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How to Dispose of & Replace Hot Tub Water
Regular hot tub maintenance is essential if you want to ensure that the water is safe for bathers to enjoy. One way to take care of your tub is to drain it in order to dispose of old or contaminated water and replace it with fresh, clean water.
To help you wade through all the information out there, we’ve created a handy guide that covers everything you need to know about hot tub draining and water replacement!
Although you will have a water treatment system in place that will include using hot tub shock treatments and regular doese of sanitisers like chlorine or bromine, you may wish to refresh your water after a prolonged period. Over time, there will be a build-up of everything that has dissolved or collected in the water. This can lead to problems with:
If you start to experience these problems, disposing of the unclean water and replacing it can often be a good idea.
Most water contaminants will actually come from bathers themselves. Even when bathers shower before using a hot tub, some things will be carried into the water. These may include:
These kinds of things can also create problems in your hot tub’s pipes. They can cause a build-up of biofilm, which coats the pipes and can cause inefficiency in water flow and filter performance. Biofilm is unperturbed by chlorine, meaning that draining your hot tub will be necessary if this is a problem. However, using hot tub water conditioner can help protect your pipework from biofilm, so a dose of this might be more worthwile than replacing your water entirely, if it is a relatively minor issue.
Further signs that it is time to replace your hot tub water may be:
You will also likely need to drain your hot tub when you're closing it down for the winter period. To find out more about this, see our guide on how to close a hot tub for winter.
Even if you haven’t experienced any issues or noticed any warning signs, it can still be a good idea to drain your hot tub every three months or so. This will ensure that you don’t develop any problems with build-ups or biofilm. It is also an opportunity to flush out the pipes and make sure they are clean and in working order.
You should make hot tub drainage part of your maintenance routine as prevention is better than having to fix an issue.
Before you drain any water, you must first take care of the pipelines.
Chlorine alone will not be able to eradicate biofilm in your hot tub’s pipes; a plumbing cleaner or flush product will be necessary. This specialised cleaner will be able to break down biofilm when left to circulate in your tub for a minimum of 20 minutes. Before pouring in the treatment, remove any filters and turn the jets on full.
For more problematic tubs, it can be better to leave the cleaner to work for several hours or overnight.
When your pipe cleaner has done its work, you can begin the draining process.
The drain valve method is the slower way to drain water, but it is also the cheapest, as you just have to let gravity do the work!
To drain your tub with this method, you should switch off the power as damage can be caused if pumps or jets are running while water is being disposed of.
Locate your drain valve and loosen it to start draining the water. You can attach a hose to the valve to direct the water to a drain or designated area.
This method can take a couple of hours to drain the tub completely.
If you want the draining process to go faster, you can use a submersible pump. This method can drain a tub in around 10 minutes.
When using this method, you should follow the same pipe cleaning steps as mentioned above and then turn off the power to your tub. You can then place the pump at the deepest point and connect it to a hose directed to your drain.
Turn on the pump and let it work its magic. Keep an eye on the water level as you don’t want to leave the pump running when all the water has been drained.
So you know how to drain a tub, but where can the unwanted water go?
As mentioned above, you can direct your hose towards a main drain to send the water to the sewage system.
Another option can be to recycle the water. If your water does not contain too much chlorine or bromine, it can be used to water your lawn and garden plants. If you’re planning to recycle hot tub water, it is advised that you only use it at least three days after chemicals have been added.
Depending on the water’s cleanliness and chemical level, it can also be used to wash your car.
If you are unsure about whether the water will do any damage or if it is too dirty, it is best to dispose of it directly down the drain.
After a full drain, you will, of course, need to refill your tub with fresh water. What is the best way to go about this?
Before adding any new water, wipe the tub’s sides and filter compartment with a clean cloth to be sure no dirty residue remains. For a deep clean, you may also want to clean or replace the filter.
Refilling a hot tub is very simple as all you’ll need to do is put your hose into the filter compartment and let the water flow. Replacing water through the filter will ensure that the pipes are filled first, and no air lock occurs. You can also use a hose filter to reduce the number of impurities in the water and make sure you are refilling your tub with the best quality water.
Keep an eye on the rising water levels and turn off the hose when you reach the appropriate level for your hot tub.
After the water has been replaced, add any water treatments and hot tub chemicals as you would normally.
For more hot tub tips, browse through our blog, which is full of extensive guides to help keep your tub in top condition!
