterized and let’s get the heck out of here.
Maybe you’re a pro when it comes to tubbing and maintaining your tub in the winter, but just in case, here are a few tips!
1: Plan ahead/ Wear a toque! Once you’re in that tub, you’re not going to want to get out for anything until you’re done. This means bringing your drinks, having slippers or sandals to get to the tub, a towel, or robe to cover up when you get out (or run really fast). And cover any part of the body that will be exposed while in the tub, such as a reindeer nose, a toque, a Santa hat; just things to keep your noggin warm. Keeping your head warm allows you to stay much more comfortable for much longer, and your hair won’t freeze (as much).
2: Turn off da bubbles! Feel free to use the air controls (bubbles) while you’re in the tub but make sure the air controls are off when you’re done. Having the air controls (the smaller dials on the top of your spa) on in the winter causes the heater to work harder. This is because the air is pulled from the hot tub cabinet, which is way cooler than the water in the tub. Blowing bubbles into your water with the lid closed will also gas off your chemicals into your lid, damaging your lid and wasting your chemicals.
3: Keep your waterfalls on and your diverter valves centred! There are a few pipes in your tub that are quite small, and the one to your waterfall is one of them. You don’t want water to remain stagnant, especially in those smaller lines. By using your waterfall, you’re making sure warm water is passing through the pipes and keeping them from freezing. Having your diverter valves (the large dials on top of your spa) in the centre is just as important. Again, it’s going to make sure water is flowing through your plumbing evenly.
4: When you’re done, close that lid up tight! Not closing your lid properly is like leaving the door to your home open. Keep that cold air out and warm air in! Clip it, lock it, strap it! You got it! You can purchase a durable bubble wrap cover from our store that will float on top of the water, adding quite a bit of insulation and preventing steam.
Maintaining your tub:
1: Keep that snow and ice off that lid as much as possible! Added weight on your lid can cause the seal or “tightness” around the edges to lift and release the heat inside, which also allows the cold air to creep in. Thus making your pump and heater work harder. But what’s the best way to keep snow and ice off of the lid, you ask? One neat trick is to use one of our cover caps on your lid, it’s like a waterproof fitted sheet for your lid. When you want to use your spa, simply remove the cover cap and take all the snow with it. You can also use a broom or brush. Just avoid using anything that could tear the fabric on the lid. Basically, if you wouldn’t use it on your car, don’t use it on your hot tub.
2: Don’t drain your tub completely if it’s below freezing. I know you want to keep your tub as clean and fresh as possible but negative temperatures are not a friend to not winterized, empty tubs. One of the worst things that can happen is the pipes freezing and needing to be repaired. If you’re wanting to change out the water, a nice and safe option is to drain out half, then refill. Keep the lid closed as much as possible. This is only recommended up to -10
3: Make sure to check the water quality and chemical levels regularly. When the seasons change, so does our water. Different times of the year can warrant for different minerals and ‘treatment’ chemicals to be put in our water systems, which means you may need to add or decrease the chemicals you’re using. And if you don’t want to freeze your butt off treating your spa, leave it to us! Treatment packages are currently on sale.
We hope this has helped! Happy hot tubbing, stay safe and stay hot!
