Pressure Leak in a Hot Tub

Pressure Leak

• Pressure leaks occur in wooden hot tubs. Most popular in the 1970s, they are making a comeback as a more natural alternative to fiberglass tubs. Constructed from dense hardwoods such as redwood, the sides of a wooden hot tub are constructed from vertical boards called staves. Each stave is notched at the bottom with a deep groove called a croze. The floorboards fit into the croze of each stave, locking the frame of the hot tub together. When pressure leaks occur, they happen in one croze or several in row.

Causes

• Two main problems cause pressure leaks in hot tubs: too much pressure from a deck surrounding the hot tub or a retaining band that is too tight. If a deck shoves inward on the top portion of a stave, the bottom of the board moves outward to compensate. This pulls the floorboard out of the croze, creating a pressure leak. The same kind of leak occurs if the supports beneath the hot tub floor have shifted out of place and the staves must support the weight of the tub. They can’t do it, and will start shifting from the pressure, resulting in leaks. A retaining band around the hot tub can also cause shifting if it is too tight. The problem is usually the band situated just above the croze.

Solutions

• To stop a pressure leak caused by a deck, first look to see where the deck is shoving into the hot tub staves. Push the deck back into place, then look at the base of the affected stave. Tap it back into place using a rubber mallet. This brings the floorboard back into place inside the croze and stops water leakage. If the supports under the hot tub are out of place, drain the hot tub and lift it using a jack. Shove the supports back into place. If the issue is a retaining band, loosen it. Move it so it wraps around the croze and floorboards, then tighten it again.

Considerations

• If you must shift the supports under the hot tub back into their proper places, don’t do it alone. The tub without water inside weighs a couple hundred pounds and can cause serious injury if it falls on you. Work with long poles to shove the supports to their proper area and don’t rush the job. Other people can help steady the tub so it doesn’t fall off the jack and can aid in using boards to direct the supports into place.