Some hot tub models are a “quick fix”, while others are a royal pain to work on.
Last year I went to replace a circ pump for a friend who had a very high end model. There were no gate valves so we had to empty the hot tub before I could do the job.
Then I had to remove pump 3 and pump 2 to get to pump one, and I needed a bendy double-knuckle socket with an extender to undo the back bolts.
What would have taken under an hour with an easier model/brand ended up being an all-day event. Thankfully, it was a nice sunny day and we had a good time hanging out on his penthouse suite deck overlooking False Creek. But if it had been a grumpy client during a rainy day, that job would have been hell!
Tips:
-Fully-foamed tubs make it harder to find leaks, but not all full-foam tubs are terrible to work on – the stiffer the foam, the harder it is to find/expose and work on the plumbing.
-The more expensive and fancy the model, the higher the likelihood of it costing more to fix and maintain.
-Also true, the cheaper the tub, the higher the chances that it’s bad quality and will likely need more work and repairs down the road.
-if a hot tub does not have removable panels, it will be harder to expose and work on any plumbing issues if needed. The tub may need to be lifted in the air, or you’ll have to cut holes in the cabinet.
