When winter storms prepare to blast us with blizzard conditions, people wonder how they protect their cars, homes and hot tubs.

The three most common causes of damage to your hot tub during snow are:

• The cover being blown away
• Frozen plumbing
• Debris falling onto your hot tub cover (excess snow, tree branches, etc.)

Wind

If you know that a storm is coming, it is very important to make sure that your hot tub cover is securely latched to your hot tub. Because of their shape, the covers act like a large kite during wind storms and can possibly fly several yards with one big gust. This can often cause the foam to crack and the vinyl to become punctured, ruining the hot tub cover.

Hurricane hot tub straps are great additional tie-down supports for your hot tub cover.

Freezing Temperatures

During large storms you can expect that your power may be out for a day or two, possibly more. While you’re prepared with extra candles and a flashlight, it is important not to forget about preparing your hot tub!

Freezing temperatures in the hot tub can lead to cracked plumbing and leaks. Before a storm you can save yourself a lot of trouble and unneeded expense by just taking a few precautions.

Option 1: If there is a potential long-term power outage, it is a good precaution to drain the tub, and loosen the lower pump fitting so that the water can drain out of the plumbing. This will help prevent water from freezing inside of the pipes and causing cracks. You can also use a wet/dry vac to blow any remaining water out of the plumbing.

Option 2: If you decide to leave your hot tub full of water because a long-term power outage is unlikely, you may want to invest in a thermal floating blanket. So, if your power does go out, the blanket helps insulate the water and slows the cooling process, giving you some extra time before freezing temperatures reach the plumbing.

Debris

Debris falling onto your hot tub is always a big concern during storms. Flying tree branches can puncture the vinyl and pierce the foam, ruining your tub cover.

You can carefully place a piece of plywood on top of the cover (and strapping it down) during a storm to help prevent falling debris from puncturing the cover.

If a small puncture does happen, you can use a waterproof vinyl patch to repair the cover. Be sure to also patch the interior plastic wrapping that is around the foam.

Snow Accumulation

Even just a few inches of wet snow can weigh over 50lbs. Several feet of snow can cause even the best hot tub covers to collapse.

Prevent heavy snow load damage to your hot tub cover by monitoring the snow accumulation. Use a broom or other (non-sharp) object to brush off any excess snow from your hot tub cover to avoid collapsing.