Hot Tubs & Spas · Seasonal

Seasonal hot tub care

In most climates, leaving a hot tub running through winter is safer than shutting it down, because circulating water is what prevents freeze damage. Closing a tub for winter requires a complete, correct drain — water left in the plumbing is exactly what splits pipes. Follow your manufacturer's winterizing procedure, not a generic one.

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Winter is when hot tubs are best and most vulnerable. Running through the cold season costs more in heating, but it also keeps water moving through the plumbing, which is the real freeze protection. The risk is a prolonged power outage during a hard freeze — that is the scenario worth having a plan for before it happens.

If you do want to close the tub, understand that a partial drain is worse than no drain. Water sitting in pump housings, jet lines, and the heater is what cracks components. Manufacturers publish model-specific winterizing procedures for exactly this reason. If you are not confident, pay a technician once; it costs far less than a plumbing repair inside a spa shell.

Summer brings the opposite problem: warmer ambient temperatures mean sanitizer is consumed faster and biological growth is quicker, so water needs closer attention, not less. Heavier bather loads during summer also mean more frequent shocking. Your electricity cost usually drops in summer, which is a nice offset to the extra chemicals.

Long absences in any season are the case for lowering the set temperature rather than turning the tub off. Cooling a tub fully and reheating it wastes the savings, and shutting it down in winter reintroduces freeze risk. Arrange for someone to check the tub if you will be away for weeks.

How to choose

Keep the tub running through winter if you can: Circulating water is your freeze protection. Shutting down mid-winter without a full, correct drain is the riskier choice.
Have a power-outage plan before winter: Know who to call and what your manual says. Extended outages in hard freezes are how hot tub plumbing gets destroyed.
Use the manufacturer's winterizing procedure: Generic advice misses model-specific low points in the plumbing. Trapped water is what causes the damage a shutdown is meant to prevent.
Test water more often in summer, not less: Heat and heavier use consume sanitizer faster. Summer is when neglected water goes wrong quickest.
Lower the temperature for absences rather than switching off: Reheating from cold uses a burst of energy and cycling stresses components. A few degrees down is the better move.

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FAQ

Hot Tubs & Spas seasonal — common questions

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Should I turn my hot tub off in winter?

In most climates, no. Circulating water protects the plumbing from freezing. Closing down is only safe if you complete a full, correct drain of every line following your manufacturer's procedure.

What happens if the power goes out in a freeze?

Water stops circulating and the plumbing can freeze and split. If the outage will be long and temperatures are well below freezing, contact your dealer or a spa technician about properly draining the system.

Does a hot tub cost more to run in winter?

Yes — the heater works harder against colder air. This Old House puts modern above-ground operating cost at $20–$40 a month generally; expect the colder months to sit at the higher end or above.

Do I need to do anything different in summer?

Test water more frequently. Warm ambient temperatures and heavier use burn through sanitizer faster, so summer usually means more chemical attention even though heating costs less.

Sources

Where these figures come from

This Old House — Hot Tub Cost (operating cost) · retrieved 2026-07-26