How to Find and Fix a Hot Tub Leak
A hot tub that keeps needing a top-up usually has a small leak, and most small leaks can be found and fixed without draining the whole tub. Here's the order we walk customers through in our Kitchener, London and Windsor showrooms.
First, confirm it's a leak
Fill the tub to its normal level and mark the waterline with a piece of tape. Leave the cover on and the jets off for 24 hours, then check the mark. Do it again with the pumps running. If the level drops faster with the pumps running, the leak is usually in the plumbing on the pressure side of the pump. If it drops faster with everything off, look at the suction side, the fittings inside the tub, or the shell.
Where hot tub leaks usually are
Turn the power off at the breaker before you open the cabinet. Then look in the equipment bay first: the pump unions and seals, the heater fittings, and the filter housing. Water pooling under the cabinet, or soaked insulation, points you to the area. Inside the tub, check around the jets, the light, the filter/skimmer and the steps.
When a leak sealer works
A sealer like Marlig Fix-A-Leak will seal holes up to 1/8" in the plumbing or the shell. Remove the filters, run the pump on high, and add 8 oz per 1,000 gallons at the filter intake. It works best in warm water (at least 21°C). Let it circulate 6–8 hours, give it about 24 hours to cure, then drain and clean the tub. If the leak hasn't fully stopped, you can repeat the treatment. Full step-by-step directions are on the Fix-A-Leak product page.
When to call a technician
A sealer won't fix a failed pump seal, a loose or cracked union, a cracked heater fitting, or a leak you can't find. If water is pooling in the equipment bay, or the leak comes back after two treatments, book a visit from our service team.
Questions about your tub? Call us at +1-226-240-0114 or visit us in Kitchener, London or Windsor.