Protect Your Hot Tub During a Storm
Springtime is a time for renewal. Birds migrate back north, trees grow again, and flowers bloom. It is a great time to be alive. Unfortunately, it also is a time of storms. There is a reason why rhymes such as “April showers bring May flowers” exist. If you are expecting a torrentuous spring storm, make sure that you take the necessary precautions to keep your hot tub safe. Read below for the dangers of a storm and steps you need to take to protect yourself.
Dangers of a Storm
Wind
Strong winds can blow the cover right off your hot tub, leaving it exposed to the elements. If you have a locking cover, make sure that each and every cover lock is secure. Tighten the straps on your cover. If that is not enough, you can always purchase wind straps to secure the cover even further.
Debris
Flying debris can puncture your cover, scratch the hot tub, and even chip the acrylic. Make sure that your cover is secure, and that you don’t put anything heavy on top of it to keep the cover down. If you secure the cover with bricks or logs, you could do more damage than help.
Water (or Snow)
During a storm, water or snow can accumulate on your cover, and cause it to sink or sag. That can allow untreated water to get into hot tub, making the chemical levels in your hot tub unsafe. If your hot tub cover begins to accumulate a lot of snow or rain during a storm, go out and push off the buildup with a broom. Be careful not to use something sharp like a rake or shovel, as that can damage the cover.
Protect Yourself
The best way to protect your hot tub is to watch the weather. If the meteorologist says that it is going to snow or rain over the weekend, take the necessary precautions to protect your hot tub. There are many apps and websites, such as Weather.gov and AccuWeather, that you can use to set up weather alerts to let you know when a storm is coming.
Do Not Drain Your Hot Tub
Even if you are worried about flooding or a lot of debris, do not drain your hot tub. If the area floods, your hot tub can float away, and a drained hot tub is more likely to get damaged. If you lose power, don’t drain your hot tub. Just wait until you get power again and then check on your spa.
