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We have an older model Sundance hot tub, but it's a very nice one. We have had some of the jets replaced on the sides which is no big deal. But now we have a leak from one of the jets in the foot-well in the bottom. The problem is of course, getting to it to replace it. Short of turning the hot tub up on it's side, is there any other way ? This is an 8 person spa, is huge, and when empty weighs about a ton, literally.
Have not experienced that exact problem, but do know that it is possible to jack them up to work on them; however am told that can be quite an expense.
Hi Peggie,
In another life I used to repair these things so here's a couple of ideas. First, do you know if the water is leaking around the fitting or is it leaking out through the pipe. In other words, verify that it is not a pipe leak behind the jet rather than the jet itself. You may have already tried this but an easy way to detect exactly where the water is leaving a spa is to use a little bottle of food coloring - or use the red colored bottle from your water test kit. With the water still, gently squeeze a little of the dye around the area you suspect the leak. The dye will trail right out through the problem area and give you a specific place to start. Once you have localized the leak, you may have a simple option of applying a little epoxy to seal the spot without having to replace anything. Make sure you purhase an epoxy that will work with your plastics and the water temperatue/chemicals. Your spa supply store may have something you could try. If you determine the leak requires major surgery, then you do have to be able to access the back wall of the tub. First, if your spa has a door to get to the equipment, see if there is room to get around the equipment and work around the problem fitting. Probably not, but its worth checking. Otherwise, after draining the tub, I used a rock bar and a block of wood to lever the side of the tub I wanted to work on up off the deck. Then put a car jack under the edge and work it up in the air until you have enough room to work. Be sure to block the spa up so it is stable before you crawl under it. Using this method, it's a one man job and can be done quickly with a minimum of fuss. If the spa has a bunch of spray on foam around it for insulating purposed, you may have to chip it away to create enough room to work around the fitting.
If I was closer, I'd pop over and give you a hand! Good luck with this.
Tim Fuller
Had another thought; Some spa fittings are threaded and just screw into the piece behind the spa wall. They are sealed with a silicone/rubber gasket that may be leaking. If this is the case, you MIGHT be able to just unscrew the fitting from inside the tub and replace the gasket. Again, your spa supplier can help with the part and may have a special tool to remove the fitting. If the gasket is the culprit and you can't find a replacement, I have successfully used a bead of silicone sealer or calking to seal them up again. One possible problem with using the calking is the fitting may need the gasket material to act as a spacer for proper seating.
Tim Fuller
Thanks Tim. I'll have to show this info to my husband. We are still sitting high and dry here, so maybe he will try your ideas.
We have removed all of the wooden cabinet from the exterior. It was deteriorating, so we decided this would be a good time to replace it also. I can see what you were referring to with the spray on foam insulation. Hopefully the leak will be simple. Keeping fingers crossed.
Well, we're back at it again. We have isolated the leak to one of the jets in the floor. No way to get to it rather than jacking it up and getting directly under it. Not a very exciting idea. It's a very large and heavy tub. We've tried everything we could think of from the top, with no luck. We have used 3 bottles of the "Stop Leak" products made for pools and spas. No luck. We've removed the top parts of the jets and replaced whatever was accessable that way...no luck. Now we just have to prop it up and see if there's a leaky connection in the pipes or somewhere underneath. DH is getting pretty frustrated... and I'm getting more discouraged. Any more ideas ? :((
Anyone have any specific instructions for doing this safely ? We kind of see the obvious risks... but are there any that we may not be seeing ? This is our first time to do something like this. Feels pretty scarey.
Hi Peggie, I have just bought a second hand spa and have the same problem. A friend & I tipped it up on it's side (Probably weighs about 300 kilograms) and I now have to chip away all the foam insulation. One good thing is that the leaks have discoloured the foam so it's easy to narrow it down. Now have to spend a lot of time chipping it away so I can access the leaky jets. I'm going to re-do the suspect joints. I was told by the spa shop guy that the fix a leak option is only a short term fix. We've been high & dry for a few weeks now ... good luck
Scott
