Hot tub repair costs are reduced by staying on top of maintenance and watching for problems. A small problem that goes unnoticed will swell into a large expense, especially if it involves water leaks.
Leaks are one of the most common issues in a spa. They can be caused by a variety of problems and can lead to significant water loss which is very costly. The first step to determining if your spa is losing water is to mark the area of the loss with a piece of tape or grease pencil. This will allow you to monitor the leak over time and see if it is getting bigger or smaller. Contact Spa Repair Phoenix for professional help.
Next you will want to look at your chemicals and ensure that they are all in line with manufacturer recommended levels. Keeping them in line will help prevent the formation of cracks and keep the water from being drawn away from your pump, heater or pipes. If the leak is from a jet or manifold it can be more difficult to fix as it will require removing them and replacing the gaskets. This is best done with Silicone Sealant as it will create a strong seal that can resist the rigors of hot tub water and will prevent the leaks from returning.
If you have determined that your spa is leaking it is a good idea to drain the water and wipe down the shell surface and equipment cabinet. It is also a good idea to check the unions on the pump and heater for signs of looseness or water spots. These areas are often the source of a spa leak. You can also perform a food coloring test to locate a leak in the plumbing, simply add some drops of food color and watch the water for several hours, if the water travels to a particular side of the tub you will have a better chance of locating the source.
For a quick and easy fix use a product called Fix A Leak, it is available in 8 oz bottles, fill the spa with water and add the entire bottle of Fix A Leak and let run continuously for 6-8 hours, then shut down for the night. The next day check the water level, if it has remained the same then your leak is sealed!
Electrical Issues
Your spa is the ultimate stress reliever, until the lights start flickering or the GFCI circuit breaker trips just as you’re settling in for a long soak. While many of these electrical problems can be addressed with simple DIY troubleshooting, if you’re dealing with persistent issues or complex components, it’s best to call in professional electricians.
Poorly installed or maintained spa wiring is a serious safety issue that can lead to fires, electric shock, and other hazards. Hot tubs use a special type of wire that’s specifically designed for outdoor use, and the installation must comply with local electrical codes to ensure your family’s safety.
Most electrical problems with spas are caused by power overloads. GFCI outlets are required in areas where electrocution through water is a possibility, including all outdoor hot tubs. If you’re experiencing frequent tripping of your GFCI outlet, it’s a sign that something is overworking the system and needs to be replaced or repaired.
Other signs of an electrical problem include a burning smell, sparking outlets, or erratic readings on your continuity tester (for example, a 240v reading from neu to red and a.2v reading from neu to black). These are all potential indicators of an electrical short in the wiring or the transformer. If the GFCI is tripping when the pump is off, it’s likely due to a faulty heater element.
If the GFCI trip is random, it could mean that one or more of the pumps, blowers, or ozonators plugged into the pack and circuit board are acting up. Check for loose connections, then run a pressure test to identify and locate any hidden plumbing leaks.
The heater in your spa uses an electrical resistance heating method to warm up the water. If the heating element isn’t working, your hot tub won’t be able to heat up, so you’ll need to replace it. Some models may also require occasional lubrication of the pump motor, which can be done using your spa’s owner’s manual. If you’re unable to get your heater to work properly, it’s best to call in a professional electrician for service.
Heater Issues
The heater in your spa is the engine that keeps the water warm and is usually the first part of your equipment to show signs of wear. If your spa heater isn’t heating your water, there are a number of possible issues that you can check before calling a service technician.
First, ensure that your GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) is off by pressing the test button on it – it looks like a round red button with a wire coming out of it, usually located on the outlet at the spa pack. Also, make sure that the interlock door at your spa pack is closed and locked.
Next, check the temperature setting on your spa controller. If your thermostat is set to a higher setting than the water temperature in your spa, it will not turn on the heater until the temperature drops below the setting you have it at. If the temperature has dropped below what you have it set at, turn up your thermostat to raise the heat.
Your heater might be having problems with flow or pressure. In order for a spa heater to operate correctly, it needs adequate water flow through the heater chamber. Several different types of flow / pressure switches are used to protect your heater, and they will shut down the electrical circuit that sends power to the heater if they detect that there is insufficient water flow through the unit. Low flow can be caused by a dirty filter, clogged jets, clogged pipes, or even a spa drain that is blocked.
If you have checked for flow and the problem still exists, your heater might need to be replaced. This is a fairly common problem with hot tubs, but it is important to make sure that your GFCI and breakers are off before starting the job of pulling out your old one. It is also a good idea to make sure that you have the correct replacement heater for your particular spa model. If you have the incorrect heater, it could short out or burn out.
Control Issues
The interplay between your hot tub’s pump, heater, electrical systems, water quality and control systems is a complex system that must be maintained in order to function properly. While you may be able to handle some minor issues on your own, the complexity of hot tub equipment and the need to follow safe maintenance procedures means that at some point a professional technician will likely need to address an issue with your spa.
In general, most spas come equipped with GFCI circuit breakers which are fast-acting devices that protect the system by cutting off power when a problem is detected. If you’re experiencing repeated GFCI shutdowns, it’s likely that there is something wrong with your wiring or the switches on your equipment. To resolve this, you’ll need to reset the switch.
Another common spa issue is when your control panel displays a message code on the display. These messages often have a description that will tell you what the problem is and what to do to fix it.
Using the steps in this chart, you can often troubleshoot your own spa issues before calling for professional assistance. Please remember that it is always a good idea to consult your owner’s manual before performing any work on your hot tub. If you do not feel comfortable working on the electrical systems of your spa, it’s always best to hire a licensed electrician for any work on your spa’s electrical system.
If your spa is exhibiting erratic or unresponsive operation, a message code on the controller touchpad might indicate that it’s time for an EEPROM (or EPRM) reset. Performing this easy troubleshooting step can help with a wide variety of spa problems, from airlocks to errors in the system’s configuration or programming. For most models, this can be done by disconnecting or turning off the power to your spa and then unplugging all of the cables that run into your controller one at a time. Once all of the cables are plugged back in, you can turn your spa back on. This process usually fixes the problem.