Most locations in the U.S. and Canada experience extreme weather at some point in the year. From hurricanes and tropical storms in the southeastern U.S. to snowstorms and tornadoes in the north and everything in between, it’s important to be prepared with the knowledge of how to ready your hot tub for a storm. There are three main goals you’ll have when preparing your hot tub: preventing the cover from blowing off, keeping debris off your cover, and preventing heavy objects from falling onto your hot tub shell. Use the advice below to protect your spa and cover.

Lock down your cover latches

Your hot tub from AquaRest Spas comes with a free Marine-Grade Vinyl Cover and locking cover strap latches. Install these latches onto your spa now with the straps creating a tight fit, so that they are ready in the event of a storm. Your spa’s cover is designed to snugly fit your spa, and these latches provide an extra level of protection from strong winds lifting the cover.

Clear debris

Clearing any yard debris, like fallen branches, before the storm will prevent them from flying around your yard. AquaRest Spas’ shells are designed to be durable, but falling debris can damage your spa’s cover. Regularly checking the trees in your yard for any weak branches keeps your yard prepared for if a storm does come.

Move all outdoor furniture, flowerpots, and outdoor accessories inside

You can also prevent wind damage to outdoor items around your spa by bringing patio furniture, the grill and yard decorations into the garage or inside. Like yard debris, lawn decorations and furniture can be picked up by the wind, so keeping them out of the storm is the ideal way to prevent damage.

Keeping your spa filled with water will help weigh it down

If you live in an area that is at risk of flooding, especially near a river, keep your spa filled. If waters rise around your hot tub, an empty spa is light enough to be carried away by the water.

You do not have to turn the power off on your spa unless it becomes damaged or loses its cover. When the weather has improved and it is safe to do so, then you can drain your spa until it is repaired and/or your cover is replaced.

When safe, remove debris from the spa cover

One of the first things you can do when the storm has safely passed is to visually examine your spa and remove anything that has landed on your spa’s cover, like snow, branches, or an errant lawn flamingo. Weight on your spa’s cover can cause it to sag over time, so keep the cover clear.

If you keep your spa’s cover latches locked when your spa is not in use and follow the other advice given above, your spa will be one less thing to worry about during a storm.