How do you get rid of an old hot tub?

Empty hot tubs weigh over 500 pounds, so standard trash and bulky-item pickups won't touch them. Sell or give away working models, but hire a crew like The Junkluggers to cut up, haul away, and recycle dead or deck-built tubs in a single visit. 

No curbside program in Placer County is going to take a whole hot tub. They’re just way too heavy. Hauling one to the waste facility isn’t much better because you have to cut up the tub yourself and then load and tarp it and pay by weight when it’s dropped off. This is where a junk removal crew can help a lot.

Before calling a junk removal crew to remove your hot tub, drain it. Then shut it off. Most tubs are hardwired straight into a 240-volt disconnect box, so be sure to switch off the breaker and disconnect. For a hardwire tub, have an electrician cap the wiring if the circuit won’t be reused. If you’re in Roseville, note that draining a tub requires a discharge permit for spa water that routes to the sewer. This can take about three to five business days to clear, so request it well before the junk removal crew shows up.

It’s not a good idea to leave a hot tub sitting for long once you’ve determined it’s time to go. Dead hot tubs with sagging covers tend to breed mosquitoes. It’s smart to clear the tub out in advance of the rainier months of the year.

When the tub ultimately needs to go, this will often be done by cutting it out below deck level. In Roseville and Rocklin, tract homes usually have narrow side-yard gates to allow access. But no matter how access works, the tub is going to live in parts.

You might be able to sell or donate a tub that still runs. But the buyer will have to bring a crew and trailer. Most donation programs won’t take one at all. That said, junk removal doesn’t mean the hot tub goes right to the landfill. Motors, heaters, and copper are all recycled, as is the wood. Only the shell and foam are generally considered waste with no further use. If you want to learn more about this, read about our recycling commitment or our hot tub removal service on the linked pages.

Ready to get the old tub out? Schedule your pickup online. The Junkluggers of Placer County serves Roseville, Rocklin, Lincoln, Auburn, Loomis, Granite Bay, Newcastle, and Penryn.