Every fall, hot tub owners start searching for winterizing guides: draining, vacuuming lines, adding antifreeze. If you own a Royal Spa and plan to keep using it, you can skip almost all of that.
Why We Don’t Recommend Winterizing
A Royal Spa is built to run 24/7. Heated, circulating water does not freeze, and continuous circulation keeps the water filtered. Our circulation cost is low (see what it really costs to run a hot tub), so there is little reason to shut it down. Winterizing takes several hours, needs a wet/dry vac, and leaves your hot tub empty during one of the best seasons to soak.
Should You Drain Your Hot Tub for Winter?
No, as long as you will use it at least a few times a month. Leave it running at your normal temperature and check it about once a week to make sure the cover is secure and everything looks right. For tips on soaking in the cold, read using your hot tub in winter.
Draining makes sense in one case: you will be gone three months or more and no one can check on the hot tub.
Will Your Hot Tub Freeze in a Power Outage?
Not overnight. Royal Spa cabinets are sealed and insulated, so a tub at normal soaking temperature with the cover fastened holds its heat for days, not hours. How long depends on the weather and the water temperature, so don’t count on a fixed number of days. Restore power as soon as you can, and call us if you can’t. The cabinet also has no open vents for heat to escape. Royal Spa also avoids external cabinet drains, a common failure point: an outside drain can freeze, crack and let the hot water run out.
What to Do During a Power Outage
- Keep the cover fastened and avoid opening it.
- Keep the cabinet closed.
- When power returns, check whether a breaker needs to be reset.
- If an outage will last several days, or you are away, call the Parts & Service Center at 317-780-2121 for advice.
When You Actually Need to Winterize
If you will be away three months or more, the pump housing, filter housing and jet manifold all need protection. The general process: drain completely, remove every bit of water with a wet/dry vac, then add antifreeze through a jet opening. Follow the Operation and Care Guide, or let us do it. Our service techs can winterize your hot tub for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I leave my hot tub running all winter?
Yes. Royal Spa hot tubs are designed for continuous year-round operation.
How long until a hot tub freezes without power?
It depends on the outside temperature, the water temperature and the cover. A sealed, insulated Royal Spa holds heat for days, not hours, but treat any outage as urgent: keep the cover on and call the Parts & Service Center at 317-780-2121.
Who can winterize my hot tub for me?
Call the Royal Spa Parts & Service Center at 317-780-2121.
