How to deflate a Lazy Spa hot tub
Knowing how to deflate a hot tub is the key to ending ‘hot tub’ season on a high! So you are at the end of another successful season spent ‘hot tubbing’, and the time has come to give your home spa the break it deserves. If you’re wondering how to deflate a hot tub, you might be surprised to find how quick and easy it is.
Yet it’s actually a small part of the overall process of getting your tub ready to place in storage. Remember – these items are often significant investments.
The last thing you want is to pull your inflatable hot tub out of storage next year and find it’s covered in mould or mildew.
Here’s everything you need to know to make emptying, deflating, and storing your ‘tub smooth and easy:
How to deflate an inflatable Lazy Spa hot tub
Before you can deflate your hot tub, there are some vital maintenance steps to take care of:
1) Take care of the pump
Ahead of even the filter in the expensive component stakes, the pump is a vital (and pricey to replace) part of your tub.
This means it’s worth taking exceptional care with yours. If it’s a separate unit, disconnect it carefully and place caps over any freshly exposed outlets.
Then check the pump over and backwash or flush it to wash out any detritus that might be stuck inside. Then dry it carefully.
2) Empty your hot tub
The best method for this varies by make and model, but it’s usually a fairly swift process. We’ve created our own how to empty a Lazy Spa guide for one of the most popular manufacturers.
Most other models on the market work essentially the same way though.
3) Clean and dry your ‘tub thoroughly
This is the most important part of the whole process. If you value your inflatable hot tub, don’t be tempted to skimp on this vital bit of deflating it:
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- Clean your tub – use soapy water and then rinse it clean.
- Clean the filters – as well as any other accessories or additions you’ve made.
- Dry your tub – the most critical part of the most important section, always – always – dry your inflatable hot tub carefully and make sure it is bone-dry before you put it away.
Now You Can Deflate Your Lazy Spa Hot Tub
Once those vital tasks are out of the way, it’s time to deflate your hot tub. This should be quick and easy.
Some brands supply extra tools to get you through the already short process faster. For example, most of Bestway’s Lay-Z-Spa range comes with what they call a “deflation T Joint” that can be used in combination with the “AirJets” their hot tubs are fitted with to empty a hot tub very quickly indeed.
For any model though, the basic process involved in deflating a hot tub is:
- Drain, clean, and dry your tub.
- Locate the inflation valve you used to blow it up.
- Unscrew and/ or remove the valve.
After that, the air should start to empty. This will slow down over time, meaning you’ll probably need to squeeze the last few dregs of air out.
Don’t be tempted to stomp across it wearing shoes when you do this! The lining of most inflatable hot tubs is pretty sturdy, but there’s no need to wear it unnecessarily – and besides, you’ve just gone to all the effort of cleaning it.
What Comes Next?
After deflating your ‘tub, don’t get tricked into thinking you’re done (you are very nearly finished though)!
If you want your inflatable hot tub to survive the coming colder season intact, there are just a couple more things to bear in mind:
- Double-check dryness – it really can’t be emphasised enough how much of a ‘tub killer mildew and mould are.
- Talc it – one good way of protecting your hot tub liner while it’s in storage is to sift over a thin layer of talcum powder before you fold it up. This both absorbs any last bits of moisture and stops the liner from sticking to itself or anything else.
- Choose a good storage space – a good storage space is somewhere you can fold up your ‘tub in a plastic box and know there won’t be any damp – or that you’ve protected it so this won’t be a problem. Storing it on a pallet or other raised position is good protection against mice and flooding too.
How Long Does It Take To Deflate A Hot Tub?
Guidelines and estimates vary by manufacturer, but it’s a good bet that somewhere between 10-20 minutes is in the right area.
Of course, this may differ if your ‘tub has added features like a sturdy surround that need to be disassembled too.
But either way, working out how to deflate a hot tub is a pretty straightforward part of the overall process of storing your home spa. The most important things really remain cleaning and drying it properly so you don’t get a nasty surprise when you get it out of storage next year.
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