{"id":11070,"date":"2022-04-02T16:59:38","date_gmt":"2022-04-02T15:59:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businessfinancenews.com\/?p=11070"},"modified":"2022-04-02T17:08:52","modified_gmt":"2022-04-02T16:08:52","slug":"why-is-my-hot-tub-leaking-from-the-bottom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businessfinancenews.com\/hot-tub\/why-is-my-hot-tub-leaking-from-the-bottom\/","title":{"rendered":"why is my hot tub leaking from the bottom"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Owning a hot tub is one of the luxuries of life. But eventually, every hot tub owner asks \u201cwhat do I do if my hot tub is leaking?\u201d<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s are the steps I follow having owned and fixed leaks many times:<\/p>\n
With a leaking hot tub, first, remove the paneling to locate the leak. <\/strong>The most likely causes will be a rubber gasket at the heater connections, a cracked pipe, or a loose jet. <\/strong>If it\u2019s not possible to access the leak\u2019s location, use leak fix products for small leaks, or waterproof epoxy putty for larger leaks.<\/strong><\/p>\n But there\u2019s a lot more that goes into fixing hot tub leaks than that!<\/p>\n That\u2019s why, today, we\u2019ll be showing you everything you need to know about leaky hot tubs. We\u2019ll be going over the causes, fixes, and telltale signs.<\/p>\n We know that it\u2019s going to seem like a lot of information, so we\u2019ll be breaking everything down into easy to read sections for you.<\/p>\n Those sections will look like this:<\/p>\n Feel free to skip around at your leisure, but it\u2019s definitely best to pay attention to each and every section.<\/p>\n This is because knowing everything you can about leaks will be your first line of defense against them.<\/p>\n With all of this being said, we know how tricky leaks can be, so let\u2019s jump right into the facts.<\/em><\/p>\n Just installed the new hot tub heater. Hoping for no leaks! pic.twitter.com\/KlRY1TNC53<\/p>\n \u2014 Chip Fox \ud83e\udd8a (@chipfoxx) January 24, 2016<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n A broken or worn rubber gasket on either end of the heater connection is a common cause of hot tub leaks. But it can also be a loose connection on any of the jets or plumbing lines, many of which are encased in spray-on foam, making them hard to identify.<\/strong><\/p>\n It may seem simple, water in and water out. But there are a lot more moving parts than you may initially think.<\/p>\n So, in this section, we\u2019ll be showing you all of the possible reasons that a hot tub may start to leak. Let\u2019s start by reviewing the main parts of a hot tub and what they do.<\/p>\n Chances are your leak is caused by a failure in one of these:<\/strong><\/p>\n So what causes leaks? It\u2019s most often a failure of a rubber gasket or the PVC glue that holds 2 pieces of pipe together.<\/p>\n The water going through the equipment is often upwards of 104\u00b0 F. That\u2019s also a lot of heat being applied to everything, often 24\/7.<\/p>\n So normal wear and tear is the culprit. Luckily, most of it is easily fixed, which we get into below.<\/p>\n Of course, age is always a factor as hot tubs don\u2019t last forever.<\/strong><\/p>\n So if you\u2019re wondering whether or not it\u2019s simply time to replace your hot tub or fix it, make sure to check out a recent article<\/strong> I published. In it, I cover the lifespan of hot tubs, including all the different types.<\/p>\n Just click that link to see it now on my site. Oh dear ! Our second #Hydropool hot tub has sprung a leak ! pic.twitter.com\/ol8c92aQdp<\/p>\n \u2014 Jean Christina Keen (@JeanChatterbox2) February 18, 2017<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n To find a leak in a hot tub, remove the side panels, and note where the water is pooling on the ground. That will be directly under the leak. If you see 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.<\/strong><\/p>\n But, in this section, we\u2019ll be breaking all of those steps down for you.<\/p>\n So before we begin to dive into some popular searching methods, we\u2019ll layout the areas you need to check:<\/p>\n <\/img><\/p>\n A leak can come from any of these areas. Luckily, if this seems overwhelming, we have some great methods for you to follow for each area. Our just about $10k @bullfrogspas hot tub is less than a year old and already has a leak. It\u2019s up on blocks now with pilot holes drilled into the bottom base to find the leak. Next steps is to saw into the bottom to find the leak\u2026 Tell me how this isn\u2019t ruining my hot tub? pic.twitter.com\/s9CXtAXXK9<\/p>\n \u2014 Greg Nelson (@iastater09) September 17, 2021<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Ultimately gravity will cause most hot tub leaks to pool on the ground at the bottom. The source of the leak can still be from the jets, a cracked PVC pipe, or a worn rubber gasket in the heater unions. But the leak could also be a crack in the shell or a loose light fixture.<\/strong><\/p>\n Unfortunately, a hot tub can leak from numerous places.<\/p>\n Because of that, there isn\u2019t one answer to this question. But ultimately, no matter where the leak, eventually you\u2019re going to see it on the ground around the base of your hot tub.<\/p>\n Here are some of the most common reasons:<\/p>\n We get into fixes for each of these issues below. But troubleshooting to figure out which area is the cause is crucial. Gah!!!!! Please tell me the hot tub didn\u2019t spring a leak in this weather \ud83e\udd26 pic.twitter.com\/muR7lpf8gl<\/p>\n \u2014 Jodi B (@lttlteapot) February 20, 2019<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n To fix a hot tub leak, first, identify the source. For leaks smaller than 1\/8 of an inch, use a liquid fix-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.<\/strong><\/p>\n Now that you\u2019ve diagnosed the problem, and know where to look, you\u2019ll need to fix the leak.<\/p>\n Since I have trouble shooted many leaks over the years of owning hot tubs, I\u2019ve had to deal with most of these. And being on a budget means I do most of the work myself.<\/p>\n Here, I break down each area prone to leaks and how to deal with each one:<\/strong><\/p>\n The pump is what pushes the water coming from the hot tub into the heater tube.<\/p>\n Then the heated water exits the heater and goes back into the tub. It\u2019s constantly circulating and occasionally heating, depending on the settings you have on your system.<\/p>\n The most likely places for a pump leak are going to be the connections on each end of it. It could be a worn gasket or a cracked pipe.<\/p>\n I cover both of those types of repairs below.<\/p>\n If the pump itself is leaking from the main body and not one of the connectors, it\u2019s probably time to replace the pump itself.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve done this myself and I outline the steps below:<\/p>\n A good replacement pump is this 5 hp pump from Waterway on Amazon<\/strong> (click to see the current price on Amazon).<\/p>\n If your shell becomes has small cracks, don\u2019t panic. Tiny little stress fractures are not uncommon. These can be caused over time especially if your hot tub isn\u2019t on a concrete pad that\u2019s perfectly level.<\/p>\n After all, filled with water and people, that thing weighs thousands of pounds. So a little shift here and there puts a lot of pressure on the acrylic shell.<\/p>\n The best way to fix a small crack in the acrylic shell is to do the following:<\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO SEE THE ACRYLIC REPAIR KIT ON AMAZON<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Unaffiliated Hot Tub Home Care offers specialized hot tub leak repair services to ensure that you get to enjoy your hot tub for years to come. #HotTubLeak #HotTubLeakRepair https:\/\/t.co\/s06zKfuY0m pic.twitter.com\/FWpjuHy8zO<\/p>\n \u2014 Unaffiliated Hot Tub Home Care (@UnaffiliatedC) October 22, 2019<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n A heating element will fail over time. But that mostly causes it to not heat or to not heat to the proper temperature.<\/p>\n The heating system is most likely to develop leaks at the gasket and split nut assembly on either side of the heater tube.<\/p>\n That fix can be done yourself for about $20 bucks and I get into that in the section just below us.<\/p>\n Rubber gaskets fail over time.<\/p>\n This is because not only are they in contact with water 100% of the time, but it\u2019s hot water too.<\/p>\n In my experience, the gaskets most prone to failure are the ones on either side of your heater tube. Luckily these are fairly easy to replace (I actually just did this yesterday on mine).<\/p>\n If you have 1 that failed (like I did), it\u2019s a good idea to go ahead and replace both as chances are they are the same age and the other one is close to failure also.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a good idea 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 little bit more and I used a large round vice grip to do it (gently since the split nut is plastic). Have a leaky hot tub?<\/p>\n Try checking the plumbing, pipes and jets. \ud83d\udca7<\/p>\n In some cases, all you\u2019ll need to do is tighten the connection or reseal the leak. \ud83d\udca6 pic.twitter.com\/B5OqcVSLus<\/p>\n \u2014 Quick Spa Parts (@QuickSpaParts) December 1, 2020<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Yes. Small cracks in a hot tub shell can be fixed. To fix, drill a small hole at each end of the crack to stop it from spreading. Then apply an acrylic patch. This can be mixed with acrylic paint to match the shell color. Once dry, it can be sanded and buffed smooth.<\/strong><\/p>\n As we\u2019ve mentioned in the previous section, a hot tub shell can definitely be fixed. The best way to fix a small crack in the acrylic shell is to do the following:<\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO SEE THE ACRYLIC REPAIR KIT ON AMAZON<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n What if the shell is too far gone?<\/strong><\/p>\n For larger cracks or a chunk missing, you can use the above process in larger amounts.<\/p>\n Just know that glue, however strong, isn\u2019t designed to hold water under pressure, so really big gaps may require professional help.<\/p>\n <\/img> In most cases, if your hot tub leaks when the jets are on, there\u2019s either a small crack or a worn rubber gasket.<\/p>\n While, of course, it\u2019s always ideal to replace a worn gasket or cracked pipe, the jets are often encased in spray-on foam. That makes them really hard to get to.<\/p>\n So before I go digging out the foam and crawling into the enclosed hot tub area, here\u2019s what I like to try first.<\/p>\n I use Marlig Fix-a-Leak <\/strong>(click to see on Amazon)<\/p>\n This stuff is pretty amazing and I\u2019ve used it many times for small leaks that would otherwise be hard to repair.<\/p>\n It works great. It\u2019s also an Amazon\u2019s Choice product with some great reviews.<\/p>\n This is a liquid that you simply pour into the suction area. You don\u2019t have to drain the water before OR after using it. Just give it 24-48 hours to see if it fixed the leak.<\/p>\n Here are the steps to using it:<\/strong><\/p>\n Fix-a-Leak is heavier than water, so it naturally sinks to the lowest place.<\/p>\n Most often this is wherever the leak is since that\u2019s where the water pressure is moving towards. It can fill cracks up 1\/8\u2033 in diameter, so it\u2019s perfect for tiny cracks that would be challenging to replace.<\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT FIX-A-LEAK ON AMAZON<\/strong><\/span> 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 crack. Replace with a new piece. Glued pieces will need to be cut out with a saw. Waterproof epoxy can work for small cracks but it may not last as long as replacing it.<\/strong><\/p>\n When it comes to the plumbing of a hot tub, there are a lot of pipes involved. While most pipes are extremely durable if one of them cracks you\u2019ll want to know about how to fix it.<\/p>\n With a cracked pipe, the ideal solution is obviously to replace it. Unfortunately, that isn\u2019t always possible due to where it\u2019s located and the age of the hot tub (it could be harder to find the parts).<\/p>\n After all, while it seems odd to me, PVC pipes (which is what make up a lot of the hot tub piping) aren\u2019t universal.<\/p>\n Think of them like cell phone chargers in 2002; each one can be a little different. Even if you find a 2\u2033 piece, if it\u2019s threaded, the thread may not be the same as your thread.<\/p>\n Luckily, there are steps you can take to fix a cracked pipe if you can\u2019t replace it.<\/p>\n If it\u2019s a simple part that\u2019s easily accessible and easy to replace, simply:<\/strong><\/p>\n Another way to repair pipes, and if these pipes are PVC this works all the better, is to use an epoxy putty like JB Water Weld<\/strong> (click to see on Amazon).<\/p>\n This stuff is great as it can literally be applied in wet conditions or even underwater!<\/p>\n It\u2019s not, however, going to work if the water is actively squirting out of the leak spot at high pressure. A few drops, no problem.<\/p>\n But if the leak is substantial, drain the water before applying the putty.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s how to use it:<\/strong><\/p>\n If the JB Weld is applied in a conspicuous area, just know it can be sanded and painted. But it helps if you apply it smoothly and neatly in the first place.<\/em><\/p>\n Here is a picture of JB Water Weld I used to fix 2 spots that were leaking.<\/strong> <\/img><\/p>\n The JB Weld is the white putty stuff you see spread out on both ends of that small section. Since this is behind the paneling, how pretty it looked didn\u2019t matter.<\/p>\n But it works!<\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO SEE JB WATER WELD ON AMAZON<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Sometimes there is simply a small leak where 2 pipes meet but it\u2019s not easy to get those pipes out and replace them.<\/p>\n What I did once when I had this happen was to use what\u2019s called a flexible coupling clamp <\/strong>(click to see on Amazon).<\/p>\n <\/img><\/p>\n It\u2019s a rubber sleeve (2\u2033 is typical for a lot of hot tubs, but I did once have an older one that was 1.5\u2033).<\/p>\n It slides over each end where the 2 pipes meet and then you have a stainless steel clamp that sits at each end that you tighten down with a screwdriver. It worked great for me and was MUCH easier than if I had replaced both pipes.<\/p>\n Here are the steps:<\/strong><\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO CHECK THIS OUT ON AMAZON<\/strong><\/span> (multiple sizes available too)<\/p>\n\n
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What causes a hot tub to leak?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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How do I find a leak in my hot tub?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Why is my hot tub leaking from the bottom?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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How do I fix a leak in my hot tub?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
A pump leak<\/strong><\/h3>\n
If you have to replace the pump<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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A cracked shell<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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The heating system<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Gaskets <\/strong><\/h3>\n
Here\u2019s how I replaced the gaskets and split nuts on my hot tub:<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Can a crack in a hot tub shell be fixed?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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<\/br>\n<\/p>\nHow to fix it when your hot tub only leaks when the jets are on<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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<\/br>\n<\/p>\nHow to repair cracked hot tub pipes<\/strong><\/h2>\n
To replace a cracked pipe<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Apply epoxy putty<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Using a flexible coupling clamp<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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