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How To Repair Leak On Spa

Written By Monday, April 4, 2022 Add Comment Edit

Owning a hot tub is one of the luxuries of life. But eventually, every hot tub owner asks "what exercise I do if my hot tub is leaking?"

Here's are the steps I follow having owned and fixed leaks many times:

With a leaking hot tub, first, remove the paneling to locate the leak. The almost likely causes will exist a safety gasket at the heater connections, a cracked pipe, or a loose jet. If it's not possible to access the leak'south location, employ leak fix products for small leaks, or waterproof epoxy putty for larger leaks.

Simply there's a lot more that goes into fixing hot tub leaks than that!

That's why, today, nosotros'll be showing you everything you need to know about leaky hot tubs. We'll be going over the causes, fixes, and telltale signs.

We know that information technology's going to seem like a lot of data, then we'll be breaking everything downwards into easy to read sections for you.

Those sections will look like this:

  • What causes a hot tub to leak?
  • How practice I observe a leak in my hot tub?
  • Why is my hot tub leaking from the bottom?
  • How do I fix a leak in my hot tub?
  • Can a crack in a hot tub shell be fixed?
  • How to fix it when your hot tub only leaks when the jets are on
  • How to repair cracked hot tub pipes

Experience gratis to skip effectually at your leisure, but it's definitely best to pay attention to each and every section.

This is considering knowing everything yous tin can about leaks will be your commencement line of defence force against them.

With all of this being said, we know how tricky leaks tin exist, and so allow's jump correct into the facts.

What causes a hot tub to leak?

A broken or worn rubber gasket on either end of the heater connectedness is a common cause of hot tub leaks. But it tin also exist a loose connection on whatsoever of the jets or plumbing lines, many of which are encased in spray-on foam, making them hard to place.

It may seem simple, water in and water out. Just at that place are a lot more moving parts than yous may initially think.

And then, in this section, nosotros'll be showing you all of the possible reasons that a hot tub may start to leak. Allow'due south start by reviewing the main parts of a hot tub and what they practise.

Chances are your leak is caused by a failure in i of these:

So what causes leaks? It's most often a failure of a condom gasket or the PVC glue that holds ii pieces of pipage together.

The water going through the equipment is oftentimes upwards of 104° F. That's also a lot of heat existence applied to everything, ofttimes 24/7.

So normal wear and tear is the culprit. Luckily, nigh of it is easily fixed, which we get into below.

Of course, age is always a factor as hot tubs don't last forever.

So if you're wondering whether or not it'southward simply time to replace your hot tub or set it, make sure to cheque out a recent article I published. In it, I cover the lifespan of hot tubs, including all the different types.

Just click that link to see it at present on my site.

How do I find a leak in my hot tub?

To find a leak in a hot tub, remove the side panels, and annotation where the h2o is pooling on the ground. That will be directly under the leak. If you lot come across wet foam and the source is unclear, the leak is probably inside the spray-on foam, making it very problematic to repair other than using liquid fix-a-leak products.

But, in this section, nosotros'll be breaking all of those steps down for you.

So earlier we begin to swoop into some popular searching methods, nosotros'll layout the areas you need to cheque:

A leak tin can come from any of these areas. Luckily, if this seems overwhelming, we have some great methods for yous to follow for each area.

Why is my hot tub leaking from the bottom?

Ultimately gravity will cause nearly hot tub leaks to pool on the ground at the bottom. The source of the leak can yet be from the jets, a cracked PVC pipage, or a worn prophylactic gasket in the heater unions. But the leak could also be a cleft in the crush or a loose light fixture.

Unfortunately, a hot tub can leak from numerous places.

Because of that, at that place isn't i answer to this question. But ultimately, no matter where the leak, somewhen y'all're going to run into it on the ground around the base of operations of your hot tub.

Here are some of the most common reasons:

  • The light – If your hot tub has a low-cal at the bottom, that low-cal housing can become a bit loose. If that happens, it can cause a leak on the lesser
  • The Jets – If any of the jets are leaking, or the connections between the pipe and shell are leaking, this will cause h2o to leak out of the bottom
  • The shell – a crack in the trounce can be the culprit. Cracks around the height are easy to spot. Still, if you accept a crack beneath the water, you may not know it'due south in that location without draining the h2o. Looking behind the paneling may non reveal that either due to insulation and spray-on foam
  • Gaskets in the plumping – These are rubber and clothing out over time. Replacing them is the simply choice when they fail

We get into fixes for each of these issues below. But troubleshooting to figure out which area is the crusade is crucial.

How do I set up a leak in my hot tub?

To fix a hot tub leak, get-go, identify the source. For leaks smaller than 1/8 of an inch, use a liquid set up-a-leak product. Worn rubber gaskets or cracked PVC pipes will need to be replaced. Small cracks in the acrylic shell can be patched, and waterproof epoxy can also be used in inconspicuous places.

Now that you've diagnosed the problem, and know where to look, you'll need to gear up the leak.

Since I accept problem shooted many leaks over the years of owning hot tubs, I've had to deal with nigh of these. And existence on a budget means I do nigh of the work myself.

Here, I suspension downwards each area prone to leaks and how to deal with each ane:

A pump leak

The pump is what pushes the water coming from the hot tub into the heater tube.

So the heated water exits the heater and goes dorsum into the tub. It'southward constantly circulating and occasionally heating, depending on the settings you have on your system.

The nigh probable places for a pump leak are going to exist the connections on each end of it. It could exist a worn gasket or a cracked pipe.

I cover both of those types of repairs below.

If you lot take to replace the pump

If the pump itself is leaking from the main trunk and non one of the connectors, it'south probably time to replace the pump itself.

I've done this myself and I outline the steps below:

  • Buy a replacement pump that is roughly the same power as what you have (it does not demand to be the same make). Practise make certain information technology is the aforementioned diameter connectors on each side of it (2″ PVC is about common). Likewise, brand sure that the in and out connections are in the aforementioned position as the pump y'all accept now.
  • Turn the main breaker off since yous'll be dealing with electricity
  • Either drain the water or, if your hot tub has gates (shut off valves), just close them as long as they are on either side of the pump.
  • Disconnect the power cable to the erstwhile pump from the control box. Some brands only plug into the side of the command box making this like shooting fish in a barrel. Others may require y'all to open up the control box console and unscrew the wires from inside (once again, make sure the main power breaker is off).
  • Loosen the connectors – With round vice grips, gently turn the connecting basics on each end of the pump to the left if you are facing them
  • Inspect the gaskets and supplant them if needed. If the new pump came with gaskets just use those.
  • Remove the old pump
  • Place the new pump in and follow the above steps in reverse to connect it

A good replacement pump is this v hp pump from Waterway on Amazon (click to see the current price on Amazon).

A cracked crush

If your shell becomes has small cracks, don't panic. Tiny trivial stress fractures are non uncommon. These can exist caused over time particularly if your hot tub isn't on a concrete pad that's perfectly level.

Afterward all, filled with water and people, that thing weighs thousands of pounds. And so a trivial shift here and at that place puts a lot of force per unit area on the acrylic beat out.

The all-time way to fix a small crack in the acrylic vanquish is to do the following:

  • Get a Plast-help Acrylic Spa Repair kit (click to run into on Amazon)
  • Drill a small hole on each cease of the crack using a drill bit only slightly larger than the crack itself. That will stop the crack from spreading and getting bigger
  • Mix the dry and liquid spa repair gum in a cup; how much depends on how big the crack is
  • Add a small amount of acrylic paint to the glue to match the color of your beat (optional)
  • Spread a small amount into the crack and ii holes
  • Allow 15 minutes to cure, fuse, and harden
  • Can be gently sanded and/or buffed polish

CLICK Hither TO Run into THE ACRYLIC REPAIR KIT ON AMAZON

The heating arrangement

A heating chemical element will fail over time. Only that mostly causes it to not heat or to not heat to the proper temperature.

The heating arrangement is most likely to develop leaks at the gasket and split nut assembly on either side of the heater tube.

That fix can be washed yourself for about $20 bucks and I get into that in the section but below us.

Gaskets

Rubber gaskets neglect over time.

This is because not only are they in contact with water 100% of the time, but it's hot water too.

In my experience, the gaskets virtually prone to failure are the ones on either side of your heater tube. Luckily these are adequately easy to supercede (I actually just did this yesterday on mine).

If you accept 1 that failed (similar I did), it'south a good thought to go alee and replace both equally chances are they are the aforementioned age and the other i is shut to failure besides.

Hither's how I replaced the gaskets and split nuts on my hot tub:

  • Either drain the water or, if your hot tub has gates (close off valves), merely close them on each side of the control box that houses the heater tube
  • Loosen the split nut by mitt by turning left (if y'all were looking at it straight ahead). The split nut is typically a circular black piece of plastic that screws onto the end of a pipe. However, it's 2 halves instead of but one piece. You tighten the 2 halves together with screws
  • Once the split nut is rotated to where you can become to both screws, use a screwdriver (typically Phillips) to loosen the screws and set them aside
  • Remove the dissever nut (may need to exist turned further)
  • The gasket will be inside the dissever nut. Remove it and check for clothing or if it's broken
  • While y'all can just supplant the gasket, I replaced the split nut as well feeling like it had probably been worn a piddling too. You may be able to detect this at a pool/hot tub supply shop, but non probable at places like Home Depot. I likewise couldn't find my exact one on Amazon. So I bought mine from SpaDepot.
  • Identify the new gasket in (information technology has a ridge that presses into the tube that connects to the heater
  • Slip-on one one-half of the split nut, and and so the other half
  • Tighten the screws that connect the split nut halves
  • Hand-tighten the split nut onto the piping by turning to the right.
  • Repeat the process for the other side of the heater tube

Information technology's a good thought to fill the tub back up before replacing the paneling in case you need to further tighten the split nuts. I found I had to tighten just a piffling chip more and I used a big round vice grip to do it (gently since the divide nut is plastic).

Can a scissure in a hot tub beat out be fixed?

Yes. Pocket-size cracks in a hot tub vanquish can be fixed. To set up, drill a pocket-sized hole at each stop of the crack to cease it from spreading. Then apply an acrylic patch. This can exist mixed with acrylic paint to match the shell color. One time dry, it tin be sanded and buffed smooth.

Equally we've mentioned in the previous section, a hot tub beat out tin can definitely exist fixed. The best way to fix a pocket-sized fissure in the acrylic vanquish is to do the following:

  • Get a Plast-assistance Acrylic Spa Repair kit (click to see on Amazon)
  • Drill a small-scale hole on each stop of the fissure using a drill bit just slightly larger than the crack itself. That volition stop the crack from spreading and getting bigger
  • Mix the dry and liquid spa repair glue in a cup; how much depends on how big the crack is
  • Add together a small amount of acrylic pigment to the glue to match the color of your shell (optional)
  • Spread a small amount into the crack and 2 holes
  • Allow fifteen minutes to cure, fuse, and harden
  • Tin be gently sanded and/or buffed smoothen

CLICK HERE TO Run across THE ACRYLIC REPAIR KIT ON AMAZON

What if the shell is too far gone?

For larger cracks or a chunk missing, you tin can apply the above procedure in larger amounts.

Just know that glue, nonetheless strong, isn't designed to hold water under pressure, and so really big gaps may crave professional help.


How to gear up it when your hot tub just leaks when the jets are on

In most cases, if your hot tub leaks when the jets are on, at that place's either a small crevice or a worn rubber gasket.

While, of form, it's always ideal to supercede a worn gasket or croaky piping, the jets are often encased in spray-on foam. That makes them really difficult to get to.

So earlier I go digging out the foam and crawling into the enclosed hot tub surface area, hither's what I like to try offset.

I use Marlig Fix-a-Leak (click to see on Amazon)

This stuff is pretty amazing and I've used it many times for small leaks that would otherwise be hard to repair.

It works great. It's too an Amazon'southward Choice production with some great reviews.

This is a liquid that you lot simply pour into the suction area. Yous don't have to drain the water earlier OR subsequently using information technology. Just requite information technology 24-48 hours to see if it fixed the leak.

Here are the steps to using it:

  • Remove the filters and fix aside
  • Milkshake the bottle really well
  • Pour near ane/4 of the canteen (if you got the 32 oz bottle) into the area where the filters were (it volition go sucked into the pipes here
  • Turn on all jets to get information technology moving through the hot tub plumbing for half-dozen hours
  • Plow the system off (at the breaker would be the easiest way)
  • Just walk away and allow it to piece of work for 24-48 hours
  • Check back after 24-48 hours to see if there is still any evidence of leakage
  • If no leak, supersede the filters, check and adjust water chemicals if needed
  • Wait some other 48 hours before using
  • If the leak has slowed just non been fixed, repeat the process

Fix-a-Leak is heavier than h2o, so information technology naturally sinks to the everyman place.

Almost ofttimes this is wherever the leak is since that's where the water pressure is moving towards. It can fill cracks up 1/viii″ in diameter, so information technology'southward perfect for tiny cracks that would exist challenging to replace.

CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT Fix-A-LEAK ON AMAZON

How to repair cracked hot tub pipes

A cracked pipe in a hot tub should be replaced. If you have gate valves, close them off & loosen the fittings on either side of the scissure. Supercede with a new slice. Glued pieces will need to be cut out with a saw. Waterproof epoxy can work for small cracks simply information technology may not terminal as long as replacing it.

When it comes to the plumbing of a hot tub, at that place are a lot of pipes involved. While most pipes are extremely durable if ane of them cracks y'all'll want to know about how to fix information technology.

With a cracked pipe, the ideal solution is patently to supplant it. Unfortunately, that isn't always possible due to where information technology's located and the age of the hot tub (information technology could be harder to find the parts).

Later all, while information technology seems odd to me, PVC pipes (which is what make up a lot of the hot tub piping) aren't universal.

Recollect of them like jail cell phone chargers in 2002; each one tin be a little different. Fifty-fifty if you find a ii″ piece, if it's threaded, the thread may non be the same equally your thread.

Luckily, there are steps you tin can take to fix a cracked piping if y'all can't supervene upon it.

To replace a cracked pipe

If information technology's a simple part that's easily accessible and easy to replace, only:

  • Bleed the hot tub
  • Remove the cracked pipe (it could but be screwed on which makes removal like shooting fish in a barrel). If it'south glued, y'all'll take to utilise a hacksaw to cut it out
  • Replace with a new PVC pipe the aforementioned size
  • If information technology's a glued in piece, gum in and allow to fully set earlier filling with water (typically 2 hours)

Apply epoxy putty

Another style to repair pipes, and if these pipes are PVC this works all the better, is to utilise an epoxy putty like JB H2o Weld (click to see on Amazon).

This stuff is great as it can literally be applied in wet conditions or even underwater!

Information technology's not, withal, going to work if the water is actively squirting out of the leak spot at loftier pressure level. A few drops, no problem.

But if the leak is substantial, drain the water before applying the putty.

Here's how to employ it:

  • Break off a small piece (nearly 1″) and mix thoroughly with your hands (I like to wear latex gloves). Epoxy works by combining the 2 materials
  • Press it over the leak and spread out so information technology conforms to the expanse (if this is behind your panels, how it looks obviously doesn't thing)
  • It will ready within 25 minutes and harden within one hour

If the JB Weld is applied in a conspicuous area, merely know it can be sanded and painted. Just it helps if you utilize it smoothly and neatly in the first place.

Here is a moving picture of JB Water Weld I used to fix 2 spots that were leaking.

The JB Weld is the white putty stuff you meet spread out on both ends of that pocket-size section. Since this is behind the paneling, how pretty it looked didn't affair.

Simply it works!

CLICK HERE TO Run across JB H2o WELD ON AMAZON

Using a flexible coupling clench

Sometimes there is but a small leak where 2 pipes meet but information technology's not easy to get those pipes out and replace them.

What I did one time when I had this happen was to utilise what's chosen a flexible coupling clamp (click to see on Amazon).

It's a prophylactic sleeve (two″ is typical for a lot of hot tubs, just I did one time have an older one that was 1.v″).

Information technology slides over each cease where the 2 pipes come across and then you have a stainless steel clamp that sits at each end that y'all tighten down with a screwdriver. It worked dandy for me and was MUCH easier than if I had replaced both pipes.

Hither are the steps:

  • Ideally, drain the hot tub (otherwise it could be spraying you while you're doing this)
  • Disconnect the 2 pipes where they meet
  • Slide the rubber (with the loosened clamps) over ane end
  • Printing the 2 pipes touching each other
  • Slide the rubber dorsum towards the other pipe so the center of the rubber sleeve is almost where the 2 pieces meet
  • Tighten (by hand) the ii screws that command the clamps. Since yous'll be dealing with water under pressure y'all exercise desire information technology to exist tight. But manifestly not so tight that yous risk slap-up the pipe
  • It probably makes sense to make full the hot tub back up and run into if whatever farther tightening is needed before replacing the panel

CLICK HERE TO Check THIS OUT ON AMAZON (multiple sizes available too)

Did I encompass all you wanted to know about fixing hot tub leaks?

Hot tubs are excellent luxury units, and the memories yous'll make in them will be ones that last forever.

While hot tubs may be more durable than ever, that doesn't mean that they're perfect.

Sometimes, no thing what you do, you'll end up with a leak. And then in this article, we reviewed all the well-nigh common types of leaks. Nosotros explored what causes them. But more than importantly, a diverseness of means to ready them.

Ultimately, nosotros answered the question of what practise I do if my hot tub is leaking?

We hope that this was helpful. Now that you lot know all of the options, you'll definitely be prepared to handle any leaks your hot tub may throw at you.

Confused nigh hot tub chemicals?

Hot tub chemicals can be disruptive. How much to add, which ones to buy, and are all of them really needed?

I accept the confusion out of it in a recent article.

I not but go into which chemicals you need just besides the ones yous don't need that are a waste of money. So I also explore the chemicals that are all-time for sensitive skin and how to avoid hot tub rash.

And then just click the link to read that now on my site.

Source: https://hottubownerhq.com/what-do-i-do-if-my-hot-tub-is-leaking/

Posted by: colemancultalty.blogspot.com

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