Learn how to drain your Beachcomber hot tub every three to four months. A regular draining schedule limits your exposure to chemicals and makes maintenance much easier. If anything, you can drain more often if your spa is heavily used.
Before draining your spa, always power it down. As with any electrical device, failing to cut the power when dealing with water puts you in danger. Thus, you must not just turn off the spa, but also disconnect its power supply. At this time, you might also find it opportune to wipe down the cover and replace the filters. Doing so minimizes the transference of dirt and chemicals into the clean water.
Option 1: Use a submersible sump pump
The quickest way to drain a hot tub is with a submersible sump pump. With one, you can drain up to 2,000 gallons of water per hour. Simply, drop the pump into the tub, flick on its switch and wait as the water flows out.
Option 2: Use a garden hose
You can create a syphon with any garden hose if you do not have a sump pump available. Follow these steps:
- Put a garden hose directly into the hot tub.
- Make sure that you connect the hose to a water supply to create a flow towards the tub.
- If you bend a kink in the hose then shut off the water, you can redirect that flow when you straighten it.
- So long as the tail end stays below the level of the hot tub, gravity takes care of the rest.
Option 3: Use the drain plug
Many models of hot tubs come with drain plugs that allow you to just leak the water out. Unless located at the bottom of the hot tub, the problem with drain plugs is that some water remains at the bottom.
Where Should You Drain the Hot Tub?
Most bylaws prohibit draining hot tubs or pools into storm drain systems. Although homeowners choose to do so anyway, this introduces an array of chemicals into our rivers and water tables. Instead, municipalities ask that you drain directly in the wastewater drain connected to your home.
When Is the Right Time to Drain a Hot Tub?
Hot tubs require weekly maintenance to keep sanitary. Chemical imbalances in the water can lead to mould and other bacterial growth. This is a hazard to your health as a bather as well as the health of the tub.
When neglected, hot tub chemicals corrode the interior lining and filters. But even with proper care and attention, hot tubs need periodic draining.
How Often Should You Refresh the Water?
Older hot tubs need cleaning more often than new ones. The filters experience greater stress as pieces in the spa begin to dissolve. Nevertheless, a hot tub of any age needs cleaning at least three times a year. However, the frequency depends entirely on usage.
Generally, if you bathe in your spa more than two times a week, you should drain the water every two to four months. More specifically, perform the following calculation to estimate the number of days between refills.
- Formula: (# of gallons ÷ 3) ÷ # of bathers daily = # of days between cleans
- Example: (475 gallons ÷ 3) ÷ 2 = ~80 days
The average hot tub contains 475 gallons of water. Assuming you average two bathers daily, the estimated wait between refills is 80 days.
That said, if your average is fewer than two, this does not mean you can get away with cleaning yearly. Even if you don’t use your spa often, you do add new chemicals. The longer between drains, the harder it is to maintain a proper balance.
Three Signs Your Water Needs Changing
- Cloudiness: Sometimes, cloudy water indicates the wrong use of sanitizer. If you recently topped it up, then this could be the case. General cloudiness, though, means it’s time to purge.
- Odour: Stale water reeks. The moment your water smells bad, change it. Smells point to bioactivity, which can lead to infection.
- Foam: Foam can be tamed with dedicated products. However, foam that will not subside should signal to you that the water needs replacing.
