Hot tubs and whirlpool spas are fun, relaxing and just like a swimming pool – you don’t know how many friends you have until you purchase one. I had one years ago and it was so relaxing after a tough and physical day to go for a soak and work out the aches. Unfortunately, most people don’t understand the maintenance involved to keep them running for years. The mechanical insides – including the heating elements, pumps, filters etc. – should be regularly maintained by a professional, or at least someone knowledgeable about these systems. Hot tubs should be drained completely before wintertime, otherwise standing water will freeze and burst pipes and other mechanical items. Broken pipes are quite difficult to repair as most of the hoses and pipes are nestled in blown insulation, making them almost impossible to access. Leaking and broken pipes are the main reason we are called upon for hot tub removal.

Hot tubs are quite heavy and many are delivered to the home and then hoisted by crane over the house to be placed on a deck or a pad in the backyard. We don’t have a crane and are usually never lucky enough to have a straight path without obstacles, so we have to cut them up and remove them piece by piece.  It takes a couple hours and we often find different forms of wildlife in them.  We have flushed out mice, chipmunks, skunks… and one time I almost had a heart attack as I pulled away the side panel to reveal a 6-foot long black snake.

I don’t need to see horror films for a thrill. We’ve stumbled on enough critters while removing hot tubs, sheds and outdoor structures to give us a lifetime’s worth of jump scares.