Can I Keep My Hot Tub Running During Canada’s Cold Winters?

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to take a relaxing break in your hot tub during one of our legendary Canadian winters? This idea isn’t as crazy as it might sound. It is possible for you to enjoy your hot tub any time of the year, even in extremely cold climates like Canada. All it takes is a little extra effort and investment.

What it Takes to Beat the Cold

The problem with keeping a hot tub open during the winter months is that without the proper precautions, the water will freeze. When this happens, it can damage your pumps, pipes, filtration systems, lining, and other structures.

However, as long as your hot tub’s water never falls below 32°F, it will not freeze. Most hot tubs automatically maintain a temperature of around 100°F when they’re turned on. As long as you’re prepared for higher energy bills, increased upkeep costs, and more necessary maintenance tasks during those additional winter months, there is no reason not to take advantage of your hot tub year-round.

How to Make It Happen

So you really want to keep your hot tub running all winter: now what? There are three major things you need to do before you begin this process.

1. Create a Maintenance Plan

The first thing you need to do is create a plan for maintaining your hot tub while it operates through the colder months.

The most important thing to consider is how you will keep the water from freezing. Some hot tubs come with built-in freeze protection settings, so check to see if yours does. If it doesn’t, you can replicate this feature by setting the timer on your hot tub’s power system to cycle the power on every 10 to 20 minutes.

Next, plan for things that will require some extra effort from you. How often will you clean your hot tub? How closely will you monitor things like chemical levels and water temperature? Will you do this manually or with some sort of remote monitoring system?

Deciding these things in advance will keep you accountable for your hot tub’s maintenance over the winter. Without a concrete plan, it will be far too easy for you to forget about these things over the long winter months.

2. Invest in a Quality Cover

Even if you don’t close your hot tub for year, you will still need to cover it when it is not in use. Choosing a high-quality cover that is built to retain heat will take some of the pressure off your heating system and may save you a bit of money on energy costs.

If you aren’t fully satisfied with your cover’s heat-trapping performance, you can improve it by placing a floating thermal blanket beneath it. This will keep the energy generated by your heating system from leeching out.

3. Keep Some Spare Filter Cartridges on Hand

If your hot tub’s filtration system becomes clogged at any point during the winter, it may cause the water to stop flowing and then freeze. The best way to avoid this problem is to switch your filter cartridge out as needed over the winter months.

Understandably, this may not always happen if you have to brave freezing temperatures and blowing snow every time you need a new cartridge. You can get around this problem by keeping an extra cartridge or two on hand during the colder months. Don’t give yourself an excuse to let the problem slide!

Year-Round Relaxation is in Your Grasp

You paid a lot of money for your hot tub, and there’s no reason you shouldn’t get to enjoy it during the entire year. As long as you take the proper steps in advance and keep on top of things while the weather is still cold, you and your family can take a luxuriously warm soak anytime you like – even in the middle of a bitter Canadian winter.