Hot tub showing a dr / dry error?
A dr / dry code means the spa detected a possible dry-fire — too little water reaching the heater. It's usually low water, an air lock, or a clogged filter starving the pump. It often clears once flow and prime are restored; if it keeps returning, the pump is the suspect.
from $149 · $69 diagnostic credited to your repair
The spa thinks the heater is about to run dry
dr, dry and DR are dry-fire detections. The control system has concluded that the heater could be sitting in air rather than water — the single fastest way to destroy an element. Rather than risk firing into an empty tube, the board halts heating and posts the code. It's the most protective fault a spa throws, and it usually means flow has been interrupted somewhere between the water and the heater.
The everyday causes are all about flow getting starved. A low water level lets the pump pull air at the skimmer; an air lock after a drain-and-refill traps a pocket of air that stops the pump from priming; and a clogged filter chokes the intake until the pump can't draw a full charge of water. Any of these can leave the heater tube partly empty and trip the dry warning.
The encouraging part is that a dry code often clears on its own once flow and prime are restored — top the water, burp the air, clean the filter, and the spa frequently picks right back up. When it keeps returning after all that, the problem isn't the water level anymore: it's a pump that's lost its prime or can't hold suction, which is where the diagnostic and a wet-end or pump repair come in.
We'll confirm which for $69 — credited to the repair
Try the free checks first; if the code stays, these clues point to the cause.
Likely a prime/flow issue if…
- It appeared right after a drain and refill
- The water level is low at the skimmer
- The filter is overdue for a clean
- Burping the air briefly clears it
Likely the pump if…
- Water is full and the filter is clean, yet dr returns
- The pump runs but won't pull a steady prime
- You've seen leaking or air around the wet end
- The code comes back every session
Restore prime first, then test whether the pump can hold it
Re-prime
We top the water, clear any air lock, and clean the filter to get a full charge of water to the pump and heater.
Flat quote
If the pump can't hold prime, you get the published price before any work — the $69 diagnostic credited 100%.
Repair
We rebuild the wet end or replace the circ pump so it holds suction and keeps the heater tube full.
Verify
We confirm steady flow and that the dr code stays clear under a full heat cycle before we leave.
Most dry-fire repairs are completed same-day across Palm Beach County.
Try this before you call
Top the water above the skimmer, run the jets on high for a minute to push out trapped air, and rinse the filter. A dry code very often clears right there. If it keeps coming back with full water and a clean filter, the pump can't hold prime — that's our part.
Flat-rate, published up front
Price depends on whether it's a flow switch, a wet-end repair, or a circ pump — confirmed at your $69 diagnostic.
Not quite your symptom?
Answers before you call
It's a dry-fire detection. The board concluded the heater might be sitting in air instead of water and stopped heating to protect the element. The usual causes are low water, an air lock after a refill, or a clogged filter starving the pump.
Top the water above the skimmer, run the jets on high for a minute to burp out trapped air, and rinse the filter. A dry code often clears once the pump regains a full prime.
If it returns with full water and a clean filter, the pump can't hold prime — typically a worn wet end losing suction or a circ pump that needs replacing. That's diagnosed and repaired on site.
From $149 for a flow/pressure switch, up to a wet-end repair or a circulation pump if the pump won't hold prime. You get the flat price before we start.
Same-day across most of Palm Beach County, with a real arrival window rather than a vague all-day wait.
Topped the water and still dry? We'll fix it today.
Flat-rate from $149. Same-day. $69 diagnostic credited to your repair.
Tell us what you've tried — we'll call back within the hour
No call center. Just a local, licensed tech who'll check the prime and quote the price before any work.
Quote request sent
We'll call you back within the hour. Hot tub out cold right now? Call us at (561) 555-0143.