Buying a used hot tub: what to check before you pay

A used hot tub can be a good buy if it comes from a known maker, has been looked after, and you see it full, hot and running before you pay. What a second-hand tub is worth depends mostly on its age, make, condition and cover, and the costs that come after the sale often decide whether it's really a bargain.

What decides the price of a used hot tub

In the Fraser Valley, many used tubs are listed privately on Facebook Marketplace and Kijiji, and asking prices vary widely. These are the things that should drive the price:

• Age. Older tubs are more likely to need a pump, heater or control part soon.
• Make and parts. A tub from a maker that's still in business, with parts you can still buy, is worth more than an orphan.
• Condition. Cabinet, frame, shell and equipment (the checklist below).
• The cover. A good cover adds real value; a waterlogged one means buying a new one straight away.
• Whether it's running. A tub you can see working is worth much more than one that's drained and "was fine last year."
• Who moves it. A tub on a patio by the driveway is a very different job from one on a back deck up two flights of stairs.

See it full, hot and running

Ask the seller to have the tub full and at temperature when you visit, with the cover on. A tub that holds its heat with all the jets working tells you far more than any listing. Be careful with:

• A tub that's already drained. You can't see leaks, heating or pump problems.
• "It just needs a new heater" or "it only needs a part." If it were that simple, it would usually be fixed already.
• A tub that sat drained through a winter. If water was left in the plumbing, a freeze can crack pipes, pump housings and the heater.

Used hot tub inspection checklist

Take a flashlight and a towel, and allow half an hour.

Cabinet and frame

Lift off an access panel. Look for soft or blackened wood in the frame, mould, wet insulation, rodent nests and chewed wiring. Our wet climate is hard on wooden frames, and a rotten frame can let the tub sag or the base give way.

Shell

Check the acrylic for cracks, blisters, soft spots that flex when you press, and heavy staining. Small cosmetic marks are fine; cracks and delamination aren't.

Leaks

Look for wet ground under the tub, drips at the pump and heater unions, damp insulation, and white crust around fittings, which is a sign of slow, long-term leaks.

Heater

Is the water actually at the set temperature? Ask the seller to raise the set point and confirm the heater indicator comes on.

Pumps, jets and blower

Run every pump on every speed and check every jet, diverter and the air blower if there is one. Listen for grinding bearings or a pump that hums without moving water. See pump repair for what those sounds usually mean.

Controls and error history

Every button on the topside panel should work, the display should be clear, and there should be no error codes. Ask whether any codes have come up recently and what was done about them.

Cover

Lift it. A cover that's very heavy has soaked up water and lost most of its insulation. Check for torn vinyl, a broken fold, broken straps and mould. Most used covers need replacing; see our hot tub covers.

Age, make and parts

Find the label in the equipment bay with the make, model and serial number and take a photo. Check that the maker is still around and that parts for that model and its control system are available. Older control packs in particular can be discontinued.

Electrical type

Is it a 120-volt plug-and-play tub or a 240-volt tub, and what amperage does it need? Make sure your home's panel can supply it. Our hot tub electrical page explains what's involved.

The costs that come after the sale

A used tub's price is only the start. Budget for:

1. Moving it. Even empty, most full-size tubs weigh several hundred kilograms. It takes the right equipment, a few people and a trailer, and sometimes a crane at one end or both. We can move a tub you've bought; see hot tub moving and removal.
2. Disconnecting it safely. A hardwired tub has to be disconnected from the seller's power by someone qualified before it can be moved.
3. A base at your place. It needs a level, solid pad or base that can carry the weight full of water and people.
4. Electrical at your place. A dedicated circuit and GFCI disconnect, plus an electrical permit, which BC requires even when a licensed electrician does the work. See the permit guide.
5. A cover, steps and a cover lifter, if they're worn or missing.
6. A fresh start. A line flush, new filters, a full drain and clean, and start-up chemicals.
7. Repairs found later. Set something aside; problems sometimes only show once the tub is running at your place.

When a new hot tub makes more sense

Add up the used price and everything in the list above, then compare it with a new tub installed. New is usually the better buy when:

• The tub is old, or parts for it are hard to find.
• The cover, a pump or the heater needs replacing straight away.
• The move is complicated, needing a crane or a long carry.
• You want a warranty and someone to call if something goes wrong.
• Running cost matters to you. Insulation and covers vary a lot, and a poorly insulated older tub can cost noticeably more to keep hot.

Our hot tubs and hot tub prices pages explain what goes into a new, installed tub. If you're replacing an old tub with a new one from us, removal of the old one is included.

Buying used in Langley, Abbotsford and nearby

A few local points are worth keeping in mind. Look closely for frame rot, since our long wet season is hard on wooden cabinets. Ask how the tub was kept over winter, because a drained but not winterized tub may have freeze damage that only shows once it's full. And look at the route out of the seller's yard before you agree on a price: tight side gates and back decks are common. We serve Langley, Abbotsford and the rest of the Fraser Valley.