Hot tubs can provide all the comfort you need, especially during the colder season. However, a large water space requires significant energy to heat. As a result, not only are these systems inconvenient due to their high operating costs, but they’re also expensive to maintain.
While they can help keep you warm, they might hurt your pockets. But this isn’t something you have to live with, as there are ways to make things work. Improving your hot tub efficiency is a great solution to save on your bills and ensure you keep yourself comfortable and relaxed during the winter.
To help you maximize their benefits without worrying about your bills, below are some quick guides for hot tub energy efficiency:
Use A Spa Cover
You can’t expect yourself to sit in your hot tub 24/7 because you have other things to do. In most cases, you might only need to take a dip when you want to feel relaxed and at peace. Ideally, it’ll be nice to maintain the tub’s temperature to save energy when you step out of your tub.
Hence, you can use Trueform Spa Pool Covers or similar products, which should help keep your hot tub’s water temperature. Additionally, it protects your tub from any harmful elements which could get inside and do some damage.
Switch To An Acrylic Hot Tub
If you’re still using an inflatable hot tub, now’s the perfect time to ditch them and purchase the real deal. Switching to an acrylic hot tub is ideal as it provides more benefits for your home. Besides its sturdy build, an acrylic hot tub can also offer excellent temperature retention.
An acrylic hot tub can hold the warm temperature longer, which could help lower your energy bills. On the other hand, acrylic hot tubs are more expensive than plastic or vinyl, but they’re worth the investment.
Invest In An Energy-Saving Heat Pump
Aside from upgrading to a hot tub that can maintain a warm temperature, investing in an energy-efficient heat pump is also beneficial. This way, your hot tub wouldn’t have to work so hard warming it up, which could lead to a higher electricity bill.
An energy-saving heat pump can keep your tub at an optimal temperature. It serves a similar purpose but is friendlier with your bills. Although pricey, they’re an excellent investment because they’ll save you money over many years of use.
Adjust Temperature Depending On The Season
Throughout the year, seasonal changes require you to adjust the temperature of your hot tub. While it’s standard to keep it between 36°C to 38°C, it might be uncomfortable during the warmest summer days. Hence, to be more energy-efficient with your tub, adjusting its temperature depending on the year’s season is best.
During the summer, switching between 26°C to 35°C can still be relaxing since the weather is warm. On the other hand, you can crank it up to 40°C to keep you cozy in the colder months. However, anything higher than that can cause health concerns, which you should avoid.
Frequently Test Water
A hot tub isn’t just a large basin of water that you can leave as is. The use of chemicals to maintain stable alkalinity and pH is recommended to keep them safe and clean. However, a chemical imbalance can cause your tub to break or work twice as hard, affecting your water’s temperature. To prevent this from happening, it’s best to test the water in your tub frequently.
One convenient and cost-effective way is to check the water in your tub with a test strip to see if additional chemicals are needed. This is a more affordable option rather than draining and refilling your tub, which will require another reheating process.
Regularly Clean Filters
Your hot tub comes with a filter that helps to keep it clean. However, due to continuous usage, it can get dirty and moldy, affecting the functionality of your hot tub. If there’s plenty of limescale on your filters, it could block and prevent the hot tub from heating up as efficiently as it could.
Luckily, cleaning your filters is easy. You can get reasonably priced filter cleaners that can help you clean your filter to maintain its ideal level of functionality. To use, mix the solution with some warm water and soak your filters in it overnight. After that, you can give them a good rinsing with clean water and leave them to dry.
Drain Tub Periodically
While it’s recommended that your hot tub run continuously, it’ll last longer if you drain it every three to four months. This could help remove any chemical buildup and let your tub start with a clean slate.
A clean tub can function efficiently if there are no significant quantities of harmful chemicals. In addition, this can help extend your hot tub’s lifespan, which is great for your pockets.
Prevent The Wind From Cooling Your Hot Tub
Hot tubs are usually placed outdoors. If that’s the case, it helps to consider the environment and see how it can affect your hot tub’s efficiency. A windy surrounding can cause your hot water to quickly get cold, forcing your pumps to work twice as hard to achieve your desired temperature.
To keep this from happening, you can block the wind from coming in. You can place a fence over the surrounding of your hot tub to prevent any cool air from affecting your hot tub’s temperature. Moreover, it can also serve as additional privacy for your yard.
Takeaway
Having a hot tub can hurt your pockets, especially if you run it as is. But with the proper practice, you can make your hot tub run efficiently and reduce energy costs. You can use a spa cover, invest in a heat pump, clean your filter regularly, and drain your tub periodically to extend your tub’s lifespan while saving money.
Meanwhile, though it might require you to make some investments, it’ll surely be worth it and helps you save money for years to come.
