Most hot tub owners anticipate winterizing their hot tubs to prepare for the icy winter months.
When owning a spa, you must always be aware of the need for adequate maintenance and upkeep.
If you don’t intend to use your spa, it is crucial to extend its lifespan. But many people are curious if it makes sense to pay for a hot tub winterization service.
Winterizing an average hot tub costs several hundred dollars. Whether you DIY (do-it-yourself) or hire a professional, winterization will cost you a lot of money.
Continue reading if you want to learn more about the cost of winterizing your spa and the necessary equipment and procedures.
What Does It Mean to Winterize a Hot Tub?
A heated, soothing dip on a chilly wintertime is one of the advantages of owning an outdoor spa.
However, you should gear up your outdoor spa if you’re leaving town for the wintertime or if you won’t use it for three to four months.
Before temps dip below chilling, your hot tub needs a maintenance job, just as you would need to fix your house or your sprinkler system.
Winterizing your hot tub entails completely draining the water and preparing it for the colder weather to prevent system damage from chilling.
For many homeowners, fixing their spas is not necessary. If you won’t use your hot tub for three to four months straight, only then should you winterize it.
Winterizing your hot tub is unnecessary if you want to use it frequently and will spend the winter indoors or nearby.
All you need to do to be ready to go is ensure your spa is maintained to meet the pool and spa industry standards and that any pipes are kept properly insulated.
How Much Does It Cost to Winterize a Hot Tub?
Winterizing a hot tub can be costly, especially because you must buy the right materials to conduct the job properly. It all adds up.
It will cost you at least $400 to winterize an average hot tub. It would help if you would only be concerned about the materials costs.
If you don’t have them in your home, you’ll need to buy the following things:
- Wet vac: A typical wet vac would cost you from $40 to over $100. Plan to pay at least $100 for a wet vac of professional quality.
- Shop-Vac: The cost of a shop-vac is comparable to that of a wet vac. Or you can invest heavily and get a wet/dry vacuum that can do both.
- Hot tub cover: A quality hot tub cover is essential for your hot tub winterization process because it will shield the interior from harm caused by the elements. Unsurprisingly, this will be the most costly thing you need to buy. A hot tub cover will typically cost you back around $300.
- Antifreeze: Adding antifreeze can cost as low as $3.
- Sponge/towels: The costs of sponges and towels are the cheapest.
- Tools of various kinds: If you don’t have them, you’ll need to buy materials of various kinds, such as a screwdriver, a wrench, and any other small tools to access the hot tub’s interior. You can purchase basic equipment at your neighborhood hardware store, which costs as low as $20.
Hot Tub Professional Winterization Cost
You can hire a hot tub professional to help winterize your hot tub if you don’t want to do DIY (do-it-yourself).
If you choose to handle every aspect of winterization on your own, the cost might range from $400 to more, depending on the resources you may already have.
The company performing the winterization process will significantly impact the cost.
Sellers of spas often charge between $200 and $300 for their winterization services. However, add another $500 to that cost if you require a hot tub cover.
Be aware of this before hiring a professional and agreeing on a cost. The cost of the professional winterization service does not usually include the hot tub cover.
How Can You Winterize a Hot Tub?
Knowing the winterization procedures in advance will help you determine how much work you can expect to put into DIY (do-it-yourself) winterizing your hot tub.
Winterizing a hot tub is not simple to deal with, but it is certainly possible.
You can winterize a hot tub and keep it in excellent condition by setting aside the appropriate amount of time and utilizing the appropriate tools.
Here are the procedures for efficiently winterizing a hot tub:
- Make sure your hot tub’s energy is completely off.
- Take off panel
- Attach a hose and drain all pool water
- To drain the remaining water from the pumps, use a shop vac.
- Fill the pump with antifreeze.
- Let dry
- Insert a hot tub cover (It protects the pool’s surface and offers more insulation than tarps!)
And you’re done! You can winterize your hot tub and be prepared to deal with the freezing temperatures in no time.
Do You Have to Do Hot Tub Winterization?
Whether or not you need your hot tub winterized depends on whether you wonder if you can get by just leaving it running all summer—your preferences matter.
The hot tub process often costs no more than $5 per month. Running it throughout the wintertime won’t take a ridiculous financial toll.
Only if you intend to use your hot tub all season long is it necessary not to fix it, even if you live in cold temperatures.
If you don’t want to winterize your hot tub, numerous problems can arise. Consider the ice surrounding your hot tub during the worst of winter.
Your hot tub’s pipes and the hose will become covered with ice. When it thaws, it will expand, leading to cracked pipes and other infrastructure problems for your hot tub.
You will incur hot tub repair costs that might easily exceed $1,000 without adequate care and upkeep, leaving you to consider if you should replace your hot tub or remove it permanently.
TIP: For a few reasons, we don’t advise keeping your spa at a low temperature during the winter: If your hot tub loses power, it will only take 50 degrees to chill if it is set at 80 degrees. It would take much longer to freeze at 100.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
You may have a lot of questions regarding winterizing your hot tub. Please read the following FAQs if you have any additional questions.
What Happens if You Don’t Winterize Hot Tub?
The water in the tubes could freeze if you wait until it is below freezing, leading to cracking and long-term damage.
Winterizing your hot tub is unnecessary if you want to use it frequently and will spend the wintertime indoors or nearby.
Can Hot Tubs Be Left Outside in Winter?
Given enough time—a lot of time—and exposure to the outdoors, a hot tub will inevitably age.
Your hot tub will be shielded from the rain, snow, sun, sleet, cold, and hail year after year with the help of a sturdy cover and other hot tub accessories.
Remember to invest in professional quality materials to save money and reduce costs in the future.
How Many Years Should a Hot Tub Cover Last?
A hot tub or swim spa cover should typically be changed every 5-7 years.
Even though certain covers are made to last longer than others, any item exposed to the outdoors will eventually show signs of wear.
It could be more difficult than you think to determine when to update your cover.
Conclusion
You are now aware of the cost and rationale behind hot tub winterization. We hope this post will be useful for your questions about winterizing a hot tub.
You need to be aware of the maintenance procedures to follow. In the end, winterizing your hot tub will be far less expensive if you already have the necessary gear.
If you are looking to save money on your winterization, there are several things that you can do.
A hot tub is a great addition to any house when maintained appropriately. In most cases, you will save money and don’t add a lot of expenses to your electric bill.
Ensuring your care for your hot tub will give you plenty of use per year without any issues.
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