If you’ve ever owned a hot tub in the past, then you know just how frustrating it can be to settle in for a relaxing soak, only to find that either one or more of your tub’s jets aren’t working properly – after all, without the soothing addition of the jets, a hot tub is basically just a bigger-than-average bath.

Naturally, this sort of occurrence can be even more concerning if you’ve only bought your hot tub recently, but the good news is that you don’t need to worry about it too much and chances are it will be relatively simple to solve.

In fact, hot tub jets not working are a fairly common problem to experience with a hot tub (most hot tub owners will likely have to deal with such an issue at least once) but unless something seriously important has broken in your tub’s system, then you’ll likely be able to fix it yourself.

Take a look below at our top troubleshooting tips to try if your hot tub jets are not working to see if any of them solve your problem before you decide to call in a dedicated repair technician.

How do I know if the jets are not working on my hot tub?

Generally speaking, it will be clear to you if your jets are not working on your hot tub. For example, if they’re sputtering or less powerful than they should be on their current setting, the jets in question may be experiencing a blockage.

Alternatively, if your jets are running when they shouldn’t be, i.e., when you’ve explicitly turned them off, then that’s almost certainly an indication that the controls of your tub are malfunctioning.

Either way, if you suspect that any of your jets may be broken or faulty to some degree, it’s best to run a few checks to fix the problem yourself before spending money on repairs.

What can you do to find out why your hot tub jets are not working?

Ready to start troubleshooting your hot tub jets for problems?

Below are our top tips to try to find out why the jets are not working on your hot tub, though please only try these if you feel comfortable doing so. If you don’t, then reach out to a qualified professional to troubleshoot the issue for you:

1. Check your hot tub controls work

First things first, before you start turning off the power and removing parts of the internal systems, your immediate first step should be to check whether or not the controls on your hot tub are working correctly.

Although fully water-sealed, it is possible for such seals to break over time, and if water gets in, it could damage the controls. Alongside this, it is possible for an internal leak to have damaged your tub’s circuits, which in turn could be responsible for your hot tub breaker tripping and turning your jets off.

So, with your hot tub on, open all your jet valves to maximum and test all the buttons on your tub to see if they work. If you push the jet button and none of them activate, it’s probably a safe bet that your control panel needs repairing or replacing. However, if some turn on and others don’t, then it’s likely another issue.

2. Check your tub’s water level

Next up, if your jet controls operate fine but some jets are not functioning as intended, then it may actually be because your hot tub’s water level is too low for correct jet operation.

In the majority of cases, your hot tub should instruct you on the minimum height to which you should fill your tub in order for it to function correctly, and many tubs also have markers in them to denote the minimum water level.

Therefore, you should check to make sure that your tub is filled to its recommended level, and then a little more, before testing your jets once again to see if they all function as intended.

3. Check if your jet connections are loose or blocked

If you’ve checked your jet’s control panel and water level and this has not resolved your problem, then your next step should be to examine the jets themselves to see if there are any physical problems with their nozzles and connections – though be sure to turn the power off before doing this avoid any accidents.

Starting with the jet nozzles directly, check to see if there is any dirt and debris lodged inside the tip. Although uncommon, it’s not unheard of, and depending on how blocked the nozzle is, you may need to remove it and clean it before reattaching it.

Then, once you’ve checked and cleaned all your jet nozzles, you should reattach them and tighten them as securely as possible (though you should avoid overtightening them to prevent unintentional damage) using the special wrench provided with your hot tub.

If no wrench was provided or you don’t feel comfortable doing this part, or your jets are secured to your hot tub in a different manner, then you’ll likely need to hire someone to re-tighten them or remove and clean them instead.

4. Check your hot tub filter is clean

While dirt and clogging the nozzles of your jets might be the most immediate problem causing faults in your jet’s functionality, this sort of debris doesn’t come from nowhere, and it might be a sign that you need to clean your hot tub filter.

The main reason for this is because a blocked or filthy filter can prevent water from moving properly through your system, creating low water pressure and moving the aforementioned dirt into your jets’ nozzles.

Therefore, alongside checking and cleaning your jets, you should remove your tub’s filter as laid out in its manual and give it a quick rinse with a hose, making sure to clean between all the pleats and creases, and then give your tub’s jets another test.

5. Check your jets for limescale build-up

Moving on to tip five, we have one of the more common reasons for jet malfunctions – the build-up of limescale in your hot tub’s water system. Much like in your washing machine or kettle, limescale builds up over time, but it’ll deposit quicker if you have hard water, which is why it’s so important to balance your hot tub chemicals correctly.

Typically, if limescale buildup is the problem behind your jet’s not working correctly, you’ll only start to notice when it becomes harder to adjust the nozzles or if you spot white chalk around the tips of the nozzles themselves (you may have noticed this when checking your nozzles for blockages), but it can take time to have a real impact.

Unfortunately, clearing away limescale is not as simple as removing and cleaning your jets, and it’s more than likely that this nuisance is spread throughout your tub’s entire system. However, it can be remedied using a dedicated hot tub descaler. Simply pick one up online and follow the instructions provided to flush your tub’s system.

6. Check for an ‘air lock’ in your jets

If, after all that cleaning and nozzle checking, your tub’s jets are still non-functional, then it may be time to consider whether or not your hot tub’s jets are experiencing what’s known as an ‘air lock’.

An air lock is where a pocket of air gets into your jet’s tube and blocks the pipe, preventing water from moving past and thus making the jet inoperable. It’s actually more common than you might think but tends to only be an issue after draining and refilling your tub, as it can be hard to get all the water from your pipes and air may get trapped as a result.

Fortunately, air locks can be removed by essentially flushing your system. First, turn on your tub at the lowest temperature possible and make sure all of its jets are fully open. Then activate your jets three times at progressively longer intervals (i.e., 30 seconds, 45 seconds, and then 1 minute).

During this process, keep an eye out for any air escaping from your jets. If you spot any, leave the system running continuously until this escaping air stops to ensure the lock has been fully purged.

7. Check your pump is working correctly

Finally, having run through all of the options above, it may be time to consider whether or not the fault lies within your hot tub’s main systems, rather than the nozzles themselves, and that means checking to see if your pump is working as intended.

Following your hot tub’s instructions, carefully remove the side panel that gives you access to the pump and check it for damage – it may be that an unknown leak has caused your pump’s electrics and connectors to corrode. At the same time, you should check to make sure your pump’s values are all in the open position.

Alternatively, if your pump looks physically fine and its valves are open, your next test should be to run your tub as normal with the side panel off. If your pump activates but pulsates and pauses during function, then it’s likely being clogged or blocked by something.

Lastly, if you turn your system on and your pump doesn’t activate, then it almost certainly means something inside it has broken, which will mean either getting your current pump fixed or replaced – something that is best left to a qualified technician.

Invest in a quality hot tub with Platinum Spas

With all those points covered, you should now have a better idea of how to troubleshoot your hot tub’s jets not working the next time any of them lose pressure or cease to function.

As we said right at the start, this sort of problem is likely to occur at least once during your hot tub’s lifetime, and in many cases, you can probably resolve it yourself. However, if your hot tub’s jets do break and you can’t find the problem, then your next port of call should be to contact a professional hot tub repair technician for a full check-up.

Of course, one way to minimise the chance of such a problem happening is to invest in a quality hot tub that’s made to last for years of use – such as those we offer here at Platinum Spas.

Get in touch today to find out more about our range from our team of experts, and don’t forget to visit our hot tub owner hub for more detailed guides like this one.

Jamie Smith
Latest posts by Jamie Smith (see all)

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