Hands up who loves a Hot Tub? Pretty much everyone! When booking that lodge holiday, the hot tub spa on the decking always wins the day, right! Our love for spas in Scotland has seen more and more people install a hot tub in their gardens. This can vary in expense and the top of the range tubs are not exactly what you call cheap. Like any big investment, it is natural to be concerned should there be a problem. Worry not dear reader, for here is some information and help on what you can do to repair a leaking hot tub.
Hot Tub Leak? Find the source!
First thing’s first, if you’re going to repair your leak you need to make sure you know where the leak is coming from. To do this, the panelling will need to be removed. In most cases the source of the leak is either a broken pipe, a rubber gasket has failed, or one of the jets has a faulty connection. Preferably, the broken / faulty part would be replaced, but this can be expensive, time consuming and a lot of work.
A less expensive alternative is to use a leak seal product. Another potential solution is to use epoxy putty to fill the cracks, therefore stopping the leak. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, there are a few steps to be taken in order to carry out these repairs safely.
Drain the Water from the Hot Tub
Your hot tub will need to be drained before work can be carried out to repair a leak, but draining your hot tub every so often is also an essential part of maintaining it. This is true whether your hot tub’s system runs on chlorine, ozone, salt, or chlorine. The pipes should be flushed through with clean water to keep them clean and free of build up.
Here is a wee guide on how to drain, flush the pipes, and refill your hot tub. Hopefully you will feel like a hot tub plumbing expert by the end of it!
The easiest way to drain your hot tub is to use a submersible pump. There is a wide range of pumps available online and the process should take about an hour.
To drain using a submersible pump:
– Turn the power off
– Place the pump inside the spa
– Position the end of the outflow hose towards a drain
– Turn the pump on
– Let the spa drain
– Turn off and remove the pump
Handy Tip: if your out hose is not long enough to reach a drain, you can attach your garden hose to it! Also, if you are having drainage issues, Haggart Plumbers are available in Edinburgh and East Lothian to Unblock Your Drains.
Refill Your Hot Tub
Once everything has been cleaned, and any necessary hot tub repairs have been carried out, you can refill your hot tub. Ensure that any seals or repairs with epoxy (or the likes) have been left to fully dry.
To refill, the hose should be put in to the filter housing and turned on. It is best to fill your hot tub this way so that the pipes are filled with water first. This can prevent creating an air lock which is when air gets trapped in the plumbing system and restricts or disrupts the flow of water. If this happens you may see a ‘flow error’ show up on your hot tub.
If you need help with this it is best to contact a professional, or the organisation from which you purchased your hot tub.
Understanding the Plumbing of Your Spa
Understanding how your hot tub’s plumbing works can help you in identifying any problems or leaks which might arise. Hot tub plumbing is a ‘closed loop’ made up of PVC pipes and fittings. The water can circulate around this system multiple times a day. The plumbing loop starts at the skimmer / main drain, where the water is pulled (via suction and a pressurised system) through the filter, heater, and purifier, by the pump impeller. The water is heated and treated and then returns to the hot tub via the spa jets and pipes on the top of the spa. The bigger pipe here carries water, while the small pipe carries air.
Other Common Leak Sources
There are various other causes of leaking spas, as there are many different parts and mechanisms present in a hot tub. For example, the jets may be causing the leak, if they are not connected tightly between the pipe and the shell.
The Light at the bottom of the spa can also be the culprit (if your system has one), as it’s positioning may be a tad loose, causing water to leak out from the bottom. There may also be a crack in the shell, which is usually easy to see but check around the shell and on top for any cracks which you think may be causing the leak. Cracks under the water can be harder to spot, so draining first may help. The plumbing may contain gaskets which have become naturally worn out. If this is the culprit then these will need to be replaced.
Hopefully you now have a better understanding of your hot tubs plumbing , what can go wrong and how to repair it. You can use things such as a leak seal, replace parts, or tighten parts. However, if you still don’t feel confident enough to do these things yourself you can always contact a professional Edinburgh Plumber, such as Haggart Plumbing and we will be there to help you.
Getting a Hot Tub Repaired
Similar to a boiler, if your spa is over 15 year old, it should probably be replaced rather than repaired. In many cases it can cost more to repair a broken spa than it would be to replace it.
You can contact a plumber for hot tub repairs, or contact the organisation you bought your spa from from for more advice. Repairs can cost anything from £65 upwards, depending on the problem, or you can purchase the parts which need replacing and install them yourself.
Additionally, if you have an older boiler and need a new boiler installation then please contact us for advise.