Should You Drain and Winterize Your Hot Tub?

Should you drain and winterize your hot tub? Many hot tub owners are faced with this question each year as the cold weather creeps in and there is really not a solid yes or no answer. It really depends on your personal situation and how and when you prefer to use your spa. As a spa expert I would say no, it is better to leave your spa running year round, both for enjoyment during cold winter months and to avoid problems with freezing due to improper winterization.

Personally, and I know most of our customers agree, in the cold snowy weather is my favorite time of year for a soak in the hot tub.  Think about it, your back yard blanketed in snow, more lightly falling as you sit back and relax in the nice hot water while watching to steam rise into the dark sky… it is oh, so relaxing!

Maybe you are worried about added energy costs to heat your hot tub in the cold winter months. I would point out that most hot tub damage is caused by freeze damage to hot tubs that are improperly winterized, ANY residual water left in the tub can cause freeze damage. So while you may save some on energy and chemicals by shutting down your spa and choosing to winterize your hot tub, you do run the risk of more costly repairs if the winterization is not done perfectly.

So yes, winterizing your hot tub is an option if you are set on doing it and sure that you can winterize your hot tub properly to ensure no freeze damage will occur, but personally I would not run that risk and I would prefer to relax in and enjoy my hot tub year round, after all that is what I bought it for!