Any hot tub owner knows that maintaining good water sanitation is important for healthy bathing. But even if you cycle through fresh hot tub chemicals every week, eventually, you’re going to need to empty your hot tub of water to give it a clean refill.

Fortunately, emptying a hot tub is a fairly easy task, however, there are a few core steps you should be following each time you drain it to ensure maximum hot tub functionality in the future.

So, with that in mind, here is everything you need to know about how to empty a hot tub correctly, including advice on how to drain a hot tub without a pump and how to refill a hot tub once you’ve given it a good clean.

Why should you empty your hot tub water?

To start with, let’s begin by looking at why you should be draining a hot tub’s water on a regular basis. And as we’ve already hinted at, the reasoning is quite simple – good hot tub hygiene.

At the end of the day maintaining your hot tub’s sanitation levels is vital for keeping bacteria and algae growth to a minimum, which can only be done by changing your water at regular intervals.

However, there are more reasons to drain a hot tub than the obvious health benefits. It’s also essential for preserving the longevity of your hot tub so that you can enjoy it for many years to come. And by emptying and refilling your spa, you’ll more easily be able to balance your hot tub’s pH levels, remove water odour, and reduce limescale.

How often should you empty your hot tub?

For optimal water levels and to reduce the tedium and expense that comes with carrying out this necessary part of the hot tub maintenance process, we recommend emptying your hot tub roughly every quarter, i.e., every 3 months.

By doing this, you’ll find that much easier to keep your hot tub healthy and running properly, lengthening its lifespan, and you’ll be soaking in healthy, clean water that’s better for your skin.

How to drain a hot tub the right way

First things first, when it comes to emptying a hot tub, it’s good practice to get into the habit of draining, cleaning, and refilling it correctly to improve the longevity of your spa. That’s why we’ve broken down our steps for emptying a hot tub into the following segments:

  • Gathering your hot tub draining materials.
  • Removing your hot tub filters.
  • Running a full flush of your hot tub.
  • Draining your hot tub.
  • Cleaning your hot tub.
  • Refilling your hot tub.

1. Check your draining equipment

Ready to start draining a hot tub? Good, then let’s start by making sure you have all the right equipment to ensure you can empty your tub as quickly and seamlessly as possible. We recommend getting hold of the following materials before you start:

  • A garden hose or a submersible pump.
  • A hot tub flushing product.
  • A cleaning cloth.
  • Surface cleaner.
  • A wet vacuum.
  • The chemicals necessary to balance a hot tub’s pH levels.

Once you have these to hand you’re ready to start draining your tub.

2. Remove your hot tub’s filters

In order to begin draining a hot tub correctly, you first need to remove all the filters from your tub as well as any stray accessories that may be floating around in the water. That way, you can ensure you flush your hot tub properly.

3. Flush your hot tub

Next, once your filters are removed, take your chosen hot tub flush and follow its instructions to begin the flushing process. Do not neglect this step of the hot tub draining process as flushing is essential for clearing away the natural bacterial and biofilm buildup that occurs with regular hot tub use over time.

And remember, if you want to get the most from flushing your hot tub, we recommend doing the following:

  • Double-check all your hot tub’s filters have been removed.
  • Turn your hot tub’s jets to full.
  • Pour the recommended amount of flushing chemicals into the filter housing.
  • Leave your hot tub to run with the jets turned on full for 15–30 minutes.

After these 30 minutes have passed, you’ll then be ready to begin the hot tub draining process.

4. Drain your hot tub

With your tub fully flushed, it’s finally time to get all that water out of its basin. However, before you drain your hot tub, make sure to turn it off and disconnect the power source by turning off the power from the circuit breaker.

From here, you can then drain your hot tub in one of two ways:

How to drain a hot tub with a pump

Despite what you might think, draining your hot tub is not as simple as pulling the plug and letting the water drain out. Instead, you’ll need to drain it slowly and consistently over time.

By far the best way to do this is with a submersible pump, one that can be placed directly in your hot tub’s water to pump it into an empty receptacle on the other end. This is particularly useful for indoor hot tubs, or any area where you can’t let water out in the surrounding area.

Using a submersible pump is also a really quick and efficient method for draining a hot tub, with some models able to complete the entire draining process in as little as 10 minutes!

So, if you’re lucky enough to own a submersible pump, then you should follow these steps when emptying your hot tub:

  1. Place your pump in the deepest part of your hot tub.
  2. Place your pump’s hose into a drain or desired receptacle.
  3. Turn it on and let it drain the spa, keeping an eye on any receptacles you’re using to ensure they do not overflow.
  4. Wait until your hot tub has completely drained before turning your pump off and removing it from the spa.
  5. Finally, complete the process by using a wet vacuum to remove any remaining residue in your tub’s pipes.

How to drain a hot tub with a hose

Although a submersible pump is the fastest way to drain a hot tub, it’s not the only method. And for a cheaper alternative that doesn’t require you to invest in additional draining equipment, you can in fact empty a hot tub using a hose. All you need to do is follow these simple steps:

  1. Twist the cap of the drain valve clockwise and pull it out at the same time, spinning it until it’s fully removed.
  2. Screw on your hose pipe and place its end in a drain or external receptacle.
  3. Allow your hot tub to drain completely.
  4. Complete the process by using a wet vacuum to remove any remaining residue in the pipes.

5. Clean your hot tub

With your hot tub empty, now is a prime opportunity to do a thorough deep clean of all its inside surfaces to remove any mildew, bacteria, sanitiser, and flush residue left behind after the drain.

Using a cleaning cloth and some surface cleaner, wipe and scrub away any residue or dirt you find before spraying the whole of your tub and giving it all a vigorous wipe. If you don’t mind getting your feet wet, you may actually want to clean your tub while the water is draining, using the hot tub water to help you clean.

You can then wrap up the cleaning process by wiping down the filter housing and replacing or cleaning your hot tub filters before reinserting them to make sure all parts of your hot tub are in tip-top condition.

6. Refill your hot tub

Finally, with all your cleaning done, all you need to do to refill your hot tub is to take your garden hose, refill the filter housing and pipes to their maximum level to prevent your hot tub jets from locking, and then fill the rest of your hot tub with water to your preferred level.

From here, all that’s left to do is balance your hot tub’s pH levels, adjust the water hardness and alkalinity levels, and sanitise the water with hot tub chemicals and its water will be safe and ready to bathe in.

Relax at home with a Platinum Spas hot tub

And with that last point out of the way, you should now have all the information you need for how to drain a hot tub correctly. As we stated earlier, this sort of hot tub maintenance only needs to be done every three months or so, but it’s important to do it right when the time rolls around as part of a proper hot tub care maintenance routine.

Of course, in order to drain a hot tub, you’ll have to own one first. And if relaxing in spa-levels of comfort and luxury from the warmth of your own home sounds appealing, then look no further than our Platinum Spas hot tub range.

From smaller 2-person hot tubs to full swim spas, we have a wide range of hot tub options for you to pick from. Browse our online selection today or head to one of our showrooms to view your preferred hot tub in person.

And, as always, we have plenty more advice and hot tub care guides over on our owners’ hub for any looking for more tips on how to look after their hot tub properly.

How to drain a hot tub FAQs:

Yes, you can, it’s highly unlikely that your hot tub water will damage your lawn. However, if you’re feeling nervous about it, we recommend testing a small amount of hot tub water on your lawn to see the impact before emptying it in its entirety. That way, you’ll be able to see the effect this sample has.

If there’s no effect, you can safely empty the rest of your hot tub water on your lawn.

Sarah Watkins
Latest posts by Sarah Watkins (see all)

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