Draining a Hot Tub or Spa
RATING: EASY
Many of the procedures outlined in this chapter require draining the
hot tub. It may seem obvious that you open a drain valve in the equipment
area or use a submersible pump to do the job, but this simple task can
create many problems if you don't take all factors into consideration.
Therefore, before we present information requiring this procedure, here
are the concerns about draining.
1. Shutdown Turn off all circulation equipment at the circuit breakers,
so there is no chance it will start up from a time clock. Be sure that
underwater lights are also switched off and not connected to a time
. Often there are switches inside the home, so tape over these
with a note to make sure all family members know there is a reason
to keep that switch off.
2. Safety Especially at a commercial hot tub, run yellow "Caution" tape
around the deck to keep unwary visitors from falling in the empty
hot tub. Turn deck furniture on its side and use it as a physical barrier
as well. Post signs at every location to the deck about what is going
on and that the hot tub will be closed for several days. It may also seem
obvious, but with today's busy families, everyone may not have
been told that the hot tub was going to be drained, so even on residential
jobs, put up signs, tape, or barriers.
3. Drain the hot tub The easiest way to drain a hot tub is to
open a drain valve in the equipment area
and let gravity do its job. If the equipment
is above the lowest level of water in the
hot tub, this method will not fully drain
it. In that case, use a submersible pump.
When draining a hot tub with your submersible
pump and hoses, direct the flow to a deck
drain if possible. This will send the wastewater
through an intended channel, rather than
over a backyard garden or down a hill where
erosion damage can occur from such a large
volume of fast-moving
water. When you have started pumping, however,
watch the flow into the drain for several
minutes. Sometimes debris will back up in
the line and it will overflow, but not until
it has filled several hundred yards of pipe.
It may take time, but the clogged drain
will flood backyards and living rooms and
may actually flush the water back into the
hot tub when you have gone.
Draining a Hot
Tub Page: 2 |
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