How to Discover Which Hot Tub is the Most Energy Efficient

If you're preparing to invest in a hot tub, you may be wondering: How much will a hot tub increase energy bill costs? Energy efficiency is a serious concern among hot tub buyers, but today's technological innovations have made it easy to find a hot tub that will be affordable to run.

Below you'll find out how to find an energy efficient hot tub that meets your needs and your budget.

Look Beyond the Surface

Regardless of their quality, today's hot tubs look impressive, boasting a wide range of features and capabilities. But just because a hot tub looks modern and energy efficient on the outside, that doesn't mean it is. Something that isn't visible that is extremely important to energy efficiency is insulation. You should always ask your dealer what kind of insulation system the hot tub has. The most energy efficient hot tubs will have high-quality, high-density insulation and be fully rather than partially insulated.

Another energy efficient feature that can't be seen with the naked eye is a convection system that reuses heat from the motor to heat the hot tub. This saves energy because it prevents the hot tub from having to generate additional heat.

Eco Modes and Pumps

Hot tubs with eco modes can be extremely helpful in helping you save energy. These models automatically run at a lower temperature when you are not using the hot tub. Even if your hot tub doesn't have an eco mode option, you can easily put it on a timer to reduce the water temperature at specific times. Finally, by lowering the water temperature 1 to 2 degrees, you'll save substantial energy.

The type of pumps a hot tub has can also have a heavy influence on your hot tub cost per month. By choosing circulation pumps rather than jet pumps, you'll use a lot less power. A circulation pump can use as little energy as a 40 watt light bulb and sometimes even less.

Monthly Costs

A great first step in improving energy efficiency is finding out how much electricity your hot tub uses. It's relatively easy to calculate energy consumption (kwh, or kilowatt hours). Start by finding the wattage of your hot tub, which should appear on the label. Once you have this number, multiply it by the number of hours you use your hot tub each day. Take this result and divide it by 1000 to determine the kilowatt hours your hot tub uses each day.

Next, multiply the daily kilowatt hours by 30 and you'll know how many kwh it uses on a monthly basis. The final step is to locate how much you pay per kilowatt and multiply it by your monthly kwh usage. From here, you can adjust your hot tub use accordingly or run it during your electric company's off-peak times if that is in option in your area.

Hopefully you now have a strong sense of which hot tubs are the most energy efficient. To learn more about our many energy efficient hot tubs, download our buyer's guide.