Being a first time hot tub buyer is a very exciting time. Looking forward to soaking in a hot tub can bring a tingle to your body even before you set foot in the water, but any potential hot tub buyers have practical concerns. And rightly so! You don’t want to walk blindly into a situation that will undeniably cost you money and labor. Many first time hot tub owners wonder how the appliance will affect their energy bills. For example, how much power does a hot tub use? Even though the answer is dependent on a wide range of variables, we’ll try and outline where the power is being used most and how to bring down the associated costs.
Will A Hot Tub Cause My Electricity Bills to Go Up?
Unfortunately, there’s no way around it, installing a hot tub will cause your power bills to rise. It’s a large appliance that requires constant electricity to make it run properly. There are ways to mitigate this power use as we’ll see below. That being said, most hot tub owners report that they only pay around $25 to $50 more each month than they did before they had a hot tub. That amount will vary depending on the size and model of your hot tub, the amount of use it gets and the electricity rates in your area. The fact is that most hot tub owners will pay less to run their hot tub than it costs to buy a cup of takeout coffee each day.
What Parts Dictate How Much Power A Hot Tub Uses?
The two main consumers of power in a hot tub are the water heater and the water pump. Of the two, it’s the heater that uses the most energy. It takes a lot of power to heat up water, especially when you’re trying to heat several hundred gallons to 104 degrees Fahrenheit. That said, it’s possible to conserve water heat in a way that you can significantly reduce your monthly power bill. We’ll get to that a bit later.
Hot Tub Electrical Ratings
When it comes to drawing electricity, there are two main types of hot tubs: 110 volt plug and play models and 220 volt hardwired models. Plug and play models are popular because of their convenient installation. As the name suggests you simply plug it into a GFCI protected electrical outlet. Hardwired models, on the other hand, require an electrician during the installation procedure.They use more electricity, but they’ll also give you more flexibility when it comes to operating your hot tub. The big drawback of plug and play hot tubs is that your water heater will stop when the water jets are running on high. No problem during a short, quick soak, but not so good if you’re hoping to use your hot tub for an extended period of time.
Reducing Hot Tub Power Usage
An insulated hot tub cover will significantly reduce the amount of heat that escapes from your water and the amount of power you use. In fact, a hot tub cover is pretty much a necessity if you’re going to use your hot tub in cold weather.
Some people believe that they can reduce their power usage by turning off the water heater when the hot tub isn’t being used, but they’d be wrong. It’s actually much more efficient to keep your water heater running and maintain a consistently high water temperature than to let the thermal readings fluctuate up and down.
Clean water filters will also mean that your pump won’t have to work as hard or as continuously. Maintain a regular cleaning schedule to cut down on the amount of power your water pump needs to draw.
To learn more about hot tub operations, download a free buyer’s guide today.