While your beloved hot tub may be one of your favourite investments, there may come a day when you need to remove it. You of all people should know that installation is no easy task. In the same respect, moving it out isn’t as simple as taking out the trash. Ultimately, deciding on the final destination of your hot tub is what determines the best process for hot tub removal.
There are a number of options for choosing how to dispose of a hot tub. No matter which option you choose, your starting point for hot tub removal is preparing for disassembly.
Get your hot tub ready for removal
The first step to disposing of your hot tub is to get it ready for transit. This is the simplest of all tasks and yet may require a little planning. No matter where you decide to send your tub you will need to follow these three starting steps:
Cut all power
Shut down all power to your hot tub. You don’t need to mess with the circuit breaker or shut down the power in the neighbourhood. For most people, this involves pulling a plug from the wall.
Drain the water from your hot tub
Every beachcomber hot tub comes with a drainage spout at the bottom of the tub. You would be well advised to attach a garden hose to the spout. This will allow you to direct the water to a drain or area that isn’t going to pool and cause problems (like your neighbour’s yard-or worse yours!).
Remove all excess water
Vacuum or wipe any water that’s left in the bottom of the tub. If you’re moving it in one piece you don’t want water spilling over you, your movers or the truck.
If you’re cutting it into pieces, the last thing you need is wet chunks of dust and debris flying at your face and those watching the process.
Clear an exit path
Depending on your home this may take some planning. Obviously, if you’re trashing your hot tub, the chances are you’ll be carrying small pieces. In that case, you’re pretty much good to go.
Keep in mind that it’s not uncommon to have a hot tub lifted in on a crane because of the poor access through the side of their home. If it’s staying in one piece, it might require the same exit strategy.
Alternatively, you should consider removing any fencing that would obstruct a pathway out of your backyard. The cost to temporarily move your fence may be a lot less than renting a crane.
Now your hot tub is ready for the next step. What exactly IS the next step? Well, that’s up to you. Here are your options:
Throw it away completely
If you’ve had enough of your hot tub and you simply want to get rid of it yourself, you’re in for a small project. Here’s a list of potential items that will make this endeavour easier:
- Owners manual
- Reciprocator saw
- Wrenches and screwdrivers
- Sledgehammer
- Dumpster (or truck)
The end goal is to wind up with small pieces of the acrylic shell to make for easy disposal. To do this, you need to have a basic understanding of the anatomy of your hot tub (hence you breaking out the owner’s manual).
The removable parts should all be removed. You don’t want to cut into them or any wires that could still be holding a charge. Removing some pieces with a wrench or drill may be easier than trying to cut them out.
Once the internal pieces are removed you will need to cut the shell into pieces using a saw. Although cutting the tub in half would appear logical, you need to check to see what exactly you’re cutting through. It may make more sense to cut the shell into wedge-shaped pieces.
Load the pieces into your dumpster or truck.
Remove the concrete base with a sledgehammer.
Tired already-just from reading?! You might be better suited to the next option.
Call a Junker to take it away
Don’t do anything yourself. Call a Junker and tell them you need to use their hot tub removal service. They will send a team with the intent of salvaging the hot tub for resale. It’s a good idea to prepare your hot tub for transit since Junkers still charge a fee for hot tub removal and if the job is easy, the fee is lower.
Trade your old hot tub for store credit
Why throw good money away? There are tons of dealers out there that will give you a credit for trading in your old hot tub for a new one. Not every hot tub is completely salvageable but most parts are made to last a lifetime (or close to it). Many of the parts can be refurbished and resold for a profit. Look for dealers who will give you a discount on your new tub for trading in your old one.
Sell it on a popular website with classified listings
We live in a world where networking and advertising have become infinitely easier-and free in many cases! Get on a website like Facebook Marketplace, Kijiji, Craigslist and list your hot tub for sale. People are constantly looking for deals and it’s only a matter of time before you find someone interested in buying your tub.
If you’re a DIY’er with a lot of patience you can definitely make more money by selling individual pieces of your hot tub. It will most likely take longer but if you have the time why not make the extra bucks?
Repurpose your tub into something special
It’s not as common as we might like to see but many people get really creative and repurposed their hot tub. The list of items ranges from dog houses, hydroponic flower pots, sandboxes and more.
It only takes an imaginative brain and a sense of adventure to create something the world has never seen before!
And there you have it.
If you weren’t sure about what to do with your hot tub-you now have 5 viable options to choose from.
If you’re still unsure about which direction to go regarding your hot tub removal, give us a call or send us a message. We offer hot tub removal services and are available to give you expert advice when you need it.
