I have a friend who lives five hours from here. He bought a pre-owned house and told me they don’t like the tub. We would want to know more about it so we considered if it’s worth the time and effort to move it. Renting a truck is an option, but we are worried that the tub might get damaged when transported. Can anyone give me insight on relocating and reinstalling a portable hot tub and point out any potential problems that we may encounter? Is there a time when there is a considerable risk for the indoor hot tub to leak or break? I want to know if moving the tub is well worth the risk.

How large is the tub? Is it an indoor or outdoor tub?

I certainly can’t say how many years a tub should be to be called old. I have tried moving an in-ground hot tub to another location hours away without having any problems. We have a 2-person hot tub that worked great for 11 years without a hitch. Portable hot tubs that are intended for outdoor use may be different, though.My tub is placed outdoors. I cannot tell how big it is, but it appears like just a regular-sized tub, neither too large nor too small.

I suggest you take some photos of the tub and the inside of the shell so someone can take a look and give you good advice. If you have kept the cover on and prevented sun exposure, the fiberglass won’t be affected provided that it’s not frozen or cracked. If you live in a cold area, then the piping may have frozen.

If possible, have the tub transported in a sitting position or flat on a trailer or truck to avoid cracks or damage. If you want to find out how old your tub is, you can take a look at the service area, where you’ll find the electronics. If the electronics are broken, you may have to pay a couple of hundred dollars to have it repaired.

What if the tub was ok and they don’t want to have it anymore? This should not be a problem. They can ask 6 to 8 people to move it to a trailer or flatbed truck.

It shouldn’t be very difficult to relocate a two-person hot tub on an enclosed truck or open trailer. If you want to move it on a trailer, be sure to cover it with a tarpaulin and a shrink wrap, which secures the tub against the wind. It would also help to take photos of the tub at home before disconnection to facilitate reinstallation. Otherwise, you can get help from a local shop or hot tub manufacturers.

More important than the age and how much are hot tubs, you need to protect your tub from extreme weather.