How to look after your hot tub when not in use

Although hot tubs are designed to be used consistently, even during the colder winter months, you might find that at certain times of the year, you may need to leave your hot tub unattended.

And this begs the question – how long can you leave a hot tub unattended? And can you leave water in your hot tub when turned off? Should you leave your hot tub on or turn it off for the duration of your absence?

Well, if you want answers to the questions above, and to know more about how to look after your hot tub while you’re away, keep reading to learn more about how to keep your hot tub clean when it’s not in use.

 

How long can you leave a hot tub unattended?

In most cases, if you were planning on leaving your hot tub unattended for a set period of time, you won’t need to worry about the health and quality of your tub’s water and systems for roughly two to four weeks – depending on how well you prep it beforehand.

For example, if you were to properly balance your hot tub’s water chemicals and pH balance before leaving, potentially even performing a hot tub shock, then it will be a while before any bacteria can start growing again. However, this is reliant on you using your hot tub cover correctly to prevent outside contaminants from settling in the water.

Regardless of how well you clean your hot tub’s water beforehand, however, after four weeks, the chemicals in your hot tub will have mostly vanished, allowing bacteria and mould to start growing in the warm, stagnant, and humid environment.

 

What to do if you’re not using your hot tub

Whether you plan to go on holiday for an extended period, or you’re simply not using your hot tub over the winter, there are several essential things you need to do if you plan on keeping your tub in tip-top condition.

For short periods of a month or more, we recommend not turning your tub off in order to maintain temperature, checking on the chemical balance each week, circulating your hot tub’s water regularly to prevent it from stagnating, and periodically checking your hot tub cover is secure and there are no gaps.

Alternatively, if you know you won’t be using your hot tub at all for several consecutive months in a row, then we suggest following the advice we’ve provided for these common questions below:

 

Should I leave my hot tub on all the time?

For short periods of hot tub inactivity, it’s worth keeping your hot tub on or partially active, so that you can effectively reheat the water when you want to use it. This is because a small period of reheating is far more cost-effective than heating your entire hot tub from scratch, while also maintaining an environment where your chemicals are most effective.

On the other hand, if you know that you won’t be using your hot tub for a set period of the year, then it’s better to turn your hot tub off and drain it entirely, that way you won’t be wasting money heating water you don’t intend to use.

 

Can you leave water in your hot tub when turned off?

In most cases, if you plan to turn your hot tub off entirely, it’s simply best practice to drain your tub’s water in full. Otherwise, you might find it getting mouldy or filled with algae, meaning your tub will likely need a full drain and clean anyway, before it’s safe to use again.

The only exception to this rule is, as we noted earlier, if you plan to be away for a short period and know that you’ll be using your hot tub upon your return. In which case, you can leave the water as is, provided it’s been properly sanitised and covered.

 

What temperature should I leave my hot tub on when away?

If you are away for a short period and plan to leave your hot tub running to save on energy costs, then we recommend dropping its heating temperature by roughly 5 degrees.

Doing so will ensure that it’s still warm enough for your hot tub chemicals to do their job while lowering the power needed to maintain said temperature. Best of all, when you do come back and decide you want to use your hot tub, it will take far less time to reheat to normal levels compared to reheating your hot tub from a lower temperature.

 

How to prepare your hot tub for winter

One of the main reasons for leaving your hot tub unattended may be that you don’t intend on using it over the winter period. In which case, it is very important that you thoroughly drain, clean, and cover your hot tub.

The reasons for this are two-fold – it will ensure that your hot tub is fresh and clean to use come the spring, and it will prevent your hot tub water from freezing over and potentially damaging your hot tub’s inner workings, which could require a hot tub service to fix.

Therefore, we recommend draining your hot tub well in advance of the cold months and flushing the system entirely. That way, and excess water that remains will have adequate time to evaporate. You may also want to take this time to clean your hot tub’s filters, so they’re ready for use in the new year.

Then all that’s left to do is reattach your main hot tub cover and cover the whole of your hot tub’s frame with a secondary waterproof tarp to keep excess water and dirt off your hot tub.

 

Find a hot tub you want to use all year round

With our last point covered, you should now have a much better idea of what to do the next time you plan to turn your hot tub off entirely, or if you plan to leave it unattended while you go on holiday.

By following these tips, you can be sure your hot tub stays in good condition between uses and will be ready to use the next time you switch it back on – assuming, that is, that you want to turn your hot tub off at all?

While you might not think it, the vast majority of hot tubs can be used all year round, no matter the weather, including all of the hot tubs we have on offer in The Wellness Co. range.

Get in touch today to find out more about our leading hot tub collection, as well as our swim spas and ice baths, and don’t forget to visit our wellness and inspiration blog for more hot tub articles like this one.

 

Leaving your hot tub unattended FAQs

What temperature should I leave my hot tub on overnight?

For the most part, if you’re only planning on leaving your hot tub on overnight, then it’s arguably best to leave it running at the same temperature as during the day – that way you won’t have to reheat it again in the morning.