In third winter, owner Casey Hansen aims to improve service with additional employee, optimized scheduling
By Mario Carr EBS CONTRIBUTOR
With winter approaching, hot tubs are a hot commodity in ski towns like Big Sky, and they require a lot of work.
Originally from Bigfork, Casey Hansen spent several years working with vacation rental homes. While managing those homes, Hansen admired the work of the hot tub maintenance specialists that he would interact with on a regular basis. With a desire to become a business owner, and an interest in the hot tub trade, Hansen purchased the Big Sky Tubworks business in February 2023.
Tubworks, founded in 2007, maintains hot tubs for full- and part-time residents, as well as for vacation rental homes. Whether the hot tub is being used only two weeks out of the year, or nearly every day, Hansen and his team provide the service needed for each specific tub. A major focus of hot tub maintenance is monitoring the pH of the water, according to Hansen.
“If it’s overly acidic or too [basic] it’s gonna eat rubber gaskets and mechanical parts,” Hansen said.
To help prevent costly repairs, Hansen emphasizes the importance of regular maintenance, especially when tubs are left alone for extended periods of time.
“We get used to it living here… this is an extreme environment, I’ve worked in negative 20 degrees and just around 100,” Hansen said.
Working with hot tubs requires a variety of skills that Hansen describes as “part plumber, part electrician.” Whether it’s fixing the heater, the pumps, or even repairing the shell or cover of the tub, Hansen says he and his crew have seen it all.
Hot tubs are used year round in Big Sky, but most heavily in the winter. Montana law requires that all vacation rental hot tubs be drained and refilled between each visit, which keeps businesses like Tubworks busy all winter long. When it comes to preserving the life of any hot tub, Hansen emphasized the often ignored advice of showering before soaking. The reality of skiing in snow gear means that most sweat and dead skin becomes trapped on the body, and when users don’t shower, that will all build up in a hot tub pretty quick. And whether it’s a group of college kids with beers in the tub, or kids with sugary drinks, it’s best to keep any non-water beverages from spilling in the tub as well.
Hansen appreciates all of his business, but is especially thankful for the relationships he is able to form with the property owners and residents of Big Sky.
“That’s the fun part of the job,” he said. “I’m somebody that’s taking care of something for them… and they know that they can reach out and I’m happy to help.”
Hansen echoed that many of his customers are very kind and appreciative of his work. Hot tub manufacturers tout their numerous purported health benefits, with many relating to releasing muscle tension and stress. Hansen described the hot tub as the second dinner table in many homes—it’s a place where people can gather, relax, and share ski-stories and good times.
By leaving a little extra room in the schedule and hiring another employee this winter, Hansen hopes Tubworks can be ready for the many surprises that come throughout the winter.
“I want to play more of a swingman, so we can be more responsive… I don’t want my guys feeling like their hair is on fire,” he said.
Over the last two years Hansen has learned how chaotic things can get during peak season in Big Sky. When there are so many tubs to service all over Big Sky, only the most pressing issues can be addressed. But Hansen is aiming to increase Tubworks’ capacity to be there for his customers, so minor repairs don’t have to be put off.
“I’m gonna over-hire this year so we can be more responsive and get things done… I don’t have one guy work in Moonlight and then in Spanish Peaks because that’s a 45-minute drive,” he said.
Currently, Hansen is changing as many filters as possible in preparation for the busy season. He does not own a hot tub himself, and he compared his situation to a chef not wanting to cook dinner at home after cooking all day. And while Hansen finds other ways to unwind, he recognizes how important a hot tub can be to the people of Big Sky.
