How to Disassemble Your Own Hot Tub

Sadly, hot tubs weren’t designed to last forever. Often being outside and exposed to the elements, hot tubs can face weathering, damage, and even infestations! In these extreme cases, most people would agree that the best option is to get rid of that old jacuzzi. However, finding the right team can be a true challenge, with most companies charging excessive prices. Although we provide hot tub removal ourselves at Johnson Junk Removal, we want to encourage you to take the job on yourself. After all, we know that you have the devices and diligence to get it done, and we can easily walk you through it! Learn how to disassemble your own hot tub today through our simple and straightforward 7-step process.

Many people would take one glance at a hot tub and be intimidated by the whole process. However, with these professionals to walk you through it, removing your own hot tub is reasonable and easy! Before jumping in head first, though, let’s make sure you have a disposal solution in place. After all, since you’ll be handling all the debris disposal, you’ll need a pickup truck, dumpster, or some other plan!

What You Need

Before completely understanding how to disassemble your own hot tub, it’s key that you have all the necessary tools and equipment. Here are all the things you need to begin:

  • Work gloves
  • Safety eyewear (mask)
  • Screwdriver
  • Sawzall, jigsaw, or other saw
  • Tarps, a dumpster, and/or truck for hauling and disposal

Step 1: Disconnect the Hot Tub’s Electricity

The first thing to note when learning how to get rid of a hot tub is to make sure the hot tub is disconnected from all the electrical, water, and gas lines. Missing this step can cause a gas leak or flooding! After you disconnect the lines, it would be proactive to look into your Jacuzzi’s manual to see if there are any other wiring components that can be removed before disassembly.

Step 2: Drain the Tub

This might seem self-explanatory, but the next thing you want to do is drain that jacuzzi of any water! First, find the drainage spout typically located on the tub floor. Then, attach a garden hose to it and drain the hot tub water in an ideal outdoor location that won’t flood your yard. Before moving on, pat the jacuzzi bed dry to prevent slipping or other mishaps in upcoming steps!

Hot tub without the skirt during the demolition process

Step 3: Remove the Tub’s Skirt

To properly disassemble your own hot tub, you’ll need a few tools. Using protective gear like gloves and a mask, address the removal of the hot tub skirt. You should consult the jacuzzi manual to determine how the skirt is attached, but generally, this step involves unscrewing the skirt’s attachment to the hot tub. In other cases, however, skirts are attached to hot tubs in such a way that requires them to be sawed off in order to be separated.

Step 4: Remove Small Accessories and Parts

Before getting down to the nitty-gritty of your hot tub demolition, first, remove any other small parts like jets and lights. Generally, hot tub designs allow for these parts to be easily removed by simply rotating them counterclockwise. Then, you’ll want to remove any remaining pipes, motors, or wiring in the tub.

Step 5: Cut Up the Hot Tub Bed

Now comes the time to break out your tools for sawing! Since hot tub beds tend to be bulky and heavy, cutting them down into smaller sections is the way to go. Strap on any protective gear like gloves and get to cutting! Making sure to avoid any nozzles or jets, saw down the bed into smaller, manageable sections and set those aside.

Step 6: Remove The Cover

At this point, you’re probably left with the hot tub’s old cover. In order to break this piece down, just remove the foam from inside the vinyl casing and cut it into smaller segments. Now, you can set that alongside all the other debris and move on to clean up!

Step 7: Remove and Dispose of The Debris

Finally, your hot tub is broken down and ready to be disposed of! This is the part where you address your initial plan for getting rid of the debris. If you chose the hauling route, load all the debris onto your truck. If you have an accessible dumpster nearby, dump all the debris there in batches.

When you’re in the disposal process, always remember that much of the debris is recyclable materials! That goes for electrical components, metal parts, and even skirt and bed materials. If you wish to keep things eco-friendly, don’t hesitate to conduct your own research into recycling centers near you to find the right disposal center for your hot tub debris. You can even find some helpful tips on ways to dispose of or reuse your old hot tub!