Hot Tub Latches Freezing Up

[new_spa_owner]

This is my first winter owning a hot tub and I've been having problems with my latches freezing. I believe some snow melts on the lid and sides and it runs down the latches since they hang lower than the skirt. Eventually the water gets far enough from the lid and freezes up on the latches. Due to my deck being within a couple inches of the side of the hot tub I don't have a lot of room to work to get them unfrozen and to try to prevent them from freezing. Has anyone else had a problem with their latches freezing or anyone have an idea on how to prevent this? Thanks in advance!

[hd2000]

It's happened from time to time for me and my solution is to take a glass of warm water out and gently pour it over the latch to unfreeze it. I never looked at it as being a big problem and a glass of warm water was good enough for me. Probably because it really doesn't happen to me all that often. Maybe some WD40 or something like that would help if it's a problem for you. Off the top of my head, I really can't think of anything else, but someone else probably has a better solution than mine up their sleeve.

[Dnepr Dave]

I don't latch mine. We have had some significant wind storms and the cover stayed put.

Dave

[hd2000]

I don't latch mine. We have had some significant wind storms and the cover stayed put.

Dave

Maybe that's why it itn't much of a problem for me. My wife NEVER latches the cover when she is the one that closes it. I do, but I must admit, not always. We have never had our cover blow off either.

[north_of_boston]

This is my first winter owning a hot tub and I've been having problems with my latches freezing. I believe some snow melts on the lid and sides and it runs down the latches since they hang lower than the skirt. Eventually the water gets far enough from the lid and freezes up on the latches. Due to my deck being within a couple inches of the side of the hot tub I don't have a lot of room to work to get them unfrozen and to try to prevent them from freezing. Has anyone else had a problem with their latches freezing or anyone have an idea on how to prevent this? Thanks in advance!

Again, the warm water is the right path on this.

In fact, if in doubt, use it anyway, because ice on the inside of those locks might snap them.

Another hint = ALWAYS clear the top of the tub off of snow and ice BEFORE you lift the cover -- you could damage the cover lifter. Too much weight on there.

Finally - if you have to use a garden hose to top off the tub, you can thaw it out by placing it in the hot water (assuming the hose is clean) BUT .. BUT ... stay out of the way of it when you turn it on , ice pellets can injure....

[new_spa_owner]

Thanks for the responses. I think part of the problem is that our weather has been hovering around that 30 degree mark so during the day the snow melts/blows and at night everything freezes up. Now that we got 8 inches on the ground the temperature will stay colder so I'm hoping this problem will pass.

[Hillbilly Hot Tub]

we use a can of lock deicer. They other thing that works, is rather than just leaving the cover unlocked (they can and will blow off, plus winds will loft them causeing you to lose valuable heat) is to leave it unclipped and use bungie cords . Clip one end through the strap and the other end under the enge of the cabinet or place some eye hooks on the cabinet to hook them into. This is what we use at the ski homes, easy for them and much fewer broken cover clips.