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Do I Need to Winterize My Hot Tub?

Do I Need to Winterize My Hot Tub?

  |   Maintenance & Water Care, Ownership   |   12 Comments

3 Reasons Your Bullfrog Spa Doesn’t Need To Be Winterized

 

Winter is approaching once again, which leads us to answer some questions we often get at this time of year. One of the most common questions people ask is: “How do I winterize a hot tub?” Many spa owners are surprised by the answer: Your Bullfrog Spa doesn’t need to be winterized at all.

 

Learn how to maintain your hot tub by downloading our free hot tub maintenance guide.

 

Yes, you can and probably should winterize your hot tub if you plan to leave it for extended periods with absolutely no use, like at a vacation home or cabin you don’t visit all winter, but you really don’t need to winterize your spa in most situations. Here are 3 key reasons you don’t need to winterize your hot tub.

 

You Can Use Your Hot Tub in Any Season and Weather

Well-made hot tubs like Bullfrog Spas can be used in any weather, even in the coldest of winters. If you know you will be using your hot tub once a week up to once every few weeks, no matter the weather conditions, there is no need to winterize it. Every time you use your spa it will be heated to a comfortable temperature. Your Bullfrog Spa can maintain its temperature between uses with very little energy output. If you plan to go for longer periods between uses you may want to simply turn the heat down to save even more energy.

 

Materials Made for the Elements

Most high-end hot tubs, including Bullfrog Spas, are designed to function well, stay warm and hold up through the coldest of weather. The tough acrylic shell, durability of the parts, wood-free support structure and cabinet, top quality electronics, and the full foam insulation all mean that your Bullfrog Spa can easily perfom well and last for years in essentially any climate.

 

Energy-Efficient Operation

 

The JetPak Therapy System, which is only available in a Bullfrog Spa, means that your spa has around 90% less plumbing and that most of the spa plumbing is actually submersed in the spa water. Very little plumbing and water are exposed to the outside environment where it could lose heat. All other spas rely entirely on their foam insulation to protect their spa plumbing from losing heat.

 

Bullfrog has full foam insulation AND the JetPak Therapy System to increase energy efficiency. Run a Bullfrog Spa for a few months and you’ll see how much energy you are using as well as saving. It may actually cost you more to winterize your spa than it would run your spa all the winter. That’s energy efficiency!

 

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Jake Ricks

AUTHOR - Jake Ricks

Jake Ricks is the Marketing Director for Bullfrog Spas. In addition to his efforts in marketing leadership roles, Jake has been published in a variety of publications with topics that include the pool and spa industry, outdoors, digital marketing, and content marketing. Jake's passion is fly fishing, bird dogs, and living life outside. When possible he guides on local waters, competes in fly fishing events, designs new fly patterns and is a regular contributor to outdoor blogs and periodicals.

12 Comments
  • Terri | Nov 19, 2016 at 7:16 am

    Our Bull Frog spa is only 6 months old and this is our first winter owning a spa. We plan on using it throughout the winter months and not closing it down. The temp here in Missouri just fell into the 20’s and our spa is constantly running. Do you recommend adding an extra cover such as a protect a spa cover to make it more energy efficienct?

    • Bullfrog Spas | Nov 21, 2016 at 9:54 am

      Bullfrog Spas are designed to operate in nearly any climate. They are routinely used in the winter months. Since heat loss leads to more energy used you can improve efficiency with an additional cover, but it’s not necessary. The location of your spa (out of the wind, partially or completely buried, or sheltered against a house) also can improve efficiency in extremely cold months.

  • Shaun | Dec 3, 2016 at 8:56 pm

    We currently own the R7L. We will be moving in February and need to drain the hot tub to move it. The temperature is between 25-40* right now and I am unsure how cold it will be when it comes time to move. Can we safely drain it in cold temps?

    • Bullfrog Spas | Dec 5, 2016 at 12:32 pm

      Here’s what our service team recommends:

      Yes, you can drain the spa. However, you will want to remove all the water from the lines. To do this you will want to use a shop vac that can suck as much water out of the lines as possible, and then also blow as much water out as possible. You may want to take it an extra step and once the water is removed you can put recreational vehicle antifreeze down the filter pipe to help with any water that didn’t get removed and protect the spa against water that may come into the spa from weather etc.

      My personal recommendation is that if you do not hire a professional to winterize the spa then keep it running right up until you move it and follow the directions above when you drain it to limit the amount of time it’s exposed to freezing temps.

  • Jack ackerson | Dec 14, 2016 at 5:20 am

    What is the coldest ambient temp the bullfrog spas are rated or tested to before supplemental heating needs to be added to the plumbing area to prevent any freezing if static temperatures are in the below 32 degrees or colder for long periods of time.

    Our bullfrog has a cover, also is out of wind and snow however above ground not buried on our deck.

    • Bullfrog Spas | Dec 14, 2016 at 11:48 am

      From our service team: We have not ever tested our spas in cold enough temperatures to cause them to freeze. We have operating spas in essentially every state in the US and province in Canada and we have not seen one freeze up as long as the power is on and it’s operating normally. In extreme cold you may want to use Ready Mode to be sure the spa continues to heat but there should be no problem. Keep in mind that air temperature in the equipment area does not equate to water temperatures below freezing. The spa would have to be shut down for days in extreme cold for the water temperature to cool enough to freeze.

  • Ann Cloutier | Sep 12, 2017 at 1:43 pm

    I am having surgery and won’t be able to access my hot tub for several months. I was thinking of closing it this winter but am not sure how to do it. My bull frog has always run through the winters. Can you give me some tips?

    • Bullfrog Spas Team | Sep 13, 2017 at 3:03 pm

      Ann,
      Great question. Winterization tips can be found on our maintenance page: https://www.bullfrogspas.com/maintenance/. Generally, we recommend winterizing if there will be no use over a period of six weeks. Check out the link for specifics on what to do.

      Sincerely,
      The Bullfrog Spas Team

  • DONALD M DAWSON | Apr 14, 2018 at 11:33 am

    Typo: Well-made hot tubs like Bullfrog Spas can be used in any weather, event the coldest of winters

  • Rickey Sims | Oct 19, 2018 at 5:15 pm

    I have a 2016 x6l bullfrog sales rep recommended not winterizing for winter, I probably wiil not use it during winter mounts
    what mode should I set to ec, st, or sleep mode ?

    • Bullfrog Spas | Oct 23, 2018 at 8:35 am

      Thanks for the question. You can see more here under the Maintenance category there’s an answer to “How to winterize my spa…”: https://www.bullfrogspas.com/frequently-asked-questions/

      In most situations you don’t need to winterize it. If you’d prefer to just turn the heat down to a maintenance level you can do so and the spa should be fine through the winter.

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