Posted by Winter is here and if you plan on leaving your tub up-and-running there are some simple steps you can follow to make your winter hot tub maintenance a breeze, and enjoy your spa all season long.
Get Your Maintenance Routine in Check
Having a hot tub maintenance routine already planned is a great way to avoid standing in the cold trying to diagnose spa water that has been un-maintained.
A Spa Log book is a great way to keep track of your water maintenance routine. Record your test strip results as well as shock and clarifier dosages as an easy reminder for what step in your routine is next.
Tip: If you haven’t already, it is a great plan to drain, clean and refill your tub with fresh water before the snow really hits.
Stock Up on Your Winter Supplies
Having all your supplies on hand and ready to use can easily eliminate any frustration with winter spa maintenance. There is nothing worse than getting to the tub and realizing you’ve run out of water treatment or test strips.
Hold in the Heat
Keeping the heat in your tub is going to save you from paying a hefty energy bill. There are two great ways to reduce the amount of heat escaping from your spa.
1. Thermofloat Blanket
A Thermofloat Spa Blanket is a great investment. Floating Thermofloat blankets save energy, protect your hot tub cover, and reduce heating time. They can also reduce heat loss from evaporation up to 95%, and provide extra insulation in addition to your cover.
You can trim the blanket with scissors to provide the perfect fit for your spa shape.
2. Properly Fitting Hot Tub Cover
Making sure your hot tub cover fits properly and snug is very important to inhibiting heat loss year round.
Protect your Cover
Get your cover ready for whatever may come its way! Clean your cover with a non-abrasive cleaner such as ecoTUB SpaClean and finish by protecting it with 303 Protectant. As the season continues, be sure to remove any snow or debris from the cover with a soft brush or broom.
It’s not a bad idea to keep a few vinyl patch repair kits on hand as well. If ice or debris cause a tear in your hot tub cover, patching it up right away will prevent melting snow or rain from getting into your cover.
Keep the Critters Out
Just as you enjoy the warm comforting heat of your spa during the winter months, so will little critters, if they can find entry. Check around the base of your hot tub cabinet and be sure there are no places where small animals or insects could be entering and nesting for the winter.
Do you have any great tips on how to make winter hot tub maintenance easier? Share them with us in the comments below!
Hot Tub Blog | SpaDepot.com 
We love you Sap Depot! Our best winterizing was done at the factory when we had styrofoam sprayed into the liner. Our electric bills have been low. I still need to trim the floating liner to fit, but with weather in Ohio being so mild, we’ve put that off. Need to get it done. Love having Spa Depot for all of our hot tub needs!!!
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We have an aging hot tub…must be more than 12 years old. We use it more in winter than summer so keeping it “hot” is important. Recently, we can get it up to temp…say 102, but then when we open it and use it, the temp drops and doesn’t seem to keep the set temperature. need to call the repair person, but want to at least be thinking about what might be wrong before I sign up for some major repair. The tub owes us very little. We have only repaired one pump in the 12 years.
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Hi Sandra,
Thank you for posting! If your tub used to keep the heat while you were using it, and this only recently started happening, it may have to do with one of the mode settings in the system. Some systems are equipped with economy modes. If your spa is in economy mode it would only heat during the filtration cycle. Changing the mode to standard would allow your heater to turn on as needed.
If you do not have any mode settings, the problem is likely the heater element itself. If everything else is working fine, replacing the heater element should take care of this problem. Thank you again for checking with us, and please let me know if you have any other questions.
Thanks again,
Mark
SpaDepot.com
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Lifecast Vista is being put in the garage on the slab. Would it be wise to put down that thick pink styrofoam insulation on the floor to create added insulation from the slab? – thx – RAS
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Hi Ras –
Thank you for checking with us! The LifeCast line of hot tubs are actually very well insulated, so although it is not necessary it certainly would not hurt. If you do put foam between the hot tub and the concrete, be sure that the insulation is completely even throughout the whole base area of the tub.
Hope this helps and thanks again for checking with us!
Thank you,
Mark
SpaDepot.com
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Just thought I would share my tips for saving energy on your hot tub! I purchased a tub with the forever floor : fully enclosed, insulated floor and walls. I do not have a problem with the tub, but minor heat escaping between the fold of the cover. I inserted vinyl bubble wrap fillers on the one side with the original vinyl cover hot tub material, (small protectors) to fill in the voids. I also placed a construction insulated tarp and covered the full hot tub with it! I have dramatically saved on heat lost by our cold winters in Alberta, Canada. Especially with all the ice and snow, it provides assurance that my cover will not be damaged, and require replacement in 3-4 years!
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