How to Drain a Hot Tub

Hot tubs provide a relaxing and soothing experience for our bodies. However, we also need to look after our spas by regularly cleaning, draining, and refilling them. Here’s how you can do it.  

There are one or more ways to drain a hot tub. You can use a normal drain with a hose or a big submersible pump if you want to get it a little bit faster. You want to make sure you turn off the power when using either of the ways.

To do that, disconnect or find your circuit breaker for the hot tub. When the power is off, go back to the tub to confirm the control panel is completely out and there’s no power going to the hot tub at all. 

Draining a Hot Tub With a Garden Drain

With a drain hose connected to the hot tub, you just need to turn the drain valve clockwise and pull it out, and the water will start flowing. You will find it on the side of the hot tub or near the base. Then connect the valve cap to the garden hose and run it to a drain. 

There’s one important thing to mention here. When you drain your pump under the bright and hot sun, it’s better if you put the cover on. Even if you have a spa with a white interior, it’s still not good for the dry interior to be exposed to the sun.

Draining a Spa With Submersible Pump

To drain a hot tub with a submersible pump, place the pump into the basin. Plug the pump into the outlet and ensure the submersible drainage hose is ready to run the water to a drain location. However, you need to keep an eye on the sub-pump. If it continues to run once the water is gone, you can burn out the motor. You can also open up your hot tub drains to remove any remaining water.

Before You Drain a Hot Tub

You may consider a few things before draining a hot tub.

• Flush the plumbing lines to get rid of built-up dirt and grime. To do this: Remove the hot tub filters and turn the jets on full pressure.
• Use a cleaning solution into the filter and turn everything on to the highest speed mode, so the water goes to every pipe to cleanse them. With this purging thing, you will see all the bad stuff on the tub’s surface. You will need only 20-30 minutes to remove any bacteria or biofilm accumulated in the pipes. 
• It’s important to read a user manual to know how to open and close the drain valve, as this may vary depending on the manufacturer. 
• You can run your hose into the utility sink or your garden. However, make sure that you let your hot tub chemical elements dissipate before soaking your plants in chemical water. 
• While the water is draining from your spa, you can clean and replace filters. Use a bucket with water and a proper dose of hot tub filter cleaner. Submerge the filters and leave them to soak for 24 hours. The last step is to rinse them thoroughly with water before inserting them back into the filter housing. 

How Often Should I Drain and Clean a Hot Tub?

The frequency of cleaning a hot tub hinges on how often the spa or tub is used and the number and how many people use it regularly. A quarterly cleaning and draining typically ensure that you and your family are relaxing in a clean spa. Check out the related topic: Hot Tube Wiring Mistakes