Home buyers hot tub checklist

So, you’re buying a house with a hot tub and you’re probably dreaming of the wonderful winter nights ahead, sitting in that warm, soothing, bubbling hydrotherapy with your lover at your side, sipping wine while you watch the snowflakes fall around you.

We occasionally get calls asking us to inspect hot tubs by home buyers, but more typically, the call we get says “We bought a house with a hot tub and something’s wrong…”

Here’s a checklist of a few things to consider when buying a house with a hot tub:

1)  The tub should be on its own breaker with nothing else on the circuit, and it must have a GFCI.  It must have a manual disconnect no closer than 5 feet and no further than 10 feet.  That is the law.  Occasionally, a homeowner, not aware of the national electrical code, will install a tub by themselves, buying electrical parts from a hardware store, and not do the job correctly.  A tub without a GFCI is an electrocution risk.  We do not work on tubs without GFCI’s.  They need to be properly wired by licensed electricians. 

2)  There is no such thing as “a little leak.”  If it was a little leak, they would have fixed it.  If the tub is on concrete or a deck and you see water around the base, there may be an issue.  It could be as simple as a $5.00 deteriorated gasket on a pump or as complex as a leaky inaccessible drain that will require the tub to be turned over to be repaired.  
3) “We haven’t used it since last year,” should be a caution sign to a home buyer.  There’s a small concern that gaskets and o-rings might have dried out, which translates into leaks, but the bigger concern is water in the pipes freezing over the winter.  Freezing pipes expand and crack, and repair costs can be high. 

4) “Don’t worry, we drained it because we don’t use it anymore,” could also be a concern for a home buyer.  You need to ask how it was drained.  If the homeowner just used a pump or the built in drain plug, they didn’t get all the water out.  To properly winterize a hot tub, you must blow compressed air into every jet, filter and hose to get the residual 5-10 gallons of water trapped inside, out.  Then you need to fill the lines with anti-freeze.  If that isn’t done, the only thing that will prevent the hot tub from freezing up is the air temperature staying above 32 degrees.

5)  If the tub has been drained, open the cover and look into the seating area.  Is there any water there?  If it was properly drained, it should be virtually dry.  If the cover leaks and water has gotten in and that water is able to flow into any of the drains or jets, then it has gotten into the pipes.  See numbers 3 & 4 above.
6)  If the hot tub is full of warm, clean water, that’s great.  Using the control panel, check the functions.  Do the pumps work?  Does the blower work?  Do the lights work?  If the hot tub has a stereo or television installed, be aware that those items break down very quickly and can be very expensive to repair. 

7) Checking the “Jet 1” button:  On many hot tubs, “Jet 1” does dual duty.  It functions as both a hydrotherapy jet that you can control at will, but it also works as a “circulation pump,” where it turns on automatically to filter and heat the hot tub.  While you’re testing the function of the “Jet 1” button, if you find it won’t turn the pump off, the hot tub is probably in it’s filtration cycle and is doing exactly what it’s supposed to. 
8)  Many hot tubs have two speed pumps, so the first time you press a “jet” button, you will get low speed jet action.  A second press will increase the flow.  A third press will turn it off.  One sign of a possible issue is if you press the button and the pump turns on.  A second press turns the pump off.  A third press does nothing.  It could be that the high speed circuitry in the pump is not working. The same problem can occur with the low speed circuitry.  You’ll press the “Jet” button and nothing happens.  You press it a second time and it comes on at high speed.  You press it a third time and it goes off.  You’re not only checking the pumps, you’re also checking the control panel.  Some new ones can cost over $500.

9) The power’s turned off and you can’t check the tub.  Your first question should be why is the power off?  Is there a problem in the wiring?  Get an electrician to inspect and repair before it becomes your problem.  If the tub is drained, refer to items number 3, 4 & 5.

Whether or not you allow a potential problem with a hot tub to get in the way of buying your home is a personal decision, but this short checklist will help you make knowledgeable decisions.

For more information or to schedule an evaluation of an existing hot tub, contact us at 201-897-7900 or 732-894-4494.  You can also reach us by email through this link.