Draining your hot tub is important to your health as well as to your spa, both of which can suffer damage if you don’t maintain the water’s condition properly. Since you don’t want to waste your time or water, it is important to find out just how often you should be draining your spa.
Using a Formula to Determine When to Drain the Water
Whether you have a hot tub designed for 2-3, 4-5, 5-6, or 6+ people, you can use a simple formula to figure out just how frequently you should change its water. This is the formula: # of gallons ÷ average daily bathers ÷ 3 = # of days in between draining the tub.
For example, you have a hot tub using 300 gallons of water, and four people use the tub every day. Using the formula, you get (300 ÷ 4) ÷ 3 = 25. Using this calculation, you should drain your spa once every 25 days or about every 3 and a half weeks. It’s important to realize the formula provides a general guideline only. If you notice signs that your hot tub is getting dirty, drain it sooner.
Signs That Your Hot Tub Needs a Water Change
Certain telltale signs provide a hint that your spa water needs changing, giving you a heads up that it’s time to drain the hot tub. These signs include:
- Unusual odor
- Discoloured water
- Excessive foaming, even if you are using an antifoaming solution
How to Drain Your Hot Tub
Follow these steps to drain your hot tub:
- Turn off the power.
- Disengage the drain plug or use a sump pump to empty the water except for the foot well.
- Spray the inside with a spa cleaning solution and wipe clean.
- Refill the water using the filter.
- Turn on the power.
- Add your chemicals.
Occasional Maintenance on an Empty Hot Tub
Jacuzzi recommends filling, rinsing, and draining your hot tub every so often, even if it has been sitting empty. Doing so keeps your plumbing lines clean and free of unwanted debris, allowing your spa to be ready for the next time you intend to use it.
