There comes no announcement prior to a blow up hot tub leak. It just pops up any random time, out of any random reasons! That is a very part of inflatable tubs, especially if you are not paying enough attention. There are people who say taking care of a few months old child is easier than finding out a leak. It is understandable that people dread it. Not only do the leaks make the tub-baths uncomfortable, all that spread up water is more than annoying!
It is way more frustrating to be not able to find it, no matter what. Maybe you have experienced it. Nothing is more terrible than not being able to detect that tiny leak even after spending hours on it. Well, it is nothing new that most leaks are nearly impossible to detect by us. Besides, we all have our own typically busy schedules. So most of us leave it to professionals, even when it use to be so easy one.
It is equally important to check for leaks time to time as well. Leaks, if left undetected, can open ways to greater troubles. The Sad part is that this often turns out a good few hundred dollars from pockets to hire an expert.
Well, at least you can save a few bucks that a professional will charge on detecting leaks if you know how to detect it. Besides, it is always better to check the leak out yourself before calling for an expert. How? -Here is how.
At first, place, make sure there is a leak.
How to find be sure that tub has got a leak
Here is the simplest way to find out whether there is a leak.
- Fill the tub and mark the water level immediately after filling it. Try not to keep in sun, as water would evaporate, suggesting false results!
- Leave it untouched for an hour or two.
- If you find a dropped water level thereafter, you can be sure that there is a leak.
Once you are sure that there is a leak, you can proceed with the process to detect the leak.
Detecting the leak
While you leave the filled tub untouched, to start with, check around the tub a few times. See if there are any wet places or visible leaks. You can check for such places that are relatively more prone to leaks. Pump sealing, union fittings and valves are few such places. Well, these may vary with products as well. The user manuals and maintenance guidelines can come handy in such circumstances. Most tub manuals cover all the leakage-prone parts and guidelines. This can give you a hint as for the area of the leak.
Sure, it will be much easier to hunt a leak on a smaller area than examining the entire tub.
If you are getting not hint this way, try the following process. You just need some dark food colour for this.
- Fill the tub again and pour some dark food colour into the water.
- Observe the direction in which the colour moves. It moves towards the leak. You can detect it this way.
If you are able to detect the leak and is a minor one, you can try fixing it yourself. You can go through the manuals again to find if there are guidelines. Anyway, if you are unable to find the fault or fix it yourself or you are not confident, don’t hesitate to hire an expert. After all, messing the whole thing up would be the last thing you ever want!
Anyway, we would suggest you take a look in the matter yourself- particularly if you are on a tight budget! You can still have a technician if that doesn’t work.
Also, when you bring home your favourite spa, be sure to take enough care of it. While hot tubs do not need much of maintenance, you must realise that everything needs a bit of care. Keep it a point to read the user manual. Get a proper idea of right usage ways and cleaning process. The basics of fixing valves and fittings use to be given in the manuals. These would grossly help you to get rid of regular leak troubles or such.
So to conclude with, while you can hire a professional anytime to take care of the leaks, there is nothing terrible with trying a hand yourself. Either way, just don’t ignore the leaks and be sure to take care of them soon.