What Do I Do If My Hot Tub Line Froze?

Protect

• Before proceeding to the defrost phase, make sure you have done what you can to protect the hot tub from wind gusts. If the cover is on, leave it there. If you haven't already done so, wrap the tub in tarps to cut down on icy gusts penetrating the interior and prolonging the frozen pipe condition. At this point, don't worry about turning the appliance on. If the pipes truly are frozen, it won't do any good and might end up burning out the motor.

Defrost

• Hopefully, your hot tub has some sort of insulation built into the body and around the pipes that will keep it from freezing for several days -- long enough to take precautionary measures. If not, the next step to unthaw pipes is to aim a small space heater at the equipment that feeds water into the hot tub system. Some spas have this located in a separate room some distance from the actual tub, while others have the pump built right into the hot tub.

Power

• Most modern hot tubs have great natural insulation protection and, as long as electrical power is flowing, are at little risk of freezing. However, when an unexpected blizzard knocks out the power, things can go haywire in a hurry. If your power goes out, and you suspect the pipes might be frozen, flip the breaker switch that controls the hot tub electrical supply, turning it off. Many are built to power themselves back up automatically when power is restored, which, if the pipes are indeed frozen, is not a good idea.

Considerations

• The primary thing to keep in mind is to not do anything that forces water through the pipes while they are frozen. Your best bet is to do what you can to prevent further freezing, whether that means wrapping the pipes in insulation or employing a space heater. You can't force Mother Nature to move faster than she wants, and there's a chance you might have to wait for the weather to warm enough to turn your icy pipes back up to water flow and open your hot tub for business once more.