What Do I Do If My Hot Tub is Leaking? (Proven DIY Fixes)
In the United States, hot tubs are widely used all over the country. They are a signature of luxury for those who can afford them. But unfortunately, no matter how expensive the Jacuzzi was, it will start to leak after a few years. The good news is, there are more than a few ways you can fix your hot tub.
If your Jacuzzi is leaking, the first thing you’ll need to do is remove the panel to locate the crack. Sometimes, holes in the rubber gasket of the heat connectors also cause this issue. After locating the leak, use waterproof epoxy to fix larger holes and “Fix products” for smaller ones.
I’ve talked about some of the ways you can fix the leaking problem on your hot tub, and now I'd like to provide some valuable insights into this topic. One of the most common questions that I hear is “what do I do if my hot tub is leaking?”, and in this article, I will extensively explain it. For a better understanding of this topic, it would be wise to read through the whole article.
Why Hot Tubs Leak?
A hot tub can leak for several reasons. Typically, when the flow of hot water is simply unbearable for the rubber gasket of the Jacuzzi, a leak occurs. It is one of the most common causes behind this phenomenon. Fortunately, there is a very easy and inexpensive way to fix this issue. I’ll talk about it more later.
But the penetration of the rubber gasket isn’t the only reason for leaking. You might already know that there are two pipes on the front side of the hot tub. PVC glue is used to attach them. These adhesives are typically very strong, but the joint tends to get weaker with time due to the flow of hot water. The result is a leaking Jacuzzi.
Above, I have mentioned two of the most common facts that cause leakage to a hot tub. But unfortunately, sometimes leaks occur due to the loose connection of the plumbing lines or jets. As you might already know, most of the jets and lines are encased with foamed cover, meaning identifying the leaks becomes very complicated.
Finally, the Jacuzzi can be leaking from the bottom part of its body as well. You might be wondering how it is possible as hot water doesn’t flow through the body of the Jacuzzi. Well, with time, the lower part of the tub tends to fade, and eventually, a leak occurs. It typically happens after years of using the tub.
How to Find the Leak
To be honest, finding the leak can be a very complicated task if it is deep inside the tub. But in most cases, it is on the rubber gasket or the pipes. There are a few easy steps you can follow to exactly know where the tub is leaking.
Step one: To begin with, you’ll have to fill the Jacuzzi with hot water and heat it to at least 100 degrees Fahrenheit. You can easily identify the leaks inside the hot tub when it is filled.
Step Two: Next, take out the side panels of the hot tub. You will have a much clearer vision of the internal mechanism of the Jacuzzi. Try to see the exact spot where the water is leaking on the ground. The crack that is creating the issue will have a tiny flow of water. It is very easily identifiable.
Step Three: Unfortunately, if you aren’t able to spot the location of the leak and observe the foams are a bit wet, that means your hot tub has leaked internally, and manual identification of the penetrated point is not possible.
How to Fix the Leak?
The pump of a hot tub is undoubtedly the most fragile part. It pushes the water of the Jacuzzi to the heater and again, brings it back to the tub. That means it is constantly oscillating and absorbing a certain amount of heat depending on the settings of the tub.
That is why the connectors of both ends of the pumps are most vulnerable to leaking. Either the gaskets have faded or the body of the pipe is damaged. Now, there are two ways you can repair the hot tub. You will have to either replace the whole pump or repair the damage using glue and sand.
When it comes to fixing the leak, you have several different approaches depending on the spot. Fortunately, you can fix most of the common cracks easily. Below, I will talk about how you can make your hot tub as good as new with a few simple steps. Read and follow my instructions carefully.
Replacing The Pump
For replacing the pump, yourself, follow the steps mentioned below.
Step One: While buying a new pump for your hot tub, you will have to keep a few facts in mind. To begin with, the diameter of the pump should be the same as the old one. Furthermore, both connectors (in and out) should be in the same position. You won’t have to buy the pump from the same company, but it might save a lot of hassles.
Step Two: Since you will be dealing with electronics, turning off everything before starting the replacing process is a must. After that, drain all the water from the hot tub. It is very important to make the tub completely dry as water is a great carrier of electricity.
Step Three: Nome some pumps have the feature of plug-attachment which makes this step very simple. If your hot tub has this facility, simply detach it. If not, you may have to open the panel and unscrew the cables from the control box.
Step Four: After detaching the cables, all you have to do is to replace the old pump with a new one. But check the condition of the gasket before doing it. If you find any damage then you should replace it. You will have new gaskets with the pump you ordered earlier.
Repairing The Pump
If you have budget issues, replacing the pump might not be a very suitable option. But it’s a good thing that you can easily repair your pumps if you know what you are doing. The steps are given below.
Step One: To begin with, you will have to purchase a proper spa repair kit. You will find them on Amazon with a very affordable price tag. After that, drill a hole that is slightly larger than the leak itself. It will help to stop spreading the crack all over the body of the pump.
Step Two: After that, you will have to properly mix the liquid and dry glue (which will come with the package) in a bowl. Now, how much glue you will need completely depends on the size of the hole you created.
Step Three: After that, carefully fill the hole with the mixed glue and spread it around. It should take around 15 minutes to dry, fuse, and cure. After that, just make the spot smooth using hard paper and your hot tub is fixed.
Fixing a Leaking Valve
Valves are basically little taps that are placed right at the side of the pump or heater. They are used to cut off the water flow from a component so that you can repair it without draining the whole water from the Jacuzzi.
To be very honest, leakage commonly occurs on the valves and if you can detect one, you may have to simply replace the gasket.
If that didn’t solve the issue, you might have to replace the valve itself to fix the hot tub. Now, most of the valves are pretty inexpensive, and most of them are of the same size. Before replacing, draining the Jacuzzi to make it completely dry is essential.
When Jet Housing is Leaking
Jet housing of the hot tub is another fragile part of the Jacuzzi and it can start to leak for various reasons. Now, you will find a jet housed screwed to the body of the hot tub with a gasket and a locking ring.
Now, if you adjust the housing repeatedly, there is a high chance the gasket of it has leaked. If that’s the case, you can simply replace it with the method mentioned above. But if the crack is on the jet housing itself, then repairing it might not be possible. You can replace the whole Jet housing, but unfortunately, they are pretty expensive.
When The Jacuzzi Shell Leaks
The shell of your hot tub is undoubtedly the most important part of the system and finding a leak on the shell is frightening. If the Jacuzzi has a leak on itself that might mean you will have to buy a new one.
Although, having a leak on the body of the hot tub is pretty rare as new acrylics are extremely strong. Now, if you do find a small crack on the body, it might be repairable using Plast-aid. Follow the repairing steps of the pump and it should make the tub usable for another year.
“What do I do if my hot tub is leaking” – is a question that every hot tub owner has to face at least once in their lifetime. Being such intricate devices with tons of parts something is bound to go bust at some point. Maintenance is just something you cannot avoid with owning a hot tub.
But hopefully, after reading this article you have a better idea of what to do next time you find a leak in your hot tub. Thanks for stopping by and good luck on fixing your hot tub back to tip-top shape.
