How To Prepare Your Hot Tub Before Going On Vacation

Going on vacation should not mean worrying about what your hot tub is doing while you are away. With a little preparation, most properly operating spas can remain filled, covered, sanitized, and ready to use when you return.

The exact preparation depends on how long you will be gone, the time of year, your sanitizer system, and whether someone will be available to check the spa while you are away.

A weekend trip requires very little preparation. A two- or three-week absence deserves more planning. And if you will be away for an extended period during freezing weather, the safest approach may be completely different.

Print Our Hot Tub Vacation Checklist

Heading out of town? We created a printable 8.5" × 11" Hot Tub Vacation Checklist so you can work through the important water-care, equipment, cover, and safety checks before you leave. It is designed to be printer-friendly and easy to check off by hand as you prepare your spa for a weekend trip, a longer vacation, or an extended absence. Download & Print the Vacation Checklist Standard U.S. Letter size • 8.5" × 11" • Free PDF

How Long Will You Be Away?

The amount of preparation depends heavily on the length of the trip.

Gone for 2–3 Days

A properly maintained hot tub usually needs very little special preparation for a short weekend away.

Before leaving:

• Test the water.
• Adjust sanitizer if necessary.
• Remove leaves or debris.
• Make sure the cover is securely closed.
• Confirm the spa is operating normally.

Gone for About a Week

For a week-long vacation, it is worth doing a more thorough water-care check, cleaning the filter if needed, lowering the temperature, and confirming that the sanitizer system can maintain the water while you are gone.

Gone for Two Weeks or Longer

For longer absences, have someone periodically inspect the spa whenever possible. The longer a hot tub sits unattended, the greater the chance that a power outage, equipment problem, sanitizer issue, leaking cover, or low water level can become a larger problem before anyone notices.

1. Test and Balance the Water Before You Leave

Begin by testing the hot tub water while you still have enough time to correct any problems.

Check the parameters appropriate for your water-care system, including:

• Sanitizer level
• pH
• Total alkalinity
• Calcium hardness when appropriate

You do not want to leave the spa with marginal water chemistry and hope it improves while nobody is there.

Correct any significant imbalance before leaving.

2. Make Sure the Sanitizer Is Adequate

A hot tub should not be left for days or weeks with little or no sanitizer.

Whether you use chlorine, bromine, a salt chlorine system, mineral system, or another approved water-care program, make sure the sanitizer is operating normally before you leave.

If your normal sanitizer level has been dropping unusually quickly, determine why before the trip.

Possible causes include:

• Heavy organic contamination
• An extremely dirty filter
• Old water
• A malfunctioning sanitizer system
• Improper chemical settings
• Excessive bather load shortly before departure

3. Oxidize or Shock the Water When Appropriate

If your normal water-care program calls for periodic oxidation or shock treatment, treating the water before leaving can help reduce the organic contaminants that accumulated during normal use.

Depending on your system, this may involve:

• Chlorine shock
• Non-chlorine oxidizer
• Another manufacturer-approved oxidation treatment

Always follow the directions for the specific chemical and sanitizer system you use.

Do not assume that adding a large amount of chemical automatically protects the water for the entire vacation.

4. Clean the Hot Tub Filter

A clean filter is especially important when nobody will be around to monitor the spa.

Remove the cartridge and rinse debris from between the pleats with a garden hose or appropriate filter-cleaning tool.

If the filter requires a deeper cleaning, use a cleaner intended for spa filter cartridges and rinse the cartridge extremely thoroughly before reinstalling it.

The filter does not need to be completely dry before reinstalling it.

In fact, the more important issue is making sure no filter-cleaning solution remains trapped inside the pleats, because residual cleaner can contribute to hot tub foam.

If the cartridge is damaged, collapsed, torn, heavily stained, or no longer cleans properly, replace it rather than leaving on vacation with a failing filter.

If you need help identifying the correct replacement, use our Filter Finder.

5. Remove Leaves and Debris

Before closing the cover, remove anything floating in the spa or sitting on the bottom.

Organic debris increases sanitizer demand as it breaks down.

Check for:

• Leaves
• Grass
• Insects
• Hair
• Debris around the filter area
• Residue along the waterline

Starting with clean water makes it much easier for the sanitation and filtration system to maintain the spa while you are gone.

6. Consider Lowering the Water Temperature

If nobody will be using the spa, there is usually little reason to keep the water at normal soaking temperature.

Lowering the set temperature can reduce energy use and may reduce sanitizer demand while the spa is unused.

How far you should lower it depends on:

• The spa manufacturer
• Outside temperature
• Climate
• Length of absence
• Freeze-protection system
• Whether the spa has a vacation or economy mode

Rather than using one universal temperature such as 80°F for every spa, use the lowest practical setting recommended for your equipment and weather conditions.

7. Do Not Simply Turn Off the Spa

For most vacations, a filled hot tub should continue operating normally.

The circulation and filtration system helps:

• Move sanitizer throughout the water
• Filter debris
• Prevent stagnant water
• Support freeze protection in cold weather

If your spa has a manufacturer-designed vacation, economy, rest, or sleep mode, that may be appropriate.

Do not arbitrarily reduce pump operation or shut down circulation unless the manufacturer's instructions specifically support doing so.

8. Be Careful With Floating Sanitizer Dispensers

A floating sanitizer dispenser can be useful for some bromine or chlorine systems, but it should not be treated as a universal vacation solution.

Before using one, make sure:

• The sanitizer tablets are approved for your spa.
• The dispenser is compatible with your normal sanitation system.
• The feed rate is properly adjusted.
• The dispenser cannot become trapped against the spa shell.
• The product instructions allow unattended use.

Highly concentrated sanitizer sitting against an acrylic surface can potentially discolor or damage it.

Some hot tubs and sanitation systems also specifically discourage certain tablet products.

Follow the spa manufacturer and sanitizer manufacturer's instructions rather than automatically adding tablets before leaving.

9. Check the Water Level

Make sure the spa is filled to its normal operating level before you leave.

A water level that is already marginal can become a problem after evaporation.

If the water falls too low, the spa may:

• Pull air into the circulation system
• Lose proper filtration
• Trigger flow errors
• Stop heating
• Expose equipment to possible dry-running conditions

If your spa is known to lose water unusually quickly, determine whether there is a leak before leaving for an extended trip.

10. Inspect the Equipment Compartment

Take a minute to look inside the equipment area before leaving.

You are looking for anything unusual such as:

• Water dripping from heater unions
• Wet equipment
• Leaking pumps
• Loose plumbing fittings
• Unusual noises
• Repeated error messages
• A circulation pump that is not operating normally

A minor leak that is easy to deal with today can become a much larger problem after two unattended weeks.

11. Clean and Secure the Hot Tub Cover

The cover is your spa's main defense against debris while you are away.

Before leaving:

• Remove leaves and debris from the cover.
• Check for tears or damaged seams.
• Make sure it sits properly on the spa.
• Secure the cover locks or straps.
• Confirm wind cannot easily lift the cover.

A poorly secured cover can allow leaves, dirt, rainwater, animals, and other contaminants into the spa.

It also creates a safety concern if children can gain access.

12. Check the Area Around the Spa

The surrounding area matters too.

Before leaving, remove items that could blow into or damage the spa, including:

• Patio umbrellas
• Loose furniture cushions
• Toys
• Pool floats
• Cleaning tools
• Loose branches or debris

If severe weather is expected, secure the area accordingly.

13. Ask Someone to Check the Hot Tub

If you will be gone for more than several days, having a trusted friend, neighbor, house sitter, or service professional inspect the spa can provide valuable insurance against an unnoticed problem.

They do not necessarily need to perform complicated maintenance.

A simple visual inspection can identify:

• A tripped breaker
• An open or damaged cover
• Low water level
• Error codes
• Cloudy or unusual-looking water
• A leaking spa
• Equipment that is making unusual noise

Leave Simple Instructions

Do not hand somebody an entire spa manual and expect them to become a technician.

Leave a short list such as:

• Make sure the display is on.
• Check for error messages.
• Make sure the cover is secure.
• Check the water level.
• Look around the equipment area for leaks.
• Call me if anything looks unusual.

If you want them to test or add chemicals, provide specific written instructions for the products being used.

14. Consider a Smart Monitor or Remote Spa Control

Some newer hot tubs and control systems allow remote monitoring through Wi-Fi or a smartphone application.

Depending on the system, you may be able to monitor:

• Water temperature
• Operating status
• Error conditions
• Heating modes
• Filter cycles

Remote monitoring does not replace an in-person inspection, but it can alert you to a problem much sooner than discovering it when you return home.

What If You Are Leaving During Freezing Weather?

This is the situation where hot tub vacation preparation becomes much more serious.

A filled and operating hot tub generally relies on its heater, circulation system, and freeze-protection logic to keep the plumbing from freezing.

Simply shutting off the breaker during winter can create a major risk of freeze damage.

If you plan to leave the spa operating:

• Keep electrical power available.
• Make sure freeze protection is functioning.
• Verify the water level.
• Secure the cover.
• Have someone inspect the spa periodically.

If the spa will be shut down for an extended winter absence, it needs to be properly winterized according to the spa manufacturer's procedure.

Simply draining the visible water is usually not enough because water can remain trapped inside:

• Pumps
• Heaters
• Jet plumbing
• Manifolds
• Low points in the plumbing

That trapped water can freeze, expand, and crack expensive components.

What If You Will Be Gone for a Month or More?

For a very long absence, you essentially have two choices:

Option 1: Leave the Spa Operating

This can work when:

• The equipment is reliable.
• The sanitizer system can be maintained.
• Someone can inspect the spa.
• Power outages are unlikely to go unnoticed.
• Freeze protection is important.

Option 2: Drain and Properly Shut Down the Spa

This may make more sense for very long absences in suitable climates or when the spa will intentionally be taken out of service.

However, draining and shutting down a spa requires more than simply pulling the drain plug.

Follow the manufacturer's shutdown or winterization procedure, particularly when freezing temperatures are possible.

What Should You Do When You Return?

Do not assume the spa is ready for immediate use just because the water still looks clear.

When you return:

1. Open the cover and inspect the water.
2. Check the water level.
3. Look for leaks around the spa and equipment.
4. Confirm normal pump and circulation operation.
5. Test sanitizer.
6. Test pH and alkalinity.
7. Inspect the filter.
8. Correct the water chemistry as necessary.
9. Return the spa to normal soaking temperature.

If the water is cloudy, has a strong odor, contains visible contamination, or has been without sanitizer for an unknown amount of time, correct the problem before using the spa.

Should You Drain the Hot Tub When You Go on Vacation?

Usually, no.

For most normal vacations, a properly maintained spa can remain filled and operating.

Draining the spa for every one- or two-week trip creates unnecessary work and can introduce other issues.

Draining becomes more appropriate when:

• The spa will be unused for a very long period.
• The water already needs replacement.
• The equipment will intentionally be shut down.
• The spa is being properly winterized.

Hot Tub Vacation Checklist

Want a copy you can check off as you prepare? Download our printable Hot Tub Vacation Checklist.

Before you leave, run through this checklist:

• Test the water chemistry.
• Correct pH, alkalinity, and sanitizer as necessary.
• Oxidize or shock according to your normal water-care program.
• Clean or inspect the filter.
• Remove leaves and debris.
• Check the water level.
• Inspect the equipment compartment for leaks.
• Lower the temperature appropriately.
• Use vacation or economy mode if recommended by the manufacturer.
• Keep normal filtration and freeze protection operating.
• Secure the hot tub cover.
• Secure loose objects around the spa.
• Arrange for someone to inspect the spa during longer trips.
• Leave emergency contact information.

One Last Check Before You Walk Out the Door

About an hour before leaving, take one final look at the spa.

Make sure:

• The control panel shows no errors.
• The water level is correct.
• The equipment sounds normal.
• No water is leaking from the cabinet.
• The cover is fully secured.

That final two-minute inspection can catch a problem that might otherwise remain unnoticed for the entire vacation.

Hot tub operation, freeze protection, water chemistry, sanitation, and shutdown procedures vary by manufacturer and model. Always follow the recommendations provided by your spa manufacturer and the instructions for the specific water-treatment products and equipment you use.