Hot tub removal — how to get rid of an old spa
An old hot tub is one of the hardest things to get rid of yourself: it's big and heavy, and several dumps want it cut into sections before they'll take it. Your options come down to cutting it up and hauling it, finding a site that takes it whole, or paying a junk-removal crew.
Short answer
- Power off and drain it before anyone touches it.
- Expect to cut it up. Several sites require hot tubs in quarters.
- Some dumps take them free or by weight; some won't take them at all.
- A junk-removal crew is often the least-hassle route for a full-size tub.
What dumps say about hot tubs
- Phoenix: a $50 charge for spas and boats not cut into fourths.
- Oswego County, New York: hot tubs must be cut into quarters, then weigh-and-pay at the posted per-ton rate.
- Louisville: residents can drop off a hot tub free, one a day.
- Anchorage: one drop-off lists hot tubs among the items it won't take.
Check your own city's page before you start cutting: rules on size, fees and whether they take tubs at all vary by site.
Doing it yourself
Turn the power off at the breaker and drain the tub first. After that it's a demolition job — the cabinet, shell and frame come apart in sections small enough to lift and to meet your dump's size rules. Haul the pieces in a covered, tied-down load: many landfills charge extra for an untarped load.
Find a dump near you
Enter your city or ZIP for the nearest landfills and transfer stations, then check each site's page for hot tub rules.