Hot tub not heating? Try these steps before you call for service.
A spa can fail to heat for a variety of reasons. Following the self-diagnosis steps below may save you the cost of a service call. If you are still having issues after completing the steps it’s time to call a professional.
Look at your control panel, do you see any codes displayed?
Codes can vary by manufacturer so you will need the owner’s manual of your specific spa for troubleshooting guidance. Most owner’s manuals will have a troubleshooting chart for common error codes. Service manuals are available online for most spas, even dating back 15 years or more. Be sure to note or take a picture of the code (if present on the control panel). This can be very helpful to your technician if a service call is required.
Check your water level,
While some hot tubs are more forgiving than others, being as little as an inch low on the water can cause the system not to heat. Check with your owner’s manual for the correct water level. Most manufacturers say to fill the spa to about 1/2’ below the headrest.
Check your filter and intake,
The most common preventable reason we see hot tubs not heating is flow restriction (usually a dirty filter). Turn off your spa at the breaker. Remove and inspect your filter. As an added step look down the hole your filter sets into and make sure you don’t have any visible obstructions. Clean your filter as instructed in your owner’s manual. If your filter is more than 1 year old, now would be a good time to replace it. Reinstall your filter and reset the breaker to your hot tub. Let it run for 30 minutes and observe if it begins to heat.
Make sure your skimmer is not sticking in the up position.
If you are still having heating issues check your skimmer. Most spas have a floating skimmer in the filter area, if this part gets stuck in the up position the spa can be starved for water when the pumps running. After the filters are cleaned and reinstalled if you hear an unusual air rushing sound or your jets seem to be surging check the skimmers to be sure they are not starving your spa for water.
Check for an airlock.
If your spa is still failing to heat you may have an air bubble in the lines. This condition is known in the industry as an airlock. Techniques for releasing air locks vary by spa model so it is best to consult your owner’s manual or give us a call to help troubleshoot the issue over the phone.
If you are still experiencing issues with your spa not heating it’s time to call your spa repair professional. If you live anywhere in Clark County, WA including Vancouver, Camas, Washougal, Battle Ground, and Ridgefield we would be happy to get your spa back to normal operation. You can book your appointment online 24/7 or call/text (360) 713-5976 M-F 8 AM-6 PM. Our repairs come with a 1-year limited parts warranty and we are committed to providing quality and timely service to all of our valued customers.
