There is one "advantage" to having a spa leak. Adding fresh water every other day keeps the chloramine levels from becoming too high so you never have to drain and refill the spa. But in California the water is becoming so expensive that I am now motivated by this video to try some invasive procedures. I have kept a Hot Springs Grandee humming for 22 years replacing the heater twice, the recirculating pump 3 times and the ozonator 3 times (all parts readily available) so like an old favorite jalopy I want to keep it going. I notice no leaks in the equipment area behind the access door. That means it is somewhere in the distributed plumbing. I hope it does not have spray-in foam when I cut it open.
I've been in the home service business for over 40 years and vids like this really help explain the problems and complexities of of these type of devices...My montra is: "These products are not made in heaven, and is not used by angles or repaired by saints" Furthermore most manufactures create unrealistic expectations regarding their products, maintenance, upkeep, potential problems, etc. etc. because doing so would have a negative affect on their sales. This is how the real world works, like it or not. Hot Tubes, Spas, Swimng pools are typically high maintenance and subject to failures constantly. So thanks to you for your education attempts.
Wow! I'm so glad I got rid of mine! We didn't have leaks thank goodness, but replaced the heater twice and it still wouldn't heat! Almost $600 for the heater alone! My husband still wouldn't get rid of it. After he passed that's one of the first thing I did. I knew I couldn't afford to keep paying for parts.and repair bills. Now I can use the living space in my Florida room for extra living space! Very informative video. Thank you Billy!
Many heaters are under $200, some heaters are more than others like Watkins/Hot springs are $300+ They are fairly easy to replace, but labor can be expensive!
Great video and you are correct, these hot tubs are difficult to work on because so many connections are hidden under the foam. I'm currently weighing in on whether I want to attempt a repair on my customer's hot tub, or not!
I used to repair spas when i was young and i was just flabbergasted how its a spaghetti mess with manifolds. The good thing was is that the tubs we repaired were in a warmer climate. It was always funny seeing the spa owners face when they received the bill. " A 1000 bucks for a controller ! " what the hell..... not to mention my time added for the work. We used to do alot of pool repairs, pool installs, spa installs etc. Made good money back then.
Hate fixing leaks on hot springs sooo much foam to dig thru just to find out what is leaking Im AMAZED at how the quality of hot tubs has gone completely down hill cheap materials and just thrown together with no pride of craftsmanship just push them out the door for daily production bonus and worry about later
If you don't want to pay them to fix "your hot tub" then fix it yourself. I don't say that to be mean, just being realistic. FYI - I am a hottub owner, not a repair person. I fix my own hottub leaks and they are a b!tch !
garyfarm I’m in total agreement with you. I’m fixing mine. There a pain in the @$$. There’s no quick fix. Especially from water damage. I’ll let it run this winter.
I was in auto repair for years similar thing some people want you to own their problems. I used to tell them I didn't build it. Maybe people will see this video and realize how difficult it is even for professionals like Billy and his staff.
Come now friend, experience is value know your craft and do your best. In most cases a good experienced mechanic can fix the problem the first time. Dont be afraid to be a good mechanic and also dont take it personally when the problem beats you just grow and get better
Just had to do a leak trace and repair on a full foam spa - great video and very informative - can only imagine how impatient some of your customers can get..
If The Seller Would Explain The Possibility Of Leaks Everywhere Before You Purchased..Then Maybe You Wouldn't Purchase it..I Cant Believe That A Brand New Spa Could Be Leaking On The First Fill..Something Not Right About That..When You Have Made The Commitment To Pay..Have It Crained Through The Seller..And Then Be Told They Wont Pay To Crane It Out To Be Repaired..You Are Stuck With A New Tub..That Could Be Leaking All Over..You Shouldn't Have To Pay The Installments On A Bad Tub..
Thanks Spa Guy, I can always rely on you for good answers. I told my father in law that the next time I buy a spa, I was gonna borrow his trailer and will head to Nashville..(from Atlanta)
What brand would you recommend based on ease of service and accessibility, for 6-8 ppl? I was ready to purchase a used Dr. Wellness, but after your video, I am back to square one. Just read too many horror stories on the Dr. It would be my first tub too.
Do all hot tubs leak, or just some brands? I was told my a service tech that Arctic Spas are notorious for leaking, which is why they push their perimeter insulation, whereas Cal Spa, Master and others use full foam and build the tubs properly so they won't leak. Is this true do you think?
Found plastic welder, trying on one of my leaks, but next time I do the 14 connection manifold I will replace with the barb style from you. I drilled with a bit the old tube out and went too far, now I bought socket savers...
Does Hot Springs clamp the jet plumbing on their Highlife series tubs? Are highlife tubs prone to leaks. I have a 2019 Envoy and have any jets in view..i see that the airlines are clamped.
I have a leak at a PVC joint. I've used Oatley Fit it Stick, JB Water Seal (Several Tubes) and even Fiberglass Auto body goop. It's now almost 1/2" inch thick and still a drip apears. I have try 10 times to get leaks fixed on this20 year old tub. I begining to think it has me beat!
I got a question not sure if you can answer but maybe a idea at whether I’m just going to get rid of my tub would be helpful haha. My circulation pump went out before winter, hired a company to come out. Was told I needed a new circulation pump that nobody could get and everyone was back order. So had them winterized. Put all the jet pump u-joints put back on got a new circulation pump on. And started filling it up. Course then realize water is just poring out the spray in foam. So obviously the winterization I paid for didn’t work. Had to sign paperwork so that company would not be liable. But I am at the point where I truly can’t afford to keep dumping more and more money into this. I have a master spa Michael Phelps xls 900. So many jets and it has the blown in foam. So not even sure how many places could be leaking. But on something like this what would it cost to get repaired worse case scenario? Cause I don’t seem to get any good luck. And I got to decide if it’s worth trying to fix at this point. I understand you might only be able to give me a idea but at this point any idea might help me decide which way to go thank you for your videos your video has helped me realize I got a big mess
Great video. I recently moved my hot tub 10 feet to edge of the deck and then dropped it 2 feet down to a cement pad. The tub was sitting for 6 months as I bought it used ( water was drained) but had about 5 inches of rain water in it. When we started pushing. It started leaking from bottom? I moved the tub to the cement pad and took off the side panels. 1 inch of water inside ? I then filled tub up 15 inches and dried the side with fans. Its been 4 days and no water inside ????? Where did the water come from ? I dont understand how the water got inside. Any thoughts? Thanks
I was probably in the air system and when you dipped it down water came out of that system it is open an alive the water line so no water comes out of unless you tipped the tub up.
The point of this video is to illustrate that a service tech cannot go and repair a leak easily or even the first trip because there are so many places not can leak.. It is not designed to say hot tubs are too much trouble.. Tubs rarely leak but they can.. When they do it can be easy to find or very hard to find..
I have a 20 year old Down East model..Fortunately the leaks I discovered were near the heater connectivity, but I also notice that all the tubing is old and brittle. I'm sure its just a matter of time fore this tub will be repairable with only a serious amount of $$$$ thrown at it.
I wont fix a leaking jet, it normally means more jets will leak real soon after causing customers to blame you for future leaks and claiming you hadnt done the job right in the first place
the hot tub industry in North america needs go burn in hell. They PURPOSELY put cheap plastic parts where they are going to leak like crazy. The worst part is these plastics are exposed to heated water/chemicals 24 7 and you have 240 2 phase wiring .. I bought MADE IN CHINA metal parts which are HIGHER QUALITY that made in USA plastic garbage
I have a sundance capri spa from 2005. Sarted a small leak only when the jets run. Rather tear all the foam apart etc. what do you think of using Fix A Leak? I read that for a small leak it works pretty good. Do you have any experience with it? We live in a warm area in CA so it has never frozen and we have never turned it off.
Well said! Sir thank you for your vids they are very helpful. As I’ve just bought a house with a Frankenstein tub in the Uk 🇬🇧 and I’m in the process of giving the tub tlc (tender loving care) but it’s not cheap. All the best Chris c
Thank you so much!! We are in Oregon with LOTS OF SNOW and freezing temps 8 months out of the year. What if we started from scratch with just our fiberglass insert 😁 It is in great condition, we are on a tight budget and my heating system was JUST replaced 😢 It is a Dimension One with spray foam like the last hot tub you show in your video.
Do you share your test stand design? I have a hot tub unable to take to be repaired and more cost effective to find the leak myself. Just not sure how to get it in the air to find the leak
Where is there a video on the spas that are built such that repairs are easier? Issues with the glued pipes, foam surrounding pipes....what brands don't have these issues. Appears all of them do? Who's going to revolutionize the way they are built for future repairs? Is there such a brand?
My nest door neighbors brother-in-law gave us a 8-foot square Cal Spas hot tub. He said all it needed was a new nut to connect the pump to the heater, which I've replaced. We filled it up for the first time and it's got a significant leak somewhere away from the pump/heater side. It's got spray foam. Should I just cut away all the foam so I can diagnose it or save some time if I call a technician? Would that help save some money?
If you are calling a Technician I would not touch it.. As a technician I do not want to go behind someone else working on the tub.. They may be able to figure out the leak without digging..
This is the fourth weekend working on my tub, I've ordered parts from you a couple times already. I got everything fixed I could get to and it was still leaking, I'm now under the tub fixing the suction (I guess it's called) side and the drain side also. I so under stand what your talking about! When I'm done with this it could still leak in the manifolds!
Normally you don't have a lot of leaks at one time unless you have freeze damage... If the suction leak is freeze damage you may have to have other plastic parts... Thanks for the orders and watching.. Spa Guy
I just dug my frozen hot tub out of 2 feet of snow and moved it into our heated garage to thaw for me to attempt leak repair. Should be an experience haha. Not sure how much it would have cost to have someone do that, but I'd want $2k to do all that for someone else.
hey spa guy...my 1/2 " hoses are leaking where they join to the jet fittings but i can't get the hose out without cutting it with a narrow knife on the inside of the fitting. is there a fitting that will fit OVER the outside of the 1/2 inch jet coupling and then reduce down to the 1/2 inch size so that i can cut the hose at the jet coupling and re-glue to the new coupling? did you get that?
I have a solution for this I call it Ricoing... The way you do it is go to my website and purchase 3/4" Clear hose... Here is the link to the tubing hottubpartsofamerica.com/tubing-3-4-inside-diameter-1-od-1-foot-used-on-water-manifolds-and-more/ and Buy a couple of worm clamps here is the link to the clamps hottubpartsofamerica.com/stainless-clamp-3-4-to-1-3-4/ You can cut the hose off right at the jet body and slide the hose side into the 3/4" clear tube with glue.. Then heat the other end of the tube and slide it over the outside of the jet body with glue and a clamp... This is a simple solution and it will never leak there again... Note: There are some jet bodies that have a really large flange.. In those cases you would use 1" I.D. Hose and put a 1/2" coupler on the 1/2" flex...
how much should I expect to pay on a leak fix on a full foam spa.. Say it takes 3 times to actually find it.Alson once they dig out a seat area should I go ahead and have them rejoint all the joints that they can get at
+Captinprivate That is really subjective question.. The average leak repair on a full foam tub is about 4-600.00 in my experience... If they are replacing a manifold I would have the entire manifold system in that area replaced but would not disturb other areas. Thanks, Spa Guy
Hey spa guy, I have a older hot springs tub that has a foam filled insulation shell. It has multiple water leaks. I plan on disassembling the entire tub down to nothing, installing all new jets, and re building the plumbing from none of the original plumbing. Then building a new wood shell. Do you think this is a dumb move? Any suggestions? Thanks.
HELP Spa Guy - I replace the top part of the pump - but it's leaking like crazy now ... can you look at this quick video and make a suggestion? Also i have 2 pumps on this hot tub. Can i just cap off the 2 water leads when i remove this pump and just run it with one pump for a while. I want to make sure the heater is working (use tub from craigslist) but can't get pass this problem ... :( - my video - @
I have been told that bullfrog spas at 90% less plumbing than most is this true? And if so that sounds like a huge advantage to a reduction in the possible leak ?
I would say don't buy a foamed spa, luckily I live In warmer climate, mine does not have foam except on the outside foam boards. Yes I am repairing a few leaks, but I can see them.
What brand tub is nice and open like that?? Most I see are a foam MESS! EDIT: 5:00 :barf: 6:01 even worse! I've seen Wellis tubs that are no wood and no foam... Side panels have insulation. I'd like a 7'x7' tub with NO JETS... All I do is soak.
I am wondering , could you not put a bit of food coloring in the spa and let it run , then turn it off , drain and flip up and look where the concentration of color is???
John, I see no major problems with either brand though I like Master Spa Better.. That is not saying the Hotspring is not good I just prefer Master over them.. The port of this video is that service people cantle just show up at a leak and wave a magic wand and fix it.. There are times they can easily see what the leak is and times that there are many leaks and the issue cannot be solved in one trip.. Thanks, Spa Guy
I have a leaky (full foam) tub. Does any of the stop leak stuff work? Would it be prudent for me to call a tech or attempt to trace the leak myself? I don't see it dripping at or around the pump area whether plugged or unplugged
What If the tub Is Brand New Just Been Delivered And Installed..And It Is Leaking..Why Would It Be All Of These Leaks So Soon..We Just Got The Tub And filled It and Found That It Was Leaking..Do We Get A New Tub If The Tech Can't Find The Leak..We Haven't Even Made The First Install Payment..Havent Even Used It..and Already Dealing With A Leak.
Those hot tubs sure aren't made for outdoors here in southern Michigan where I've been in our hot tub a number of times with the ambient temperature at -10 deg F or lower. Also, I agree the construction of those tubs just begs for leaks.
@@SpaGuy awesome thanks for the reply and thanks for the 18 port manifold and air valve got my tub back up and running just in time for the cold season
i am not a plumber but i am a sparky and i can see so many similar situations here that we have ,sometimes to fix things the job itself isnt hard to fix but ACCESS is a bitch and that what takes time and time = money . yeah it sux when you get the bill but most people dont understand how hard some jobs can be ...until they try and fix it themselves.
It is about time regulators like UL and others get into some regulation on these products. The are designed poorly, lack any engineering principles of plumbing, have no attention to repair and maintenance. Shame on companies like Costco and Walmart for promoting sales of these nightmare packages to people with no technical understanding. Rule one should be to provide accessible hose/manifold connection decks on all four sides. Each motor pump assembly should be visible for servicing. Outlaw foam spray that are used for camouflaging leaky connections.
yeah I guess you could seal all the outlets with suction cups and then pressure test the system. It seems the 1st thing to get busted is comonly the motor busting the pump shaft seal. Of course chlorine exposure is never kind to any materials.
I have the opportunity to pick up a 3 year old hot tub that I’ve been told needs a new manifold. Owner states electric is good as it has a tv built into it and seats 5 that’s all I know. I have yet to see it physically but after watching your how to, I have the skill set as I install irrigation. Long of it short, take the chance or pass? Keep up the good videos!! My current home is also wired for a hot tub that the house didn’t come with.
I am the owner of a 2007 Caldera Hot Tub. I got the tub for free a year ago knowing it had a leak ....I fixed a couple spots , well 1 year later it still has another major leak. The thing has been a nightmare. Get what you pay for.
I just bought an older Four Winds Utopia III. They used untreated wood and I had to replace it in multiple places with thicker treated wood. Even the wood the three motors were attached to was untreated. The shell of the hot tub was in pretty good shape, mainly what I was after for the purchase. So yes....definitely be mindful when purchasing because it will get wet. I'm not a tech, just a glorified DIYr haha.
Hey Spa guy! So got kind of a bizarre leak, it leaks when it feels like. Sometimes we're good, sometimes over a few weeks water is down quite a bit with water seen on one corner of concrete. Any thoughts much appreciated! Keep up the good work!
Cool video. We have a leaking tub and I'm pretty certain I've spotted where it's coming from. We've got a Thermospa and it doesn't have that spray foam. I'm thinking of giving it a go myself but I also like the idea of paying someone to do it. My question is: Do they repair it on site or does it get taken away to get worked on in a shop? I'm up in NH. How much could a service call run me "ish"?
Most companies that I know of repair onsite.. Moving a tub can cause leaks so it is a bad idea to move one for a leak.. We charge 160.00 for the first house and 140 per hour after that... It depends on how long it takes to find and repair...most in the 3-400 range.. Thanks for watching, Spa Guy
Hey Spa guy! So got kind of a bizarre leak, it leaks when it feels like. Sometimes we're good, sometimes over a few weeks water is down quite a bit. Any thoughts much appreciated! Keep up the good work!
What do think of AquaRest/Dream Maker hot tubs with a heat recovery or thermal friction heating system. I live in Florida and it doesn't freeze here often. I have had an X400 for 12 years and it is just now leaking. And since it is a foam filled interior, it seems it will be too expensive to fix. I am considering another AquaRest with thermal friction heating. With no heater, it NEVER raised my electric bill even in the winter. Thanks.
I haven't looked, but they should make hot tubs without jets. I never turn them on away. Hot water in, filter, hot water out, into the heater and back again. One single continuous conduit.
It's leaking at the nut next to the tub, the other side is leaking next to the nut where the drain is. (this is on the bottom which all is 2" pipe) I'm going to replace all 4 suctions with grills/covers (I got took by the spa place here in town they marked up Their parts by 200%.) with new lines while I'm under there. the lady I got it from had to of left water in it and it froze, she gave it to me for free so once I'm done I shouldn't be into it more than 400.00.
On the suctions if they are leaking at the shell you can on some loosen the nut and push the fitting out put silicon around and pull back in and tighten back up and that will sell them... instead of replacing them..
Spa Guy I'm now wishing I would of done that..... I have them all mocked up and ready to glue. Thank you for all your help, and your parts are very competitive and extremely fast shipping! I would not hesitate to refer customers your way
He is just keeping it REAL everything he has just said Is absolutely true. I am a technician for a living or was. And these hot tub’s are very complex. And everyone is different. Do you allow it to break. Expected to be expensive to repair and probably multiple repairs
3/4" vinyl over top the 1/2" ribbed interesting but I'd rather use a 3/4" barb to a 1/2" slip I have seen many leak gluing a flexible pipe to a flexible pipe I can find the waterways part number for this part if you like and this method doesn't require clamps when done right
Just obtained a tub from a friend. It was fine for about 2 weeks, and now just noticed today that I've lost about a foot of water overnight. I wish I had watched this video before taking it :(
i @@SpaGuy understood, and I appreciate you making the video. I just might have re-considered knowing what I know now about the leak potential of these things, especially the older one I have.
Hello , my Hot tub is leaking from the bottom corner where there looks to be a over flow tube coming out. It's Continuously leaking. And I'm not sure what to do or how to fix it. Is there anybody that could Guide me in the right direction
@Christopher Neathery thanks I found it . It was the pressure cap rubber band around it is gone witch was allowing water to over flow and come through the overflow . Thanks
Sad thing is plumbers should he employed by spa manufacturers. I plumb thousands of joints everyyear. Less than 1% call back. Obviously most spas must be put togeather by unqualified labour. Just imagine if houses and other buildings had these issues. Just horrible. What a joke this industry is.
What are you even talking about.. If 1% of all hot tubs leaked it would be a disaster and you claim that as a good thing.. The point of this video is there are literally 100's of places it can leak so when we show up to repair it it may be one spot or two or three but with 100's of potential leaking points it may not be a one trip repair.. How did you get all that from this video.. Hot Tub plumbers plumb 1000's of joints weekly.. Most hot tubs never leak and based on the number of places it could leak the failure rate would be a fraction of 1% way better than your percentage/.. Get a Grip Man..
There is one "advantage" to having a spa leak. Adding fresh water every other day keeps the chloramine levels from becoming too high so you never have to drain and refill the spa. But in California the water is becoming so expensive that I am now motivated by this video to try some invasive procedures. I have kept a Hot Springs Grandee humming for 22 years replacing the heater twice, the recirculating pump 3 times and the ozonator 3 times (all parts readily available) so like an old favorite jalopy I want to keep it going. I notice no leaks in the equipment area behind the access door. That means it is somewhere in the distributed plumbing. I hope it does not have spray-in foam when I cut it open.
I've been in the home service business for over 40 years and vids like this really help explain the problems and complexities of of these type of devices...My montra is: "These products are not made in heaven, and is not used by angles or repaired by saints" Furthermore most manufactures create unrealistic expectations regarding their products, maintenance, upkeep, potential problems, etc. etc. because doing so would have a negative affect on their sales. This is how the real world works, like it or not. Hot Tubes, Spas, Swimng pools are typically high maintenance and subject to failures constantly. So thanks to you for your education attempts.
Wow! I'm so glad I got rid of mine! We didn't have leaks thank goodness, but replaced the heater twice and it still wouldn't heat! Almost $600 for the heater alone! My husband still wouldn't get rid of it. After he passed that's one of the first thing I did. I knew I couldn't afford to keep paying for parts.and repair bills. Now I can use the living space in my Florida room for extra living space! Very informative video. Thank you Billy!
Many heaters are under $200, some heaters are more than others like Watkins/Hot springs are $300+ They are fairly easy to replace, but labor can be expensive!
Great video and you are correct, these hot tubs are difficult to work on because so many connections are hidden under the foam. I'm currently weighing in on whether I want to attempt a repair on my customer's hot tub, or not!
Very nice job on that update plumbing nice job nice to see professional workmanship a+
I used to repair spas when i was young and i was just flabbergasted how its a spaghetti mess with manifolds. The good thing was is that the tubs we repaired were in a warmer climate. It was always funny seeing the spa owners face when they received the bill. " A 1000 bucks for a controller ! " what the hell..... not to mention my time added for the work. We used to do alot of pool repairs, pool installs, spa installs etc. Made good money back then.
What a great explanation and honest business. GREAT JOB!!!!
Hate fixing leaks on hot springs sooo much foam to dig thru just to find out what is leaking Im AMAZED at how the quality of hot tubs has gone completely down hill cheap materials and just thrown together with no pride of craftsmanship just push them out the door for daily production bonus and worry about later
It can leak here, it can leak there. There, there, there, here. It can also leak here...and everywhere there.
Leak leak Leak leak Leak leak Leak leak Leak leak Leak leak Leak leak Leak leak Leak leak Leak leak Leak leak Leak leak Leak leak Leak leak Leak leak Leak leak Leak leak Leak leak Leak leak Leak leak Leak leak Leak leak Leak leak Leak leak
He don't stop....One angry dude...
This leak could leak and cause another leak to leak on top of the first leak.
Here a leak,
There a leak,
Everywhere a leak leak,
Old McDonald had a hot tub
Eee iiii eee iii ohh
This is absolute truth. I'm going to link this to any future customers of mine when they have a leaking spa.
I fix stuff like this on spas and pools for a living. I'm glad someone made this video. customers can be so damn impatient sometimes.
Maybe it's because they're being charged by the hour. lmao
If you don't want to pay them to fix "your hot tub" then fix it yourself. I don't say that to be mean, just being realistic. FYI - I am a hottub owner, not a repair person. I fix my own hottub leaks and they are a b!tch !
garyfarm I’m in total agreement with you. I’m fixing mine. There a pain in the @$$. There’s no quick fix. Especially from water damage. I’ll let it run this winter.
I was in auto repair for years similar thing some people want you to own their problems. I used to tell them I didn't build it. Maybe people will see this video and realize how difficult it is even for professionals like Billy and his staff.
Come now friend, experience is value know your craft and do your best. In most cases a good experienced mechanic can fix the problem the first time. Dont be afraid to be a good mechanic and also dont take it personally when the problem beats you just grow and get better
Wish you guys were in Michigan. I spent all Labor Day finding a leak at the top of a slice valve
Just had to do a leak trace and repair on a full foam spa - great video and very informative - can only imagine how impatient some of your customers can get..
Geeeez! I think I'll pass on getting a hot tub. Thanks for the vid!
If The Seller Would Explain The Possibility Of Leaks Everywhere Before You Purchased..Then Maybe You Wouldn't Purchase it..I Cant Believe That A Brand New Spa Could Be Leaking On The First Fill..Something Not Right About That..When You Have Made The Commitment To Pay..Have It Crained Through The Seller..And Then Be Told They Wont Pay To Crane It Out To Be Repaired..You Are Stuck With A New Tub..That Could Be Leaking All Over..You Shouldn't Have To Pay The Installments On A Bad Tub..
Get a BULLFROG
Greg Nettles bullfrog is worse bud. Especially with their manifolds
this is why im getting a non-complex rotospa. the big expensive ones are a waste of money
Thanks Spa Guy, I can always rely on you for good answers. I told my father in law that the next time I buy a spa, I was gonna borrow his trailer and will head to Nashville..(from Atlanta)
You just helped me out a lot. I just got into spa repair business and that video was spot on. Thank you greatly. Will subscribe
Caleb it is a Great Business to be in..
Awesome video. As a hot tub tech couldn't said it better
We’ve got a leak in a 2 year old Hotspring Jettsetter, and it’s full foam. It’s under warranty, but after the repair, it’s going up for sale.
Sadly I find a lot of Hotspring Tubs leaking.. Great tubs but they do appear to have more leaks than most..
What brand would you recommend based on ease of service and accessibility, for 6-8 ppl? I was ready to purchase a used Dr. Wellness, but after your video, I am back to square one. Just read too many horror stories on the Dr. It would be my first tub too.
Thanks for this video. Just bought a house with a leaking hot tub, and I needed context. Thanks!!!
Sounds more like you need a dumpster.
Do all hot tubs leak, or just some brands? I was told my a service tech that Arctic Spas are notorious for leaking, which is why they push their perimeter insulation, whereas Cal Spa, Master and others use full foam and build the tubs properly so they won't leak. Is this true do you think?
This is like the Dr. Seuss version of hotub repair. It can leak here, it can leak there, it can leak everywhere.
Found plastic welder, trying on one of my leaks, but next time I do the 14 connection manifold I will replace with the barb style from you. I drilled with a bit the old tube out and went too far, now I bought socket savers...
Does Hot Springs clamp the jet plumbing on their Highlife series tubs? Are highlife tubs prone to leaks. I have a 2019 Envoy and have any jets in view..i see that the airlines are clamped.
I have a leak at a PVC joint. I've used Oatley Fit it Stick, JB Water Seal (Several Tubes) and even Fiberglass Auto body goop. It's now almost 1/2" inch thick and still a drip apears. I have try 10 times to get leaks fixed on this20 year old tub. I begining to think it has me beat!
I got a question not sure if you can answer but maybe a idea at whether I’m just going to get rid of my tub would be helpful haha. My circulation pump went out before winter, hired a company to come out. Was told I needed a new circulation pump that nobody could get and everyone was back order. So had them winterized. Put all the jet pump u-joints put back on got a new circulation pump on. And started filling it up. Course then realize water is just poring out the spray in foam. So obviously the winterization I paid for didn’t work. Had to sign paperwork so that company would not be liable. But I am at the point where I truly can’t afford to keep dumping more and more money into this. I have a master spa Michael Phelps xls 900. So many jets and it has the blown in foam. So not even sure how many places could be leaking. But on something like this what would it cost to get repaired worse case scenario? Cause I don’t seem to get any good luck. And I got to decide if it’s worth trying to fix at this point. I understand you might only be able to give me a idea but at this point any idea might help me decide which way to go thank you for your videos your video has helped me realize I got a big mess
Question I have is what are the most reliable/easy to maintain brands? Thanks
Thermospas, Vita Spa ,Nordic and Jacuzzi/Sundance.
Great video. I recently moved my hot tub 10 feet to edge of the deck and then dropped it 2 feet down to a cement pad. The tub was sitting for 6 months as I bought it used ( water was drained) but had about 5 inches of rain water in it. When we started pushing. It started leaking from bottom? I moved the tub to the cement pad and took off the side panels. 1 inch of water inside ? I then filled tub up 15 inches and dried the side with fans. Its been 4 days and no water inside ????? Where did the water come from ? I dont understand how the water got inside. Any thoughts? Thanks
I was probably in the air system and when you dipped it down water came out of that system it is open an alive the water line so no water comes out of unless you tipped the tub up.
what is the best small hot tub to work on or brand
WhYs that best models you recommend to purchase? Good video thank you!
Is there and alternative to re- spray foaming your tub after repair or should you foam it again and where can I get the foam??
Now I know why the classifieds are FILLED with free hot tubs. "Please haul off ASAP". Right?! LOL.
The point of this video is to illustrate that a service tech cannot go and repair a leak easily or even the first trip because there are so many places not can leak.. It is not designed to say hot tubs are too much trouble.. Tubs rarely leak but they can.. When they do it can be easy to find or very hard to find..
@@SpaGuy Which tubs are fully encapsulated? Cal Spa?
I have a 20 year old Down East model..Fortunately the leaks I discovered were near the heater connectivity, but I also notice that all the tubing is old and brittle. I'm sure its just a matter of time fore this tub will be repairable with only a serious amount of $$$$ thrown at it.
I wont fix a leaking jet, it normally means more jets will leak real soon after causing customers to blame you for future leaks and claiming you hadnt done the job right in the first place
the hot tub industry in North america needs go burn in hell. They PURPOSELY put cheap plastic parts where they are going to leak like crazy. The worst part is these plastics are exposed to heated water/chemicals 24 7 and you have 240 2 phase wiring .. I bought MADE IN CHINA metal parts which are HIGHER QUALITY that made in USA plastic garbage
I have a sundance capri spa from 2005. Sarted a small leak only when the jets run. Rather tear all the foam apart etc. what do you think of using Fix A Leak? I read that for a small leak it works pretty good. Do you have any experience with it? We live in a warm area in CA so it has never frozen and we have never turned it off.
SPA GUY, my hot leaks whenever I re-install the two filters . What might be a good place to start ?
Very informative video. Tks Billy.
Well said! Sir thank you for your vids they are very helpful. As I’ve just bought a house with a Frankenstein tub in the Uk 🇬🇧 and I’m in the process of giving the tub tlc (tender loving care) but it’s not cheap. All the best Chris c
Thank you so much!! We are in Oregon with LOTS OF SNOW and freezing temps 8 months out of the year. What if we started from scratch with just our fiberglass insert 😁
It is in great condition, we are on a tight budget and my heating system was JUST replaced 😢
It is a Dimension One with spray foam like the last hot tub you show in your video.
Do you share your test stand design? I have a hot tub unable to take to be repaired and more cost effective to find the leak myself. Just not sure how to get it in the air to find the leak
i need help with my leaky jacuzzi pipes covered with hard foam. any help ?
You've convinced me that being a hot tub repairman is not one of my future career choices
Where is there a video on the spas that are built such that repairs are easier? Issues with the glued pipes, foam surrounding pipes....what brands don't have these issues. Appears all of them do? Who's going to revolutionize the way they are built for future repairs? Is there such a brand?
Nobody...they want you to buy a new one. :(
Whew are you located. I have a thermospa tub that needs to be looked at.
Nashville Tennessee
Man, this video really highlights how troublesome hot tubs are as they age. We won't be fixing or replacing ours.
good video, Spa Guy, thank you. Do you find that Bullfrog brand spas leak less because they have fewer tubes/fittings, etc?
I have repaired leaks on Bullfrogs too..
My nest door neighbors brother-in-law gave us a 8-foot square Cal Spas hot tub. He said all it needed was a new nut to connect the pump to the heater, which I've replaced. We filled it up for the first time and it's got a significant leak somewhere away from the pump/heater side. It's got spray foam. Should I just cut away all the foam so I can diagnose it or save some time if I call a technician? Would that help save some money?
If you are calling a Technician I would not touch it.. As a technician I do not want to go behind someone else working on the tub.. They may be able to figure out the leak without digging..
our hot tub is 13.5 years old, has not leaked since the initial leak due to installation damage by the seler
This is the fourth weekend working on my tub, I've ordered parts from you a couple times already. I got everything fixed I could get to and it was still leaking, I'm now under the tub fixing the suction (I guess it's called) side and the drain side also. I so under stand what your talking about! When I'm done with this it could still leak in the manifolds!
Normally you don't have a lot of leaks at one time unless you have freeze damage... If the suction leak is freeze damage you may have to have other plastic parts... Thanks for the orders and watching.. Spa Guy
@@SpaGuywhich spas are in your opinion the best designed to last and for designed for easy future repairs?
I just dug my frozen hot tub out of 2 feet of snow and moved it into our heated garage to thaw for me to attempt leak repair. Should be an experience haha. Not sure how much it would have cost to have someone do that, but I'd want $2k to do all that for someone else.
hey spa guy...my 1/2 " hoses are leaking where they join to the jet fittings but i can't get the hose out without cutting it with a narrow knife on the inside of the fitting. is there a fitting that will fit OVER the outside of the 1/2 inch jet coupling and then reduce down to the 1/2 inch size so that i can cut the hose at the jet coupling and re-glue to the new coupling? did you get that?
I have a solution for this I call it Ricoing... The way you do it is go to my website and purchase 3/4" Clear hose... Here is the link to the tubing hottubpartsofamerica.com/tubing-3-4-inside-diameter-1-od-1-foot-used-on-water-manifolds-and-more/ and Buy a couple of worm clamps here is the link to the clamps hottubpartsofamerica.com/stainless-clamp-3-4-to-1-3-4/ You can cut the hose off right at the jet body and slide the hose side into the 3/4" clear tube with glue.. Then heat the other end of the tube and slide it over the outside of the jet body with glue and a clamp... This is a simple solution and it will never leak there again... Note: There are some jet bodies that have a really large flange.. In those cases you would use 1" I.D. Hose and put a 1/2" coupler on the 1/2" flex...
geez...thanks.
Thanks, well done.
how much should I expect to pay on a leak fix on a full foam spa.. Say it takes 3 times to actually find it.Alson once they dig out a seat area should I go ahead and have them rejoint all the joints that they can get at
+Captinprivate That is really subjective question.. The average leak repair on a full foam tub is about 4-600.00 in my experience... If they are replacing a manifold I would have the entire manifold system in that area replaced but would not disturb other areas. Thanks, Spa Guy
Hey spa guy, I have a older hot springs tub that has a foam filled insulation shell. It has multiple water leaks. I plan on disassembling the entire tub down to nothing, installing all new jets, and re building the plumbing from none of the original plumbing. Then building a new wood shell. Do you think this is a dumb move? Any suggestions? Thanks.
I would not do that it would be cheaper to buy and tub that is already running..
So... are you saying they're are several points at which it could leak?
HELP Spa Guy - I replace the top part of the pump - but it's leaking like crazy now ... can you look at this quick video and make a suggestion? Also i have 2 pumps on this hot tub. Can i just cap off the 2 water leads when i remove this pump and just run it with one pump for a while. I want to make sure the heater is working (use tub from craigslist) but can't get pass this problem ... :( - my video - @
Excellent video. Thank you.
I have been told that bullfrog spas at 90% less plumbing than most is this true? And if so that sounds like a huge advantage to a reduction in the possible leak ?
Let's just say the word "Bull" in your statement is appropriate..
I would say don't buy a foamed spa, luckily I live In warmer climate, mine does not have foam except on the outside foam boards. Yes I am repairing a few leaks, but I can see them.
Spa Guy,
For insulation purposes
do you prefer perimeter insulation or insulation sprayed direct to the tub?
Hope you an help,
Thank you
I prefer Perimeter.. I think the motors stay cooler making them last longer and you use the heat from the motor to heat the air inside..
What brand tub is nice and open like that?? Most I see are a foam MESS! EDIT: 5:00 :barf: 6:01 even worse! I've seen Wellis tubs that are no wood and no foam... Side panels have insulation. I'd like a 7'x7' tub with NO JETS... All I do is soak.
I have been in the hot tub business 20 years never heard the name Wellis..
I am wondering , could you not put a bit of food coloring in the spa and let it run , then turn it off , drain and flip up and look where the concentration of color is???
What is the major problems you see on the newer hot springs spas and the master spas?
John, I see no major problems with either brand though I like Master Spa Better.. That is not saying the Hotspring is not good I just prefer Master over them.. The port of this video is that service people cantle just show up at a leak and wave a magic wand and fix it.. There are times they can easily see what the leak is and times that there are many leaks and the issue cannot be solved in one trip.. Thanks, Spa Guy
Are there any other locations in which a hot tub may leak that were not mentioned?
Nope.. You missed the whole point of this video if that is all you got from it..
I have a leaky (full foam) tub. Does any of the stop leak stuff work? Would it be prudent for me to call a tech or attempt to trace the leak myself? I don't see it dripping at or around the pump area whether plugged or unplugged
What finally happened? I am in the same boat
Spa Guy... sincr you prefer Master Spa better, would you mind to elaborate why and examples of why you prefer this particular brand?
Because he is a Master Spa dealer. He says it in other videos.
Just had a brand new hot tub delivered. Filled it, took off panels and it is leaking in many places. WTF??
What If the tub Is Brand New Just Been Delivered And Installed..And It Is Leaking..Why Would It Be All Of These Leaks So Soon..We Just Got The Tub And filled It and Found That It Was Leaking..Do We Get A New Tub If The Tech Can't Find The Leak..We Haven't Even Made The First Install Payment..Havent Even Used It..and Already Dealing With A Leak.
Spa guy you are the hot tub god love them videos 👍
Those hot tubs sure aren't made for outdoors here in southern Michigan where I've been in our hot tub a number of times with the ambient temperature at -10 deg F or lower. Also, I agree the construction of those tubs just begs for leaks.
Spa guy when you do a repair do you refoam the tub or is it ok to leave it unfoamed after the repair?
James I cut flat foam and pace it win the front of the void behind the side panel..
@@SpaGuy awesome thanks for the reply and thanks for the 18 port manifold and air valve got my tub back up and running just in time for the cold season
i am not a plumber but i am a sparky and i can see so many similar situations here that we have ,sometimes to fix things the job itself isnt hard to fix but ACCESS is a bitch and that what takes time and time = money . yeah it sux when you get the bill but most people dont understand how hard some jobs can be ...until they try and fix it themselves.
It is about time regulators like UL and others get into some regulation on these products. The are designed poorly, lack any engineering principles of plumbing, have no attention to repair and maintenance. Shame on companies like Costco and Walmart for promoting sales of these nightmare packages to people with no technical understanding. Rule one should be to provide accessible hose/manifold connection decks on all four sides. Each motor pump assembly should be visible for servicing. Outlaw foam spray that are used for camouflaging leaky connections.
Foam spray is used to insulate your hot tubs, not to camouflage bad glue joints.
wonder if you could use a smoke kit like we use on cars for discovering vacnum leaks.
yeah I guess you could seal all the outlets with suction cups and then pressure test the system.
It seems the 1st thing to get busted is comonly the motor busting the pump shaft seal. Of course chlorine exposure is never kind to any materials.
I have the opportunity to pick up a 3 year old hot tub that I’ve been told needs a new manifold. Owner states electric is good as it has a tv built into it and seats 5 that’s all I know. I have yet to see it physically but after watching your how to, I have the skill set as I install irrigation. Long of it short, take the chance or pass? Keep up the good videos!! My current home is also wired for a hot tub that the house didn’t come with.
I am the owner of a 2007 Caldera Hot Tub. I got the tub for free a year ago knowing it had a leak ....I fixed a couple spots , well 1 year later it still has another major leak. The thing has been a nightmare. Get what you pay for.
Looks like some tubs use really cheap untreated wood for the frame/support, does the wood ever rot etc? Or is mostly a non issue?
I just bought an older Four Winds Utopia III. They used untreated wood and I had to replace it in multiple places with thicker treated wood. Even the wood the three motors were attached to was untreated. The shell of the hot tub was in pretty good shape, mainly what I was after for the purchase. So yes....definitely be mindful when purchasing because it will get wet. I'm not a tech, just a glorified DIYr haha.
Hey Spa guy! So got kind of a bizarre leak, it leaks when it feels like. Sometimes we're good, sometimes over a few weeks water is down quite a bit with water seen on one corner of concrete. Any thoughts much appreciated! Keep up the good work!
Brilliant Video , Thank you
Cool video. We have a leaking tub and I'm pretty certain I've spotted where it's coming from. We've got a Thermospa and it doesn't have that spray foam. I'm thinking of giving it a go myself but I also like the idea of paying someone to do it. My question is: Do they repair it on site or does it get taken away to get worked on in a shop? I'm up in NH. How much could a service call run me "ish"?
Most companies that I know of repair onsite.. Moving a tub can cause leaks so it is a bad idea to move one for a leak.. We charge 160.00 for the first house and 140 per hour after that... It depends on how long it takes to find and repair...most in the 3-400 range.. Thanks for watching, Spa Guy
Dang I'm to cheap, my company's service rate is $65 an hour. 40 years experience.... good job on your videos.
Hey Spa guy! So got kind of a bizarre leak, it leaks when it feels like. Sometimes we're good, sometimes over a few weeks water is down quite a bit. Any thoughts much appreciated! Keep up the good work!
Im a spa guy in California and those conversations get expensive quick 😂
Yes they do..
very informative. thanks
Awesome video
Insulation foam is 750 • F when it’s sprayed on? Gees, no wonder it’s causing damage.
I love it when a customer drops it in a deck with no access panels in the deck
wurly164 that’s my favorite 😂
In your honest opinion. What’s the most energy efficient leak free Hot tub ?.
Jacuzzi Premium..
Yes..... But can it leak?
Yep it sure can..
What do think of AquaRest/Dream Maker hot tubs with a heat recovery or thermal friction heating system. I live in Florida and it doesn't freeze here often. I have had an X400 for 12 years and it is just now leaking. And since it is a foam filled interior, it seems it will be too expensive to fix. I am considering another AquaRest with thermal friction heating. With no heater, it NEVER raised my electric bill even in the winter. Thanks.
I'm not a manufacture but these seem to be designed by an idiot or with intentions for them not to be fixed if something goes wrong.
I haven't looked, but they should make hot tubs without jets. I never turn them on away. Hot water in, filter, hot water out, into the heater and back again. One single continuous conduit.
It's leaking at the nut next to the tub, the other side is leaking next to the nut where the drain is. (this is on the bottom which all is 2" pipe) I'm going to replace all 4 suctions with grills/covers (I got took by the spa place here in town they marked up Their parts by 200%.) with new lines while I'm under there. the lady I got it from had to of left water in it and it froze, she gave it to me for free so once I'm done I shouldn't be into it more than 400.00.
On the suctions if they are leaking at the shell you can on some loosen the nut and push the fitting out put silicon around and pull back in and tighten back up and that will sell them... instead of replacing them..
Spa Guy I'm now wishing I would of done that..... I have them all mocked up and ready to glue. Thank you for all your help, and your parts are very competitive and extremely fast shipping! I would not hesitate to refer customers your way
In my opinion silicone is far better the gaskets I use aquarium silicon works great
He is just keeping it REAL everything he has just said Is absolutely true. I am a technician for a living or was. And these hot tub’s are very complex. And everyone is different. Do you allow it to break. Expected to be expensive to repair and probably multiple repairs
3/4" vinyl over top the 1/2" ribbed interesting but I'd rather use a 3/4" barb to a 1/2" slip I have seen many leak gluing a flexible pipe to a flexible pipe I can find the waterways part number for this part if you like and this method doesn't require clamps when done right
Just obtained a tub from a friend. It was fine for about 2 weeks, and now just noticed today that I've lost about a foot of water overnight. I wish I had watched this video before taking it :(
The point of the video is that a technician cannot go in and wave a magic wand and repair a leak in one trip not that a tub cannot be repaired..
i @@SpaGuy understood, and I appreciate you making the video. I just might have re-considered knowing what I know now about the leak potential of these things, especially the older one I have.
How would you fix this
Never mind cant add pics
Can it leak here though?
It definitely could..
Hello , my Hot tub is leaking from the bottom corner where there looks to be a over flow tube coming out. It's Continuously leaking. And I'm not sure what to do or how to fix it. Is there anybody that could Guide me in the right direction
@Christopher Neathery thanks I found it . It was the pressure cap rubber band around it is gone witch was allowing water to over flow and come through the overflow . Thanks
Thoughts on icynene foam? Expensive but never gets completely hard
Thats what she said
You missed 2,,,, filter housing seal, and light... hahaha 😄 🤣 😂 😆 😄 🤣 😂 😆 😄
Isn't the spray foam 1/2 pound foam?
Spray foam is 1/2 to 2lb on hot tubs.. 1/2 is like cotton candy 2lb is hard..
Sad thing is plumbers should he employed by spa manufacturers. I plumb thousands of joints everyyear. Less than 1% call back.
Obviously most spas must be put togeather by unqualified labour.
Just imagine if houses and other buildings had these issues. Just horrible. What a joke this industry is.
What are you even talking about.. If 1% of all hot tubs leaked it would be a disaster and you claim that as a good thing.. The point of this video is there are literally 100's of places it can leak so when we show up to repair it it may be one spot or two or three but with 100's of potential leaking points it may not be a one trip repair.. How did you get all that from this video.. Hot Tub plumbers plumb 1000's of joints weekly.. Most hot tubs never leak and based on the number of places it could leak the failure rate would be a fraction of 1% way better than your percentage/.. Get a Grip Man..