December 8th, 2021 by Sarah Miles

Being an outdoor piece of equipment, one of the responsibilities of hot tub ownership is protecting it from the elements – even if it’s under some kind of garden structure. In the summer that means protecting from UV rays and in the autumn and winter, you need to protect it from things like falling leaves, rain, and cold temperatures.

How you care for it over the colder months depends on whether you choose to leave the water in or empty it. Either option is fine, as long as you prepare it properly.

Protecting an empty hot tub over winter

If you’re not planning to use the hot tub over the winter, then emptying the water and fully winterising it will save you a job in the spring getting it ready to use again. You should follow a winterising process before packing it away.

One of the greatest advantages of emptying the water is that it eradicates the risk of pipes freezing when temperatures plunge. You will, of course, still need to take measures to protect the shell, which we will come to at the end.

Protecting a hot tub that contains water but is not in use

You can leave the water in your hot tub over winter even if you don’t plan to use it, but make sure you add a winteriser chemical to the water to prevent mould and algae from forming. Obviously, if there is water in the hot tub, there is a risk of the water freezing. Frozen water expands and that can cause pipes and parts to burst, which can be costly to repair. You will therefore need to take steps to prevent this from happening.

You have 2 options here:

Use the freeze protection mode

Many hot tubs have a built in freeze protection mode. This works by running the pump when the temperature falls to just above freezing. Moving water doesn’t freeze so it protects the lines.

Run the pumps manually

If your hot tub doesn’t have a freeze protection mode, you can run the pumps yourself and achieve the same protection. You can either choose to monitor the weather and run when a freeze is forecast or run them on a timer. This will mean the pumps will run sometimes when they don’t really need to (because it’s not dependent on temperature) so it’s less efficient but will do the job.

Protecting a hot tub that is in use over the winter

If you intend to continue to use your hot tub over the winter, then you don’t need to worry about pipes freezing as running the pump and continuing to heat and maintain the water will protect it.

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Protecting the hot tub shell

Of course, freezing pipes are not the only thing you need to think about over winter. Whichever option you choose above, you will also need to look after the hot tub shell as winter can throw all sorts of things at it – leaves and debris that are blown around in the wind, frost, rain, and even animals seeking shelter. To keep your hot tub in good condition over the winter you can do the following:

• Make sure you have a good quality cover
  If the cover that came with the hot tub is a little flimsy, it may be worth investing in a better quality one, especially if the hot tub is fully exposed to the elements.
• Make sure the cover is in good repair
  Check the cover over completely and either repair any damage or upgrade for a new one.
• Fasten straps securely
  The last thing you need is the cover blowing open or moving in strong winds. This can allow debris or even animals to get in. Make sure straps are secure and check periodically over the winter.
• Add a thermal blanket
  In addition to the cover, you can also place a thermal hot tub blanket directly on the water itself (if you have chosen to continue to use the hot tub over winter of course). This will help to insulate the water and retain the heat.
• Protect the surfaces
  While your hot tub won’t be exposed to the same level of UV rays in the winter as it would in the summer, the sun can be stronger than you think over winter as well. Protect the cover and any other exposed areas with a UV protector spray.
• Brush off debris and snow

While your cover will protect the hot tub from winter weather and foreign objects, it’s best to brush any debris off periodically to prevent it from accumulating all winter and the continued surface contact that would have. Likewise, if we get significant snowfall, brush it away before it freezes as that would add extra weight.