Perhaps you bought a property with a disused hot tub on it. Perhaps you were away from home for an extended period. Perhaps you simply haven’t had a spa for a while. Whatever the case, your hot tub has been sitting idle for a while, and you’re wondering whether you can bring it back to life.
Whether or not your hot tub is too old to fix will depend on two main factors: the condition the spa is in, and the availability of the spare parts and expertise required to fix it. If you own a Hot Spring, chances are you’ll be fine with the latter, as we boast a network of experienced dealers and guarantee the supply of replacement spare parts for 20 years.
But how do you know whether your hot tub can be recuperated? And when is an old hot tub simply too old to fix? Read on to find out the answers to these questions and more.
How long can a hot tub sit unused?
A hot tub isn’t a machine that you can set and forget. While automated technologies like the Hot Spring FreshWater™ Salt System can greatly reduce the manual labour involved in maintenance, even the most luxurious, high-end spas still demand a little bit of upkeep to ensure you enjoy the finest soaking experience possible.
If you allow your hot tub to sit unused and untouched for a week, water quality may begin to decline, though you should be able to shock it back to its best. After a month or more of sitting idle the water may be too far gone to bring back (depending on your water care system), so it’s wise to drain, clean and refill your spa.
If your hot tub has been sitting empty for years, you need to start being very careful. Materials and machinery degrade over time, so you may get a nasty shock when you turn your machine on. If your spa has sat idle for this length of time, It’s wise to contact your local hot tub dealer to find out the best course of action.
How long should a hot tub last?
The length of a hot tub’s life will be determined by its build quality and your maintenance efforts. When properly maintained, a Hot Spring hot tub can last for years, even decades – hence why we’re the only hot tub brand in Australia to guarantee the replacement of spare parts for a period of 20 years.
Failing to maintain your hot tub can seriously reduce its lifespan however, as materials and parts will degrade far quicker. This is particularly the case if the hot tub is uncovered and exposed to the elements.
How do you clean a pool that hasn't been used in years?
If your hot tub hasn’t been used for years, and you’re wondering whether it can be brought back to life, the first step is cleaning it. This both makes it safe to use again, and can uncover any critical damage that may otherwise be hidden.
The process of cleaning your neglected hot tub is largely the same as cleaning a healthy hot tub, but with a few extra steps:
- Get the right equipment: You’ll either need a garden hose or a submersible pump to drain your hot tub, and a cloth and specialised cleaner to wipe it down with.
- Drain your spa (garden hose method): Turn your spa off, locate drainage spigot, and attach the hose. Lead the hose to a drain that sits lower than the base of your spa so it will empty completely, then turn the spigot to drain.
- Drain your spa (with a submersible pump): Turn your spa off, place the submersible pump inside, then lead the hose to a drain. Turn on the pump and drain the spa.
- Clean the empty spa: Remove built up dirt and grime using your cloth and spa shell cleaner. If you can’t remove the dirt and grime with the cloth, switch to a non-scratch scouring pad, but be careful not to damage the surface of the shell. Your final option is a pressure sprayer. Once clean, give the shell a rinse.
- Check for damage: While your spa is empty, take the opportunity to inspect it for any damage. Check the filters, which, if your spa hasn’t been used for a while, will most likely need replacing.
- Refill the spa and flush the jets: If the spa is operational, refill it, add a jet cleaning product, then turn on the jets to flush out any nasties caught inside. Once flushed, repeat steps one through four.
Refill and shock the water: Refill your hot tub once more, and this time shock the water with chlorine to a level of around eight parts per million. This is higher than normal, but will reduce over time (particularly if the spa is in direct sunlight), and will ensure the water is safe for your first soak.
How to get a hot tub up and running again
The process outlined above is all well and good if your hot tub is operational, but what if it isn’t?
A question we hear from customers a lot is “what do I need to do in terms of replacing parts?” If you take good care of your spa, not much at all. But if the spa has been neglected, you may need to replace parts to get it up and running again.
Modern hot tubs are quite technologically advanced machines. This means that the job of identifying issues and replacing parts should be left to an expert, and you can find these professionals at your local Hot Spring dealer.
Sometimes old hot tubs are simply too old to fix: they’re too damaged, replacement parts are too hard to find, or the cost of replacing parts is close to or higher than the cost of purchasing a new spa. In these cases it’s wise to reinvest in a brand new, high quality spa, and take good care of it.
The Hot Spring difference
At Hot Spring we boast a network of knowledgeable, experienced and friendly dealers that stretch up and down the country, who are ready to bring your old hot tub back to life. We also sell spas that last longer, cost less to run, and are far easier to bring back to life.
We are the only hot tub brand in Australia to guarantee the supply of spare parts for 20 years. If your machine has issues in the two decades after you purchase it, you can be confident that we can fix them.
The build quality of our premium Hot Spring spas also means that they are far less likely to break down in the first place. Your hot tub will last far longer, and because you don’t need to replace it as often, your initial investment can result in serious savings in the long run. It also helps that Hot Spring machines are the most energy efficient on the market.
Are you considering trading up to a Hot Spring? Try before you buy by booking in your test soak today!
