If you're wondering how long can you leave a hot tub empty, the short answer is that you really shouldn't leave it bone-dry for more than a week or two in the event that you can help it. Although it may seem like a good way to save on electricity or chemicals while you're away, hot tubs are in fact made to stay complete. When you empty that water, you're not simply emptying a big plastic tub; you're exposing a complex system of seals, gaskets, plus plumbing towards the surroundings, and that's where the trouble usually starts.
Ideally, if you're simply doing a tedious cleaning, you'll would like to get it refilled inside 24 to forty eight hours. If you push it previous a couple associated with weeks, you start entering a bit of a "danger zone" where the components can begin to degrade. Let's dive into the reason why it's a little bit of a bet to leave your own spa sitting empty and what in fact happens behind the scenes when the particular water is long gone.
The issue along with drying out
The biggest problem with leaving a hot tub empty is the silicone. Your spa is usually packed with rubber gaskets, O-rings, plus seals that keep the water exactly where it belongs—inside the pipes and the cover. These components are designed to stay wet and below pressure. When you drain the tub and let it sit down, those rubber parts begin to dry up.
Think regarding a vintage rubber band you find in the back of a junk compartment. It's brittle, it cracks when you stretch it, and it basically seems to lose its soul. The same thing occurs to your hot tub seals. As soon as they dry away and shrink, they don't always "re-swell" perfectly when you refill the tub. This is how you end up with mysterious leakages behind the cupboard which are an overall nightmare to monitor down and fix.
Past the seals, the pump itself can suffer. The pump motor seal needs dampness to stay lubed. If you leave the tub empty for a month and after that flip the particular power back about, that dry seal off can heat up plus fail very quickly.
The "hidden water" trap
You might think that since you opened the particular drain valve and the shell is definitely empty, the hot tub is dried out. It's not. There are almost always many gallons of water trapped in the "low spots" associated with the internal plumbing—the loops and bends in the water lines how the drain can't reach.
This particular is actually even worse than having a full tub. This particular small amount associated with stagnant water turns into a breeding terrain for biofilm, bacteria, and mold . With no chlorine or bromine to keep items clean, that remaining puddle starts in order to grow a slimy coating inside your own pipes. When you finally refill the tub, you'll see nasty black or green flakes shooting out of your own jets. Getting free of biofilm will be way harder than simply doing a regular shock treatment; you'll likely have to run multiple rounds of specialized pipe cleaners to get it back to a sanitary state.
Sun damage and the layer
We don't often think regarding it, but the weight and temp of the water in fact help stabilize the hot tub cover. If you leave an empty hot tub uncovered within the sun, you're asking for trouble. Most hot tubs are made of acrylic or even high-density plastic, plus without water to absorb heat, the shell can really warp or "delaminate" (the layers begin to peel apart) in extreme heat.
Even if it's not extremely hot out, UV rays are relentless. An empty cover exposed to sunlight can develop fine cracks, known because crazing, or the particular color can fade significantly. If you absolutely must leave the tub empty for a several days, keep the cover on tight to safeguard the interior from the elements.
When it's actually alright to leave this empty
There is certainly one major different to the "don't leave it empty" rule: proper winterization. If you live in a weather where it gets well below cold and you don't plan on utilizing the tub for the winter, you may decide to shut this down to avoid a massive electric expenses or maybe the risk associated with frozen pipes.
However, "empty" within this context doesn't just mean pulling the plug. A properly winterized hot tub has had its lines offered out with a high-pressure shop vac or air air compressor to ensure every single drop of water is gone. Frequently, people will actually add a bit of non-toxic RECREATIONAL VEHICLE antifreeze to the particular lines for great measure.
If you go through this professional-grade shutdown process, you can leave the tub empty for the whole winter (three in order to four months). Yet even then, there's always a small risk that a seal might dry out by spring. It's a trade-off between your risk of a dry seal and the risk of a $2, 000 restoration bill for a burst pipe.
Better alternatives to draining
When you're going upon a two-week holiday and you're worried about the tub, draining it is almost always the most labor-intensive plus risky option. Instead, most pros recommend what we call "vacation mode. "
You can turn the heat way down—most modern tubs have a "low" or "sleep" setting that keeps the water at about 50 or 60 degrees. This keeps the water relocating and the closes wet but uses a fraction associated with the electricity. Just give it a healthy dose of sanitizer before you leave, make sure the particular cover is locked, and it'll become perfectly fine whenever you get back again.
If you're concerned about something busting while you're long gone, you're much better off asking a neighbor to look at it once or twice when compared to the way you are departing it empty plus inviting the seals to crack.
What to do when you're ready to refill
If you have left your hot tub empty for a while—let's say it's been sitting in the backyard for a month while you were busy along with other things—don't just stick the hose pipe in and walk away. You need in order to be a bit more methodical to avoid damage.
Initial, take a glance at the jets and the layer. Give everything a good wipe straight down with a dedicated spa cleaner to get rid of any dust or even debris. Then, check the equipment area. Look for any visible cracks within the plastic unions or maybe the pump housing.
When you start filling it, fill it through the filtration system well . This particular helps prevent airlocks by pushing air flow out of the plumbing as the water goes in. Once it's full, don't just jump in. Run the pushes on high plus keep a very close eye on the area around the pump and heater. This is how those dried-out seals are almost all likely to show themselves. If you see a spill, you might require to tighten an union or replace an O-ring before it becomes a bigger problem.
The bottom line
So, back to the unique question: how long can you leave a hot tub empty? If you want to play it safe, keep this under three to five days . Something as much as two days is "probably fine" but starts to increase the risk associated with biofilm and dry rot. If you're looking at a month or more, you either need to perform a full, professional winterization or just keep the water in generally there and let it circulate at a lower temperature.
Hot tubs are usually a bit such as cars—they really do much better when they're being used and preserved regularly. Letting a single sit idle is often when the most expensive problems begin to crawl out of the woodwork. Keep it wet, keep it clean, and it'll last you a whole lot longer.