How to Fix a Hot Tub Air Lock? – The Ultimate Guide

You get the hot tub because you want to enjoy hydrotherapy and massage to nourish and relax your tired and stiff muscles. Therefore, hot tub manufacturers equipped the hot tubs with high-quality jets to give you a relaxing massage,  but imagine you come home from your long and tiring day at work and want to get the massage for relaxation, and your hot tub jets are not working.

If you encounter the same situation, don’t worry, it does not require heavy and expensive repairs, instead, you have to fix a hot tub air lock and it will be all set to give you a relaxing and soothing massage.

Air lock is one of the most common issues that a hot tub could face, which significantly affects the hot tub’s working and functions. Air lock is common, yet a lot of users don’t know how to fix the issue. If you are one of them who does not know, how to fix a hot tub air lock? You are at the right place, keep on reading, and the China Royal Spa will guide you about fixing a hot tub air lock and preventing it in the future.

So here you go!

How to Fix a Hot Tub Air Lock?

Though hot tub air lock is one of the main issues and problems that hot tubs have, many users don’t know what exactly an air lock is and why it happens? So, if you want to know how to fix a hot tub air lock, it would be best for you to see how a hot tub functions? What is an air lock, and why it happens?

How a Hot Tub Functions?

The hot tub functions in a simple way to give you the powerful massage and hydrotherapy. If your hot tub is working efficiently, it works in the following ways.

• To run the hot tub, you have to fill it appropriately.
• Make sure to fill the hot tub above the skimmer permanently.
• Turn on the hot tub, and the pump will start working.
• The pump pulls the water from the hot tub through the skimmer.
• The water of the hot tub passes through the filter and reaches to the pump.
• The hot tub water passes through the pump and reaches to the jets of the hot tub.
• After it reaches the jets the water again pushed back to the hot tub through the jet circulation.
• The jet circulation gives a powerful and soothing massage to the user’s body.

This is the normal working condition of the hot tub. However, the problem arises when the hot tub faces an issue of the air lock.

What is a Hot Tub Air Lock?

Many users get confused about how they can identify that a  hot tub has an air lock. The identification of the issue is quite simple. If you turn on the hot tub and hot tub pump, but no water is coming out of the jets of hot tub, it means your hot tub has an air lock.

Why Does the Air Lock happen?

To solve the issue of an air lock, it would be best to know the reasons and causes behind the hot tub air lock. In most of the cases, the hot tub gets the air lock when you drain and refill the hot tub.

When you drain the hot tub, the water from the hot tub drains entirely and it drains from the pump and the plumbing lines of the hot tub. Once the water is drained from the pump and the plumbing lines, the air enters into the plumbing lines and the pump.

After cleaning the hot tub, when you refill it, the air blocks the plumbing lines and prevents the water from entering into the plumbing lines and jets. So, no water comes out of the jets because of the blockage and you face the issue of the hot tub air lock.

The Symptoms of the Air Lock

Many hot tub users ask this question that how they can identify if the hot tub has the air lock or if it has some other issues. If your hot tub has the air lock, you will notice the following symptoms in your hot tub.

• You will hear a humming sound from your hot tub.
• The pump of your hot tub will not work.
• Some or all the jets of the hot tubs will not work efficiently.

Why Should Air Lock be Treated at the Earliest?

The air lock is a common issue the hot tub users face after draining and refilling the hot tub. However, if your hot tub has the problem of air lock, you should solve it at the earliest. The hot tub air lock has the following disadvantages for your hot tub.

The Jet’s Function and Efficiency

The air lock affects the functions and efficiency of your hot tub jets. The jets are designed to give you powerful massage and hydrotherapy, and they could provide you with massage only if the water passes through them. In the case of the hot tub air lock, the air blocks the way of the water, and it could not circulate through the jets, and it ultimately affects the efficiency and function of the jets.

Hydrotherapy and Massage

You get the hot tub to get the ultimate massage and hydrotherapy to relax your tired and stiff body muscles. You can get the ultimate massage, only if the jets are working efficiently and water is circulated through them. However, if an air lock happens and the air blocks the way of the water circulation, the jets do not give you powerful massage and hydrotherapy.

The Pump and Plumbing Lines

Apart from affecting the efficiency of the jets of the hot tub, the air lock could affect the function and efficiency of the pump and plumbing of the hot tub. The air stuck through them and did not allow them to function appropriately to let the water pass through them.

The Maintenance Cost

If you do not identify the issue of the air lock and call the plumber or professional to fix the issue, it will increase the maintenance and running cost of the hot tub and that will ultimately disturb your budget.

So, these are some of the disadvantages of the hot tub air lock that you will face if your hot tub has the air lock, therefore, China Royal Spa suggests resolving the issue at the earliest.

How to Fix a Hot Tub air Lock?

If you have identified the issue of air lock in your hot tub, the next thing you have to do is to fix the issue at the earliest. You can fix the hot tub air lock in the following two ways.

• By Using the Hot Tub Jets
• By Using the Pump of the Hot Tub

Use the Hot Tub Jets

You can fix the issue of the air lock with the help of the jets of the hot tub. If you want to fix the problem in this way, China Royal Spa suggests following the following steps.

• Open all the jets of the hot tub to give the air a passage to move out of the hot tub.
• After opening the hot tub jets, turn off the heater of the hot tub. If you do not turn off the heater, it will be disastrous for your hot tub.
• Turn on the jets for 5-10 seconds and then turn them off.
• Note, if the tiny air bubbles are coming out of the jets or not.
• Turn on the jets again for 15-20 seconds and turn them off. You will notice more air bubbles coming out of the jets.
• Turn the jets on for a relatively longer time, for 20-25 seconds and you will see more air bubbles coming out of the jets.
• Repeat the process until you notice that no air bubbles are coming out of the jets of the hot tub.

The process of fixing the hot tub air lock with the help of hot tub jets is quite simple and you have to repeat the process until the air bubbles are completely gone and you notice no air bubbles are coming out of the jets when you turn them on. However, there are some important things that you need to consider while doing and repeating the process.

When you turn on the jets of the hot tub, notice the number of air bubbles coming out of the jets. If the amount of the air bubbles coming out of the jets is decreasing with every subsequent trial, it means the process is going well, and you can fix the issue with the help of the jets. However, if the amount of air coming out of the jets is the same, it means the process is not going well, and you cannot eradicate the air bubbles with this process, and you have to change it.

In such a case, China Royal Spa suggests moving towards the second method of removing the air from the hot tub with the help of the pump of hot tub. The process will be a bit complicated, but it will help you in removing the air bubbles completely from the hot tub.

Releasing the Hot Tub Air With the Help of Hot Tub Pump

If the first method of removing the air does not give you the required results and the air is still stuck in the plumbing lines and pump of the hot tub, you can remove it directly with the help of the pump. To remove the air from the hot tub in this way, China Royal Spa suggests following th following process.

Pump maintenance (air locks): If you have emptied and refilled your spa and the pump comes on but there is no water movement in your spa, the spa is probably suffering from an air lock. This situation is more often for circulation pump than other massage pumps. To get the air out of your pump, turn the spa off and find the circulation pump, which is situated inside the spa cabinet. Locate the pipe which goes into the top of the pump. This has a large nut, which is called the barrel union. Undo anti-clockwise until you hear the air escape. When the water comes out, re-tighten. This should fix the airlock. Sometimes you have to start the pump again to remove the air.

Turn off the Hot Tub

The first thing you need to is to turn off the hot tub and disconnect the power supply of your hot tub. You cannot initiate the process with the power supply because it will damage the functions of the hot tub.

Remove the Front Panel

Once you turn off the hot tub, the next step you have to do is to remove the front panel of the hot tub. You can easily remove the hot tub front panel with a screw. If not, you can consult with the user manual prepared by the manufacturer. However, if you do not find the manufacturer manual, you can go to the google and type your query and get help from there.

Locate the Large Union

Once you remove the front panel, you will look at the equipment and multiple parts of the hot tub. China Royal Spa suggests locating the largest union of the hot tub that connects all the plumbing lines.

Loosen the Union

Once you locate the union, the next thing you need to do is to loosen the union. You can lose it with the help of your hands or you can use the wrench for this purpose. China Royal Spa suggests to lose the union until you hear the sound of air coming out of the union. The sound is the sound of air bubbles coming out of the hot tub plumbing.

Observe the Union

Once the air start coming out of the plumbing, stop losing the plumbing and observe it. After some time, you will notice the water start coming out of the plumbing of the hot tub. It means that the air is completely removed and the water got the passage to pass through it.

Set the Union and Front Panel

Once the water starts running out of the hot tub plumbing, it means that the issue of fixing the air lock is all set, and you can run the hot tub to get the ultimate massage and hydrotherapy.

Once you are satisfied and the issue is fix, start tightening the union of the hot tub and fix the front panel. Your hot tub is all set to give you a powerful massage, and the jets are in a working position. Connect the hot tub with electricity, turn on the hot tub, set the water temperature, balance the water chemistry, get into the hot tub to enjoy your day, and relax your stiff body muscles.

However, after doing the above-mentioned process, if you remain fail to solve the issue, China Royal Spa suggests to consult the professionals of your area to fix the issue.

Call the Professionals in Your Area

Once you deal with the issue and fix it, it will be equally important to stop it in the future. For that matter you have to take preventive measures.

Prevent the Hot Tub Air Lock

Hot tubs are designed to circulate the water through plumbing to and jets to give you hydrotherapy and massage. They are not designed to circulate the air through the lines, and if the air stuck through them, you can easily prevent them. So, if you want to avoid the hot tub air lock, follow the following steps.

Filling the Hot Tub

If you want to avoid the air lock of your hot tub, you have to take preventive measures while filling your hot tub.

To avoid the air lock, China Royal Spa suggests to put the garden hose in the filter of the hot tub instead of putting it directly in the hot tub. Once you turned on the water of the garden hose, it will fill the plumbing and pump of the hot tub, and it will ultimately decrease the chances of the air lock in the hot tub.

Bleed the Hot Tub Pump Before turning on the Hot Tub

This is another important step to avoid the air lock of the hot tub. Once your hot tub is full of water, bleed the hot tub pump before turning it on. To bleed the pump, do the following things.

• Turn off the GFCI system of the hot tub.
• Turn the bleed valve anti-clockwise, and you can do it with the help of the screwdriver.
• Make sure to keep the valve, until the water starts trickling through it.
• Once the water start trickles, tight the bleed valve.

Run the Hot Tub on Priming Mode

Once you complete the process of bleeding the pump, turn on the GFCI system of the hot tub. However, when you turn on the GFCI system, run the hot tub on the priming mode. The hot tub will run on the priming mode for about 6 minutes. However, keep the heater of the hot tub off during the process. The priming mode will help you in preventing the air lock of the hot tub.

Run the Pump of the Hot Tub to Purge Air

Many models of the hot tub come with a  button to purge the air. If you find a similar button on your hot tub. Push the button when you turn on the hot tub. China Royal Spa suggests to start with a slow speed and then gradually increase it. When you run the hot tubs, make sure that the water is circulating through all the jets. If all the jets work efficiently, the jets circulate the water within 20 seconds, and it means the hot tub is free from the air lock.

Some FAQs About How to Fix the Hot Tub Air Lock

What Causes Air Lock in a Hot Tub?

Air lock in the hot tub is one of the most common issues that the hot tub users often face. The air lock in the hot tub happens when the air gets stuck in the plumbing, and the pump fails to circulate the water in the hot tub plumbing. The atmosphere in the hot tub plumbing prevents the circulation of water, and the jets, heater and pump stop working.

How Do You Burp a Hot Tub?

To burp the hot tub follow the following steps.

• Open all the jets of the hot tub to make sure that the air in the plumbing of the hot tub gets a free pass out of the hot tub.
• Turn off the hot tub heater.
• Turn the jets of the hot tub on and then turn them off quickly.
• Again, repeat the process, turn the jets on and off them quickly.

By doing these steps, you will be able to burp your hot tub to free it from the air lock.

Will an Air Lock Clear Itself?

If your hot tub has a well designed low pressure  water pipe system then the air lock will clear itself naturally. However, if the air lock does not make naturally clear itself, you can quickly remove it by following the process described by the China Royal Spa team.

How Do You Know If Your Hot Tub Has an Air Lock?

Many new users ask this question that how do they know if their hot tub has an air lock? If you notice the following signs in your hot tub, then it has an air lock that needs to be fixed immediately.

• Humming sound from the hot tub.
• The pump of the hot tub does not work properly or stop working altogether.
• Some or all the jets of the hot tub are not working.

Why are the Jets of My Hot Tub Not Working?

If the jets of your hot tub are not working correctly, your hot tub may have the following issues.

• There is an air lock in the hot tub.
• The jets are damaged.
• Dirt or sand is clogged in the hot tub jets.

Does an Air Lock Damage the Hot Tub?

The air lock is one of the most common issues that stop the water circulation in the hot tub. If it stays untreated, it could damage the functions and work of the hot tub. Therefore, China Royal Spa suggests the users clear the air lock at the earliest.