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An inflatable hot tub can be a fantastic addition to your home. It is a great way to relax after a long day or bond with family and friends on the weekend. In addition to relaxing, hot tubs have a number of positive health effects. These include muscle relaxation, stress and pain relief, and even improved sleep!
But for them to work, hot tubs require cleaning, regular maintenance, draining, and refilling. So figuring out how to empty an inflatable hot tub in the most efficient way possible can be tough.
If you want your hot tub to stay hygienic and effective, you need to replace not just the hot tub water regularly but the chemicals that make your spa bacteria-free and the filter too.
If you’re planning on making your inflatable hot tub last as long as possible, we’ve got the tips you need. Here’s your guide on how to empty an inflatable hot tub. It includes draining your tub, filling it with fresh water and keeping it in pristine condition for as long as possible.
Why Should You Empty an Inflatable Hot Tub?
One of the most regular things you can do to properly maintain your hot tub is to drain it. However, you don’t just drain the water from your hot tub pool every time you want to put the spa away until you want to use it again. You must always drain your hot tub thoroughly before deflating your hot tub. But, it would help if you also drained it regularly to protect yourself, your family, and the people who will use the hot tub.
Even with a lid or cover on your inflatable hot tub, you’ll be exposing the water to various forms of dirt and bacteria. New substances enter the hot tub every time you do, and the chemicals you use, like chlorine, to protect your spa can only do so much. Eventually, adding more chemicals to your hot tub water won’t clean the liquid.
Fail to change the water regularly, and you could end up with solids building up around your filter housing or blocking your pump valve. You’ll also find it’s more difficult to balance your PH, which increases your chances of skin issues and infections. Most experts recommend draining your hot tub unit at least once every three to four months to keep it clean.
When you drain your hot tub, you’ll also allow the water to move through the pipes and ensure that all the components of your spa are clean. You can also use this opportunity to wash your hot tub thoroughly with a cloth or get it in good condition before you store it for winter.
How to Empty an Inflatable Hot Tub: Preparation
Depending on the kind of inflatable spa you have, you might have numerous options. For instance, if you check your owner’s manual, you might see that your unit comes with a location where you can attach a pump or garden hose to a drain valve. This is usually the easiest way to get rid of warm, hot, or cold water.
You may find it easier to empty your hot tub and change the water after you’ve let the water cool down a little. If you don’t get an adaptor to attach your hose to the drain valve, you may need to look for one online. You can also look into automated pump options for draining your purchase faster. After checking your manual and ordering a draining pump, filter, or valve attachment, you need to decide where to drain your spa.
Draining the water out of your inflatable hot tub means exposing your garden or deck to various chemicals. Remember, you use chlorine and other substances to keep your water clean. However, if that chlorine interacts with the plants in your garden, the chemicals may cause them to wilt.
Try to keep your draining spout away from your grass, plants, and anything you don’t want to damage with chemicals and stains. It’s also best to drain your hot tub away from any animals who might drink the water or become irritated by the chemicals on their skin.
Direct your hose away from your garden and grass, and be aware of any waterlogged areas that don’t drain naturally. Draining water onto wooden decking, for instance, could cause the wood to rot.
Steps for Emptying an Inflatable Hot Tub
Emptying your hot tub doesn’t have to be a complicated process. Follow the steps below to make sure you empty your tub properly.
Step 1: Read the User’s Manual
Read through the instructions to find the drain valve on your tub and anything else you might need to know about. Aside from how to install an inflatable hot tub, you will find instructions or recommendations in the user’s manual on how to clean it.
For instance, you should check where the filter housing is to replace the filter after you change the water.
Step 2: Attach the Garden Hose to the Drain Valve
Attach your garden hose to the drain valve and turn the power to your hot tub off completely. First, you need to ensure that the pumps and jets aren’t running and the filter isn’t working when you remove the water.
Leaving your unit running while you empty it can cause damage and trap air in the pipes. If your hot tub has two valves (a primary and an auxiliary), use the primary to drain most of the water. Attach the hose carefully, looking out for leaks.
Step 3: Allow the Water to Flow Through the Garden Hose
While doing this, make sure that the water is directed downhill towards an existing drainage system. Next, you’ll need to open the ball valve on your hot tub liner to let the water drain. If you can’t find this section, check your system instructions.
If you don’t want to use the drain valve to replace your hot tub water with clean, fresh liquid, you can try a submersible pump. This is a high-power way to drain the system and eliminate any water in a spa or pool.
A submersible pub can clean your entire spa out in ten minutes, depending on its size. However, you might struggle to get the hot tub completely dry. Cleaning up debris from the bottom of the tub where the pump can’t reach is important.
Step 4: Turn the Power Off
Turn the power to your spa off at the breaker and place the submersible pump in the deepest point of the hot tub. Next, turn the pump on and allow the water to drain through your attached hose. When the pipe runs dry, turn the pump off and remove it from the spa. You can use a wet and dry vacuum to remove the remaining water.
Useful Tips for Cleaning Your Hot Tub
Learning how to empty your hot tub will ensure it can last for as long as possible. However, you will also need to ensure that you purge your hot tub plumbing lines too. You can get special pipe flush and cleaning equipment for use before you drain your hot tub and replace the fresh water. It’s best to clean the pipes before you drain everything.
Remove any hot tub filters from the filter housing and turn jets on full, using the instructions provided with your pipe flushing liquid or substance. It may also be worth using your hose to rinse down the outside of the hot tub and clean anything that’s been exposed to the air, including the hot tub cover. Thoroughly cleaning your hot tub during water replacement sessions is often a good idea.
Once you’ve emptied your hot tub to the point where it’s practically dry, with the help of a wet-dry vacuum or an absorbent cloth, you can decide what you’re going to do next. The good thing about an inflatable and portable hot tub is storing the product when you don’t want to use it. Alternatively, if you still want to take advantage of the warm water, you can change the old liquid with fresh water.
Place your hose in the filter housing and turn it on to start filling your tub with a change of freshwater. Filling through the filter housing will ensure you get the pipework first and reduce the risk of airlocks.
How Often Should You Change the Water in Hot Tubs?
It’s easy to forget that you should be cleaning your hot tub water out frequently when you’re trying to take advantage of your investment every day. Most experts recommend emptying the water at least every 3 to 4 months to eliminate debris and smell and reduce the risk of unwanted stains. However, you may need to drain your spa earlier if you notice the following:
• Cloudy water: This is a design of debris in your water or excessive chemicals in your spa. Cloudy water needs to be replaced, as no amount of chlorine will get your water clean again.
• Durability issues: If your hot tubs seem like they’re starting to deflate, you’ll need to empty the water to see what’s causing the products to deflate and repair the problem.
• Foam: Sometimes, the water in a hot tub can fill with foam. You can get defoamer products for inflatable hot tubs to reduce this issue, but eventually, you will need to drain the tub.
• Smell: Unpleasant smells that appear when you remove the cover from your inflatable hot tubs are a sign that you’re getting onto the right time in your schedule for a change.
• Time: If it’s been a while before you’ve removed the stopper from your valve, attached the adaptor and drained the water from your hot tub, it might be time to change the water. Hot tubs work best with regular maintenance and care.
Keep It Clean
Be sure to take care of your investments and learn how to empty an inflatable hot tub, as it is a necessary process to go through. This will improve the tub’s longevity but also make for a healthier, more hygienic experience.
Remember, a cleaner inflatable hot tub lets you enjoy it more!
Rebekah is a writer who loves to explore new products and find hacks that make life easier. She has a knack for all things home improvement, health and fitness. So you’ll often find her on Pinterest or browsing Houzz for ideas.
She’s always looking for the next thing to fix up around the house or what gadget might be just right for her lifestyle. Rebekah enjoys exploring new recipes, taking care of her family, and making sure she stays healthy with regular workouts at the gym.
