How to Easily Drain a Hot Tub with a Hose
A clean spa will provide countless hours of fun and relaxation. After enough time and use, the water in a hot tub will become dirty, cloudy and less responsive to chemical treatments. When this happens it is time to completely drain the spa and refill it to change out the water.
It is highly recommended that you completely drain the water in your hot tub every sixty to ninety days. The length of time between water changes can be determined by the amount of use the spa gets and the overall quality of the water. This article provides step-by-step instructions for draining your hot tub.
Step 1: Remove and Clean the Filters
Before you begin draining your hot tub, remove the filters and clean them. You can do this using a chemical wash, chemical spray, or chemical soak. Make sure you rinse the filter completely and set it aside to dry. If you have a back-up filter, this is a good time to switch to the back up and let the current filter rest until the next water change.
Step 2: Cut the Power
It is very important that you do not drain the hot tub while the pump is running as this could present a hazard to you and cause damage to the spa. Turn off the power directly from the breaker box to ensure a complete shut down.
Step 3: Open the Lower Drain Valve
Most hot tubs are equipped with a lower drain valve that can be opened to drain the water. Connect a hose to the drain valve to pull water away from the base of the hot tub and direct the water to a place where it can safely run off.
Step 4: Speed Up the Hot Tub Draining Process (Optional)
You can speed up the draining process considerably by using a submersible pump. Connect a hose to the pump and place the pump in the deepest part of the hot tub. Be careful not to run the pump dry.
Another option for quickly draining a hot tub with a hose is to use the siphon method without a pump.
1. Place one end of a hose into the deepest part of the hot tub.
2. Connect the other end of the hose to the hose spigot.
3. Turn on the spigot to fill the hose with water.
4. Turn the water off and detach the hose from the spigot.
5. Bend the hose to keep the water from running out and stretch it to a section of the yard where you want the water to drain. The drain spot must be lower that the bottom of the hot tub.
6. Lay the hose end on the ground to release the water. The water will continue to flow through the hose, draining the hot tub.
NOTE: Draining a hot tub is not the same as winterizing a hot tub. The hot tub and equipment will still contain small amounts of water that can freeze and damage plumbing. Never leave a hot tub empty overnight when the temperature is below freezing unless it has been completely winterized.
