Detecting a Leak in an Inflatable Hot Tub
There are not many things as frustrating as an inflatable hot tub that is leaking, and you can't find the leak at all.
Now, the majority of leaks are air leaks and are quite minor, to begin with. They will not cause you too many issues. Eventually though, if not treated correctly, they can develop into a rather big problem that will be nigh on impossible to repair properly.
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Basically, if you believe your hot tub is leaking then you are going to need to go searching for that leak as soon as you can, and of course, deal with it as soon as you can.
Sadly, not everything is infallible. From time to time you may find that the air starts to escape that inflatable hot tub incredibly quickly, or even quite slowly.
If you find that the air is leaving the hot tub faster than it normally does then you need to go hunting for that leak.
Now, many people seem to be of the impression that they need all sorts of specialist equipment to find a leak in their hot tub. You don't. In fact, all you need is a small amount of water, some sort of liquid soap, and a spray bottle.
Mix up your water and a couple of squirts of the soap in your spray bottle. Make sure the soap is well-dissolved in the water otherwise it will not be effective.
Now, with your spray bottle, you are going to want to spray around that blow-up hot tub. You will want to aim for the locations where you believe a leak may be occurring.
If the soap starts to bubble up on the surface then there is air being forced into it. This means you have a leak. To look for locations to 'spray' you will want to search for small black marks on the surface of the hot tub. Not all of these marks will be leaks though. In fact, very few of them are.
However, you are going to look for these inconsistencies in order to deal with any damage to the surface of the hot tub.
I suggest that you look for leaks in your hot tub every time you inflate it. This is because, as I said, the earlier the damage is spotted in the tub the easier it is going to be to deal with. If you leave it too long then you will find that it is nigh on impossible to deal with the problem.
Most small leaks can be patched up quite quickly using the right tools. They will not destroy the aesthetic appearance of your unit in the slightest. A small leak is prone to getting bigger; particularly if there is a lot of weight being placed into the hot tub at once.
How To Determine The Cause of Leaks In Inflatable Hot Tubs
If I had to narrow it down to 4 reasons why inflatable hot tubs develop leaks, they would be
- Age
- Frequency of usage
- Improper management
- Pinch the outer part of the tub with a sharp object
Just like humans, we cannot be as active as in our younger years compared with our old age, thus, a hot tub also declines in performance with age. Also, if there is an increase in the frequency of usage, the tub will most likely feel the effect the most.
Maintenance is very important when it comes to having a properly functioning hot tub. Thus, if the tub lacks maintenance, there is a high probability of leaks occurring.
If a sharp object should pinch the outer part of an inflatable hot tub, leaks will occur. A leak can either be large or small depending on the cause of the leak.
Common Hot Tub Parts Where Leaks Occur
2 most common places where leaks occur in an inflatable hot tub are;
- Pump sealing and
- The heating assembly
Leaks occur in the pump sealing with the usage and age of the tub. If you discover that the pump sealing is where the leaks occur, then, it is either the pump sealing is repaired or replaced.
The option of replacement or repair depends on what the professional recommends. My point is to call in a professional if the cause of the leak is the pump sealing.
Similarly, leaks occur in the heating assembly with usage and age of the tub.
2 of the most common places where leaks occur in the heating assembly will be;
- The valves and
- The union fittings
As with the pump sealing, call in the service of a professional if you find out that the valves are the cause of the leaks. This professional will also advise you on whether you should repair or change the valves.
As regards the union fittings, most likely the fittings might just have become loose, so all you have to do is tighten the fittings back with your hands. It is not advisable to use a wrench for this, this is because using a wrench can cause damage to the heater.
How To Be Sure That There Is A Leak
There are 2 methods to accomplish this without involving the help of any professional;
Method 1
This involves 3 steps. They are;
- Fill the tub with water and mark the level of the water
- Do not use the tub for at least one hour, then; check your marker to see if there is a drop or not.
- The level of the drop corresponds to how high or low the level of a leak is
Method 2
To use this method, you will the following 5 materials;
Water, Vinyl Pool Patch, Spray Bottles, Soap and Paper Towel
Once you have these materials, here are the steps you should follow;
- Fill the spray bottle with water and soap, then, shake vigorously. This is important in order to have a very good mix.
- Spray the suspected area with the mixture you have created. This is to see if there will be an appearance of any bubble. If there is a bubble, it implies that the leak is confirmed.
- Mark this area where the leak is
- Allow air to completely get out of that portion of the tub where there is the leak.
- Apply a patch to the affected area
- Use a paper towel to dry the area. This is to ensure that the patch fixes properly
How To Use The Patch
Each manufacturer has specific instructions on how to use their brand of the patch. However, 4 of the most the common instructions are;
- Add adhesive to the back of the patch and stick the patch to the affected area.
- Leave the patch for at least 2 to 3 hours before adding water
- Add water
- Lastly, spray the area again to observe if there is going to be a bubble or not. if there are no bubbles, then, the leak has been properly fixed. If otherwise, then you either repeat the process or call for professional help.
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74 comments on “Detecting a Leak in an Inflatable Hot Tub”
Hello! Your blog was super helpful. I do have a question. I’m new to this and not very handy. We purchased a used intex 6 person and it keeps slowly deflating. I believe there’s a hole inside because when I push it bubbles in one spot. How do I find exactly where the hole is?
New intex inflatable hot tub. Blew up with in four hours loosing air. Checked all valves, put soapy water on all outside all ok. Not loosing water it is full. Question if the air puncture was inside would we see bubbles comi g out of hole? We see none. Have checked thourouly . 2 days old HELP.
Leaking air not water used soap method .
Hi my vagus hot tube starts deflating via all the air bubble vents .how can I rectify this problem thanks jim
No visable tears or openings. The water leaks out until about 6in deep. none of the external parts leading to the motor are leaking or wet. Where do I go from here motor works fine just cant keep water in it?
Hi could you advice me about my Lazy- spa when I emptied hot tub it deflated straight away when trying to flatting back up it’s not fully flatted as soon as stopping plumb motion it goes back down only thing I did notice appears to have a lot of water inside wall of hot tub which now has been drained out but still not working many thanks yours linda mcglashan
so if order to find the leak by using the soap method do i need to empty the tub first of water
I have got Lay-Z-Spa I pump it up but it keeps going down can anybody help me
I have a coleman inflatable hottub. And its drippin from where the bubbles go on..all it right. So what's nexted?
Hi there looking for advice, detected a air leak on my inflatable hot tub from around the seam of the filter outlet pipe. Any info on a repair as its on the seam not as a puncture. Thank you
Michael Robinson like you I tried everything no leak found in fabric finally found the connections to blow hot tub up was passing, bit of ptfe tape cured my problem
Is it possible to fix a leak that is behind or inside the attached strip inside that produces the bubbles?
My hot tub isn't leaking its just going down. Don't know where to start looking for the problem!!
I have a coleman hot tube and where the strip by the side where the pump is just before it and my boyfriend did something I don't know what the he'll he did but one of my strip was pull out and now the air will not stay in it what can I don't please.
We have tried everything listed and still cannot find the leak. Have squirted down every square inch. Am I missing something or am I just stupid and inpatient? Any help would be appreciated. Company can't be reached and Amazon is of no help.
Lazy spa Vegas has a puncture behind the jets. Is there anyway this can be repaired? If so what would the procedure be?
Hi I've got the same problem I bought mspa lite last Sept and I have a leak at the bottom of my hot tub somewhere near where the unit
Got leaking draing plug howo i fix it
We found a leak in our hot tub. Fixed it first with patches provided. Air leaked around the patch. Bought some Flex tape. Applied that.. air still coming out around part of that! What do you suggest to try next?
Hi I have a lay z spa Vegas. And it’s deflating through the 80 plus jets. And I can’t seem to hold any air in it and it’s deflating it will not hold up at all. There is no water in it just now. We were putting away for the winter and when doing so it’s deflating from all the jets 80+ jets. What is wrong? Am I doing something wrong? Any help appreciated. Thank you leanne
Hi I have a wave direct hot tub unit keeps showing error 3 for unknown reason nearly new wave direct will not reply to emails any idea how to fix this or anybody that repairs them in west yorkshire area thanks mr rooney
Any tips on how to remove the water from the liner in the air chamber?
I put red food coloring mixed with water into the air chamber of tub. Rolled tub and Found leak in minutes... nothing else helped. No, the coloring did not stain....
That's a great tip! Thank you for sharing it
Hi, we have exactly the same problem as Hadria (July 10th) it is so frustrating.
We have a Lazy spa Miami.
Any advice would be much appreciated
HI I HAVE A LAY Z SPA PARIS. WHEN INFLATING THE AIR COMES STRAIT OUT OF THE 80+AIR JET HOLES. AM I DOING SOMETHING WRONG OR IS THERE A TEAR IN BETWEEN THE LINNER AND AIR JET LINNER
We just set up our Intex portable spa and had ankle deep water in it and it was profusely leaking out of the bottom. We emptied the water and tried to find a leak without any luck!We think it may be the seal as after a second attempt to fill the tub - it leaked again. This tub is brand new - never used! How do we find a leak? The spray bottle did not work!
Hi I have a lay z spa hawaii hydrojet pro which has a leak from the pump unit causing water to puddle underneath. It is out of warranty but only 2 yrs old and I'm struggling to find anyone who repairs inflatable tubs local to me in Surrey. Any suggestions?
My hot tub began to say E5 which means high temperature we turned it off as told to and now after a few days the hot tub will not inflate it starts to then stops . Cannot see any leak anywhere what else could be the problem please!? My hot tub supplier are not getting back to any emails
Hi, we have the same problem as Hadria, a leak seemingly from the drainage hole. The hot tub is losing about 4 inches of water over 24 hours.
We emptied it, dried it, lifted it and put in a basin of water. We moved the water around and it only leaked out when over the plug hole, although the plug seemed to be sealed.
When I felt underneath it almost felt like the water was escaping from the circular seal around the plug area, although it was hard to tell.
Could the plug not be forming a proper seal through age? I am thinking of putting a circular patch over the whole seal area around it. (with a hole where the plug is to allow drainage as normal)
Any other ideas?
Cheers, Steve
I had a water in the inner tube. So had to drain down to try and resolve. Once emptied inflated fully and listened near the air jet holes. Heard air right at the end of the chamber so had to cut into the air jet ring. Found a small tear where the air jets ring meet the main section. Have managed to repair now need to repair the ring with a patch and sealing tape. Hope the air ring holds when I try out.
Hi I need help I emptied my hot tub to move and refill it deflated once emptied I’ve tried to pump back up but only goes so far then stops and goes straight back down x found water in the air Chanel which I’ve emptied What have I done wrong x
Hi
in need of some help! our lazy spa (inflatable hot tub) has been leaking, we have detected the leak and it seems to be coming from the water outlet/ drainage system/ plug. we have never has this problem before and have no idea how it could have occurred as the spa has been in and always been in the same place! we thought maybe a seal could be missing from the plug but we haven't lifted the plug or tampered with it since we last emptied it a while ago and it is only the past couple days it has been leaking! once the spa is filled it only holds the water for a few hours and almost all of the water is gone after this time! I can not find anything online as a solution for this problem and I'm at my wits end so any help would be muchly appreciated!
Hey! It would be great to pinpoint the exact spot the water leaks from if possible. The leak must be substantial if it loses the water that fast! What model exactly do you have? Do you maybe have some photos of the drain plug?
Hi I also have water in the cavity of my spa.. when I try to inflate it air is escaping through the holes of the jet system and won't fully inflate... When I turn the air off it just deflates in minutes . Did anyone who had the same problem find a solution
I have a lazy spa which is leaking water out from bottom of pump. Can this be fixed
Probably yes, but you really do have to take the pump apart and take a look at what exactly is leaking (unplug it first of course)
My Miami has started deflating over the last two weeks, emptied it and will look to find leak this weekend, but I've noticed water is sloshing around in the air chambers, is this why it deflated slowly or do I have a more serious problem?
I set up my New York spa last night and filled it....this morning it was slightly deflated....pumped it up again and after 4 hours I can see it is deflating again...my problem is it is full of water and I can’t get the outer skin off to Check for an air leak...I’m thinking the only thing I can do is empty it and start all over again.....nightmare....any suggestions apart from emptying
I have a laz e spa, and i found my leak, its on the plug at the bottom of the pool, can this be fixed?
I have a lazy spa that leaks from the sid air valve it's from the little cap that tightens up after you have pumped it up.
Can anyone suggest anything as I cannot buy a new valve as they are out of stock.
I have the Lay Z Spa Miami...no problem with the inflatable part of the hot tub...apparently leaking water from the bottom...but from a spot that I am unable to find...completely sealed with FlexSeal, but it is still leaking. After two cans of FlexSeal spray & one quart of FlexSeal liquid...over $50 in materials...it still leaks! Might be worth the $180 to buy a new hot tub. Any suggestions???
I just started having the same issue with mine. I can't figure out where it's leaking from the bottom. I initially thought from the drain plug because that's where the majority of the water collects but the integrity of everything looks intact. Did you ever fix your issue?
Hi I have had a layzspa vegas for 3 years now put it up the other week and their is water getting into liner! When I take the full bit off that you would normally pump it up the water comes flying out so it is a lot going in. Is their anything I can do to repair? I have looked for holes and tears etc where it could possibly leak into from and found nothing. Please help.
I have a aqua lazy spa delux and put it away last year got it out and goes down overnight tried looking for the leak with no success st all don't know what to do now but will buying another one soon when lock down is over but don't know where to look thanx
Hi if my lazy stop is empty will it go diwn if lid not on ?
Hi Suzanne, no, it will stay upright until you empty the air from it.
I am having same issue with my coleman lay z spa. have had it a year next month put it away in November and set it back up end of March worked fine for about a month . Seemed like it had a slow leak and got up one morning and it shrank to about 2 feet last week . Tried tightening the valve and soap spray inside , out and bottom ..twice now and cant find the leak .. so frustrating love this thing..
Hi, we have a miami lazy spa, we only used for a few weeks last summer absolutely fine, we cone to use it again last week, pumped it up, filled with water left to heat, came to it the next morning and it had slowly deflated over night, it kind concaved inside where air had came out so water level had dropped, we've emptie, looked for a leak with no sign at all, it's a very slow leak of some sort, we tightened up and tried again, 3 times and this still happens, any ideas at all, we've tried with washing up liquid to find the air leak and can't find it anywhere. Thanks.
I have the same spa. And this has happened to me as well. Please share if you find the reason for yours.
I have same problem anyone know
I have the same issue exactly! Have you found a fix at all?
same issue here...
Same for me I have the miami and have used the soap test on the outside using a paint brush say as a gas engineer and cant see any leaks, I put PTFE round the air valve and it still deflates over night takes about 10 hrs to deflate enough. What are the chances of a leak on the inner part of the lining? Ive tested the rim and the outside and can find anything!
Shame there isnt an attachment I could put on the air pump side that would feed in smoke or a dye so we could find leaks (Patent Pending mind!)
I dont really want to fill it up to try and find the leak internally as its a it of a wast of water too the I can try a soap test in the inside but I can see why a leak would have formed in there if Im honest
I have got the same problem I have gone round it twice with the washing up liquid and still carnt find it do you have any suggestions as to what to try I have only had it since last March thank you
I live near Blackwood gwent
I bought an mspa last April it's been used about 20-30 times we pumped it up last week and filled it with water. It takes 2 days to heat properly once heated it went down. It sounds like its leaking around the pump area some where we cant get to too see properly. How do you find a local expert in hot tub repairs
Hey Gareth! Does it leak water? Is the pump connected just fine? It may very well just be leaking from the connections between the hot tub and the pump.
I found my Coleman leaks around the jet. Should I just surround the area with a glue or can it be removed and repaired?
Ive just found the same problem on mine how did u repair your one. Thnx
Have Intex hot tub with slow water leak after one year of use. Live in central Texas and exposure temps range from 30 to 110 degrees with direct sun exposure at times. Can’t find leak as it seems to be a slow seepage. Taped entire bottom seal with flex seal tape but still leaking. No water in walls. Sits on concrete pad. I guess my question is, has the excessive expansion and contraction due to outside temperatures caused the seals to fail and it’s time for a new hot tub? I am considering putting the next one in my garage to shield it from the sun as well as provide a more consistent temperature. Good idea? Thanks
Hey Sherrie! I don't think the sun would deteriorate the material that quickly, especially underwater. Regarding the Garage, it's a good idea - but keep an eye on managing the moisture. Warm and humid air = mold, without proper air circulation that is. Basically, make sure the garage is ventilated and not closed off completely.
My Intex has leaked air from day one. I have had it for 5 days. Can't find the leak using a spray bottle.
My friend has water leak in intex hot tub. Would "fix a leak" work to plug it? It seems good for pools and larger hot tubs.
I have a small puncture close to the seem on my paris hot rub.. Can this be repaired by a patch
Hi! Sure! In fact, there are even underwater patches available you can use for underwater punctures. 😉
I have had my purespa tub for around 4-5years. My 2 kids (11&5) use it almost daily through the summer as a play pool with there friends.
They walk around the edge and jump in, run up and jump into it.
Maybe I’m lucky but this is the first time it’s started to go down and it is my own fault for leaving it out empty one night and it caught of a fence.
Patched it up with standard latch and the rubber glue and it is holding air fine.
Kids haven’t tried it as a spring board yet though
Hey how are you I but air in the hot tub the air keep on coming out I have a E90
Have you seen this product? "fixmytear". I bought this repair tape a few yrs ago and am finding it really helpful in a lot of different surface repairs.
https://www.amazon.com/Fixmytear-Magic-Repair-Tape-33ft/dp/B01MA5HSNC
https://www.amazon.com/fixmytear-Magic-Repair-Tape-Kit/dp/B016M1S1GU
I have had my Spa barely 1 month & now it is leaking air! Have used it apx 10 times!
The other thing I am not happy with is the fact that it loses heat very very fast!
Tub is blown up after a few days it goes down slightly .but won't blow up using electric pump to blow it up .whats wrong .
is there eney dye that you can put in when inflateing the hot tub so that you can see where the air is leaking from
Use soapy water and watch for bubbles.
I have alrady tried both of these methods and they do not work and the guarantee expired over a year ago now, what can i do?