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CUSTOM LEISURESCAPES · LONDON & STRATFORD
A failed pump does not always mean a failed hot tub. Find out what is worth repairing, what needs a closer inspection, and when a new spa deserves a place in the comparison.
For hot tub owners in London, Stratford and surrounding Southwestern Ontario communities.
THE DIRECT ANSWER
Repair is worth investigating when the fault is identified, a suitable part is available, and the rest of the spa is in serviceable condition. Replacement deserves a serious comparison when essential parts cannot be sourced, extensive deterioration is confirmed, several major problems remain, or the spa no longer suits your needs. Age helps frame the questions; it does not decide the outcome by itself.
Before approving either route, get a diagnosis, an itemised repair estimate, the warranty position and an installed replacement quote. This guide helps you turn those details into a decision you can explain—not a guess based on one expensive part.
Price a repair first when the fault is identified, the correct part is available and the rest of the spa is serviceable. Compare replacement when several major repairs, widespread damage or no viable parts route make keeping it uncertain. Check warranty coverage before authorising work. Age and a repair-cost percentage are useful context, but neither can make the decision alone.
Stop using the spa for repeated GFCI trips, a burning smell, smoke, overheating or visible electrical damage. Do not keep resetting a tripping breaker, open an energised control box or bypass a safety device. If there is fire or immediate danger, move away and contact emergency services.
If heat or circulation has stopped during freezing weather, call for prompt professional advice about protecting the spa while it awaits repair. Keep the cover closed if safe. Do not improvise with heaters, extension cords or a casual drain-down: water can remain in plumbing. For electrical installation work, consult a Licensed Electrical Contractor, as advised by Ontario’s ESA.
A SYMPTOM IS NOT A PART NUMBER
Choose the closest symptom for a focused starting point. These are checks to discuss with service, not instructions to dismantle equipment.
Heating can be interrupted by a circulation problem, an operating mode, a sensor condition or a heater fault. Record the exact display, water temperature and whether water is moving. Have the cause identified before ordering a heater.
Useful next step: Photograph the display and identify the actual controller. Match it in Custom’s troubleshooting guide, then request service if the problem persists.
Manufacturer controls differ, and a previous repair may have changed the original equipment. Follow the owner’s manual for your actual system. Custom’s hot tub problems guide covers additional symptoms.
THE REPAIR-OR-REPLACE DECISION TABLE
| Factor | Evidence to get | Supports a repair discussion | Supports a replacement comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age and history | Model year, purchase records, previous work and winter-care history. | An otherwise sound spa with a defined, isolated failure. | Older equipment combined with multiple confirmed problems—not age alone. |
| Recurring faults | Whether the same symptom returns, and what cause was established. | A first repair or an unresolved underlying cause that can be addressed. | Several separate major failures or persistent issues after a documented root-cause repair. |
| Repair estimate | Parts, labour, call-out/travel, diagnosis, taxes and exclusions. | A clear scope that restores useful service at a cost you accept. | A large combined scope that leaves other major work unresolved. |
| Parts availability | Correct part number, compatible alternative, lead time and installed cost. | A verified part or suitable alternative with a practical delivery time. | No viable part or conversion route after supplier checks. |
| Warranty status | Coverage for this component, fault, owner and service visit. | An approved claim materially reduces your remaining repair cost. | No applicable support combined with poor overall condition; a declined claim alone does not require replacement. |
| Shell, support and other systems | A professional assessment of leak location, support, cabinet access and remaining equipment. | The issue is localised and the spa is otherwise serviceable. | Confirmed widespread damage, several inaccessible leaks or multiple costly systems at the end of useful service. |
Do not let a repair percentage make the whole decision. “Replace when the bill is half the price of a new tub” ignores the condition of the existing spa, what the new quote includes and whether the repair is covered. Use price as one piece of evidence, alongside the findings above.
YOUR HOT TUB DECISION PLANNER
Tell the planner what is known. “Not sure” is a useful answer—it shows which evidence is missing. The result explains its reasoning and links you to relevant service and real Custom hot tubs.
Answer all eight questions so the plan reflects your situation.
YOUR NEXT STEP
USE YOUR ACTUAL QUOTES
A part price is not an installed repair price. A new spa price is not necessarily the total replacement cost. Ask each supplier what is included before entering figures. Use Canadian dollars and the same tax basis for both sides.
This is an upfront spending comparison, not a forecast of remaining spa life, energy savings, future failures or financing costs. The planner does not turn a percentage into an automatic repair/replacement recommendation.
“It is not heating again” is a repeat symptom, not proof that the new heater failed. Ask the service provider to explain the original diagnosis, what was replaced, how normal operation was verified and whether the new visit concerns the same cause.
Request a root-cause review and ask whether the previous repair or part has coverage. Keep the invoices and dates together. Replacing another part without a diagnosis can increase spending without improving confidence.
A pump, cover and unrelated control fault are a different history. Ask for a list of what is now serviceable and what still needs work. Recently replaced components are relevant when judging the remaining spa.
For confirmed structural problems, extensive freeze damage or multiple hard-to-access leaks, request a written scope. Ask what the repair restores and what remains uncertain before comparing a replacement.
CHECK COVERAGE BEFORE AUTHORISING WORK
Check the documents issued for your actual purchase. Shell, surface, equipment and accessories may have different coverage. A headline “lifetime” statement is not evidence that a particular pump, controller or service visit is covered.
A matching brand name or horsepower label is not enough. Photograph the spa model and serial plate, the failed component’s label and the controller display. A previous repair may have changed the original equipment.
Send the identifiers with your service enquiry for a compatibility and installed-price check. For a worn cover, use Custom’s custom-fit replacement cover page. Do not order a generic electrical component from a symptom alone.
IF REPLACEMENT IS WORTH COMPARING
A new spa should solve the ownership problem that is making you reconsider the old one. These three starting points from Custom’s catalogue address different seating and ownership priorities. Confirm the exact package, installation requirements, warranty and current quote with Custom.
SMALLER FOOTPRINT · THREE SEATS
Custom lists this three-person spa with a lounge seat and a 173 × 213 cm footprint. Explore it if you want a smaller spa for a couple or small household.
Compare the lounger fit, service clearance and electrical configuration. Fewer seats and a smaller footprint are the main trade-offs.
FAMILY SEATING WITH A LOUNGER
Custom lists six seats including a lounger, 53 jets and a 79-inch square footprint. Compare it when you want shared seating and a reclined position.
Check how your household fits in the seats. Confirm the selected 240V package, base, access and complete installed cost.
OPEN SEATING · JETPAK COMPARISON
Custom’s A7 Choice listing features open seating and four interchangeable JetPaks. Explore it if changing the massage layout matters more than simply increasing jet count.
Try the seating and compare the actual JetPak selection. Confirm the current model year, package, dimensions and warranty with Custom.
Also explore Custom’s MAAX collection for another seating and equipment comparison.
Use Custom’s seating and model finder →Browse all Custom hot tubs →
CASE 1 · ONE CONFIRMED FAILURE
The technician identifies one failed component, confirms the replacement and finds no major outstanding work. A repair quote is worth reviewing even if the spa is older. Ask what the repair includes and how it will be tested.
CASE 2 · REPEAT HEATING SYMPTOM
Before another purchase, compare the service history and request a diagnosis of why the fault returned. Check prior repair coverage. A second invoice is not yet evidence that the entire spa needs replacing.
CASE 3 · SEVERAL MAJOR NEEDS
If the spa needs multiple systems repaired and significant leak work, obtain a combined quote and a complete replacement quote. Compare downtime, remaining uncertainty and whether you still like using that spa.
These are decision examples, not Custom customer case studies, promised outcomes or quoted prices.
Custom LeisureScapes has a London showroom at 775 Wharncliffe Road South and a Stratford showroom at 404 Erie Street. For service around Komoka, Kilworth, Strathroy, Ilderton, Lucan, St. Marys, St. Thomas, Woodstock, Dorchester or Ingersoll, provide your town and address so the team can confirm the route and availability.
How do you budget for diagnosis? Start with Custom’s hot tub service call page and confirm the current diagnostic fee, included time, taxes, travel, return visits and parts before booking. Diagnosis identifies the job; it is not a promise that every repair is included in one fee.
For winter downtime, tell Custom the water temperature, whether circulation works and whether freezing conditions are expected. For replacement planning, send photos of the delivery route, existing base and old-spa removal access. Call London: 519-652-7665 or Stratford: 519-273-0976.
It can be. Age is context, not a diagnosis. A localised fault with a suitable part in an otherwise serviceable spa is different from multiple failures and widespread damage. Ask for the condition assessment and remaining work, then compare the future spending. No age band in this tool is a lifespan guarantee.
No. It identifies a condition on the applicable controller, not a guaranteed failed component. Flow, water level, filters, sensors and equipment operation may need assessment. Use the model-aware error guide and follow your owner’s manual before buying parts.
Sometimes a seal or wet-end repair is appropriate; sometimes the motor or whole assembly also needs attention. Have the source of the leak and the condition of the remaining assembly checked before choosing the repair. Ask a technician to identify the leak source and compare the installed options.
Not automatically. Check whether the replacement figure includes removal, delivery, electrical work and setup. Check whether the repair resolves the known issues or leaves other work. A ratio can help you understand the amounts, but it cannot inspect the spa or promise remaining life.
Ask for a compatibility and supplier check, including whether an approved alternative or complete conversion is viable and what it costs. “Not on one website” is not the same as “no repair route exists.” If no suitable route can be confirmed, a replacement comparison becomes more useful.
This guide does not assume savings. Cover condition, insulation, temperature, weather, equipment and use all affect consumption. Compare documented model information and your operating pattern. Custom’s hot tub running-cost guide can help organise the inputs; it does not establish savings for an unidentified old spa.
Ask for directions for your specific fault and weather. Do not casually drain a spa during freezing conditions: residual water can remain in equipment and lines. For loss of heat or circulation in freezing weather, seek prompt professional protection or winterization advice.
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