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Winter Weather
Tips

Freezing temperatures can cause problems with a Sole Bowl Foot Spa which hasn't been winterized. A few minutes of TLC before the weather turns cold will keep your spa from being damaged.  Call us if you need advice or help at 971-344-3730. 


The most common damage is to the filter canister, which is made of thick plastic that surprisingly can split wide open. Fortunately is can be easily repaired by buying a replacement canister. The AOSmith brand filter system is available at most hardware stores.

A serious freeze can cause the pump or heater to be damaged. These repairs are more serious and require some replacement parts and probably a service call.

Worse yet, the pipes underneath the bowl can fracture (as shown) requiring a rebuild of the whole assembly. This happens most often on spas placed on elevated decks.

Freezing Damage

An Ounce of Prevention

Maintenance

The surest way to prevent damage is to drain the spa if its outdoors. Attach a garden hose to the faucet, open the spigot and activate the pump by pressing the "set" button. After it drains, use the blue filter canister wrench to unscrew the canister and empty and replace it. To be completely safe, disconnect the bowl by unscrewing the two pipe connections and tip the bowl over to drain the water in the pipes.

Other Options:

Temperature Adjustment
Pipe Rebuild

Setting the temperature to a low level can prevent freezing. Be aware of increased power usage, and be alert to power outages. Consider throwing a tarp over the spa to keep it out of the wind.

  1. Press and hold the "up" arrow

  2. Press the down arrow to decrease the temp (around 60F should do it)

  3. Press the "set" button

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Note: Though not an ideal solution, last winter I put a blow dryer in our cabinet to protect the spa during a cold snap. I just ran it for ten minutes every couple of hours. Or you might try placing a lamp with an incandescent bulb inside the cabinet.

If the weather catches you off guard, what is the worst case scenario? One of our spa owners experienced this and needed some repairs in the spring. Our re-plumbing job shown in the photo cost $300, with some other updates.

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