Have a hot tub that is going to remain outside during the winter without being used? If so, you'll want to know how to winterize the hot tub so that it is protected. Here are some tips for performing this task on your own.

Shut Down The Power

Start by shutting off all power going to your hot tub, since you do not want to accidentally turn the hot tub on in the middle of trying to winterize it. Do what you have to do, which may include unplugging the hot tub or shutting it off at the circuit breaker.

Drain The Hot Tub

The next thing that you'll want to do is drain the hot tub of all the water. Make sure you do a thorough job so that you do not have any water left along the bottom surface before that first freeze. It may help to use a wet vacuum or towels to dry up the bottom surface of the hot tub, but to do so only after the jets have been cleared of water.

Clear Out The Jets

Getting the water out of the jets of your hot tub is going to be a bit of a challenge if you don't have the right tools. All you need is a wet vacuum that you can put into reverse to blow air out through the vacuum hose. Put the vacuum hose against each water jet in your hot tub to force out any water that could be within the pipe. If you notice water coming out of other water jets when you force air through, that's perfectly okay. Keep repeating the process until all of the water has been removed from the jets.

Secure The Hot Tub Cover

With all of the previous steps completed, make sure that you secure the cover to the hot tub so that the cover will not blow away. This involves using straps to secure it in place rather than resting it across the opening. This will prevent snow, water, and other debris from getting into the tub when you are not using it. Consider placing a tarp over the entire hot tub and securing the tarp tightly to the outside walls. 

Now that you know these tips for winterizing your hot tub, it should be ready to go when the sub-zero temperatures of winter are over with and the weather is nice again.