Top 5 Tips for Buying a Hot Tub or Spa – Part Four: Energy-Efficiency

Thursday, March 18th, 2010

This is the fourth post in the series “The Top 5 Tips for Buying a Hot Tub or Spa.” In this series we will discuss the most important considerations when choosing the hot tub that is perfect for you. Each day we will cover one of the top five tips with a new post and we encourage you to leave your comments, thoughts or opinions below.

Tip #4: Energy-Efficiency

There are many important factors pertaining to a hot tub’s energy-efficiency such as heat retention, insulation, filtration, design, and engineering. Several years ago, a spa cost a lot of money to operate each month, especially in colder climates. Over time, hot tubs have become more energy efficient in their design, construction, and performance in order to comply with certain energy standards, most notably, Title 20 established by the California Energy Commission (CEC). Not all hot tubs are made equally and not all are compliant with these energy standards, so be sure to ask your dealer or do some research on your own before making a purchase.

Heat Retention

The key to higher energy-efficiency and lower monthly operating costs is heat retention. Insulation is very important in keeping the heat inside your spa, as well as keeping the cold out. Spa manufacturers use different methods for insulating their spas, so it is a good idea to know what to look out for. These methods include: filling the entire cabinet with foam, insulating the underside of the shell, and insulating the inside of the cabinet. Some manufacturers also use a lower density foam, resulting in a less energy-efficient hot tub.

Your spa’s cover is an integral part of keeping the heat in your spa. As we all know, heat rises; just like in our homes, which is why we place vast amounts of insulation in our attics. It is the same for a hot tub. The cover is the last line of defense for heat retention. Make sure your spa includes an energy-efficient cover with a decent R-value (usually R-12 or more) and high-density foam. When the hot tub is not in use, you will want to make sure that the cover straps are latched and the cover fits snugly to minimize heat loss. Cover straps are also a great safety feature as well, to keep out children and unwanted visitors.

Filtration

We talked a lot about filtration in the previous section of this series, and it also plays a large part in heating the spa as well. Water needs to be able to flow easily through the filter in order for it to be heated and cleaned. If your filter cartridge is old, dirty, or simply clogged up, it is either time to clean it or replace it. In fact, if you own a spa and it is having trouble heating or keeping a consistently warm temperature, you may want to clean or replace the filter cartridge. This is one of the first things a spa service technician will check and you may save yourself a large diagnostic fee by looking at it first. If you think your filter may be the problem, remove the cartridge for a few hours and see if it makes a difference in the temperature. If so, clean the filter or replace it. For average hot tub use, a good rule of thumb is two replace your filter cartridge every two years.

Filtration cycles are normally set to four hours, twice per day; but these can be adjusted based on bather load and usage patterns. Just make sure to run the cycles enough to maintain clear, clean water. Also, running your filtration cycles during off-peak hours is always a good idea.

Pumps

When shopping for a spa, do not base the effectiveness of hydrotherapy or massage solely on the number of jets and the size of the pumps. Some hot tub manufacturers place a very large emphasis on the total jet count, while others tout the size of the pumps as a major selling point. The more jets it has, the more horsepower required from the pumps, and the higher your operating costs. A spa does not need hundreds of jets in order to provide a great massage, so watch out for this selling tactic. How many jets is too many? Well, I guess that is up to you. This is why wet-testing is important, along with researching the model(s) you are considering.

Let’s discuss pumps and horsepower for a minute. Do not be fooled by the brands or dealers that peddle high horsepower as a major selling point. In many cases, they are referring to the Brake Horsepower or BHP. Brake Horsepower (BHP) is the horsepower a pump motor achieves for a brief period upon start-up. It does not run at the full BHP the entire time, which would be overkill for most spas. This is a widely used tactic amongst the spa industry, so be sure to seek clarification if you have any questions about it.

Many spa models may include an independent circulation pump, which operates continuously to filter and heat the water. Circulation pumps use a smaller amount of electricity than jet pumps, so it will assist in lower monthly operating costs. They also run quieter than models that do not have circulation pumps, which may be nice if the spa is sitting outside of your bedroom or on a deck. These models usually cost more than models without circulation pumps and are available from many different manufacturers.

Following these simple guidelines when shopping for a hot tub will greatly increase your chances of purchasing a spa that will be long-lasting and one of the most energy-efficient models on the market today. And remember, always ask questions to your dealers or private sellers in order to make a fully-informed buying decision and wet-test when possible. In most cases, your spa’s operating costs should be able to average less than a dollar a day.

Tip: An energy-efficient thermal or floating spa blanket will help retain heat and reduce the amount of moisture building up on the inside of your spa cover, which can extend its life.

If you missed the first part of this series you can find it here:

–> Top 5 Tips for Buying a Hot Tub or Spa – Part One: Comfort

–> Top 5 Tips for Buying a Hot Tub or Spa – Part Two: Therapy

–> Top 5 Tips for Buying a Hot Tub or Spa – Part Three: Filtration and Maintenance

As always, we would love to learn from your thoughts and questions in the comments below…

Other Helpful links:
California’s Appliance Efficiency Program
Title 20, California Code of Regulations
Online Hot Tub Energy Calculator (We do not have any affiliation with this product or online tool)

Photo Attribution:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mydailycommute/ / CC BY 2.0

Tags: energy-efficiency, filtration, heat, hot tub, hot tubs, spa, spas
Posted in Blog | 7 Comments »

Top 5 Tips for Buying a Hot Tub or Spa – Part Two: Therapy

Tuesday, March 16th, 2010

This is the second post in the series “The Top 5 Tips for Buying a Hot Tub or Spa.” In this series we discuss the most important considerations when choosing the hot tub that is perfect for you. Each day we will cover one of the five tips with a new post and we encourage you to leave your comments, thoughts or opinions below.

Tip #2: Hot Tub Therapy

Heat & Buoyancy

One of the greatest benefits of owning or using a hot tub is therapy, commonly referred to as “hydrotherapy.” Hydrotherapy consists of three main aspects: heat, buoyancy, and massage. As the name “hot” tub suggests, heat is obviously a large component of the spa experience, but what makes the heat so pleasurable? Soaking in hot water relieves muscle soreness and helps to loosen stiff joints, it also stimulates blood circulation, which brings an increase of oxygen and nutrients to aching muscles. For back pain, arthritis or fibromyalgia, soaking in a hot tub can be a good way to provide heat to all parts of the body at once. Buoyancy, or the ability to float in water, allows great stress relief by taking nearly 90% of your body’s weight off of your aching muscles and ligaments, allowing them time to heal and protecting them from further damage.

Massage Therapy

The third aspect of hydrotherapy is massage. When you are looking to purchase a hot tub, you will find that each spa manufacturer may put a different spin on the healing effects of hydrotherapy and massage, which is why it is always a good idea to wet-test the spa and see if it targets the areas of your body that you are the most concerned with. Jet placement and the types of jets are what is going to make the most difference in relieving aches and pains. Each seat in the spa may have various types of jets in specific anatomical configurations, so that you can easily move from one seat to the next to enjoy relief in different areas of your body. Seating configurations may have jets that target the muscles in your neck, shoulders, upper back, middle back, lower back, hands, knees, calves, thighs, and feet. You should also be able to increase and decrease the amount of jet pressure through the use of built-in air valves, diverter valves, and different jet pump speeds. If customization of jet pressure is an important factor to you, make sure that you are able to wet-test a few spas before purchase, in order to make sure that you are able to get the “right” amount of pressure for your massage.

Holistic Therapy

At the end of a stressful day, there are many factors that play an important role in healing. Your hot tub is not limited only to physical therapy, it can also promote mental health, self-esteem, coordination, and endurance, enhancing your lifestyle and increasing well-being. Many people find that owning a hot tub also provides them with a relaxing meeting place for family, friends, and loved-ones and allows more time for reconnection and conversation.

What’s the Best Time of Day to Use a Hot Tub?

For some, pain and joint stiffness is at its worst in the morning, so try a quick soak before you get ready for the day or after a workout. For many others, muscles tire and soreness increases throughout the day, which makes enjoying the healing effects of a warm soak right before bed the best way to unwind at the end of a stressful day.

Promoting a Good Night’s Sleep

Who doesn’t want to sleep better at night? There has been a lot of research done on this topic and we would like to point out a great post that has already been written on the subject by Olympic Hot Tub Company:

“Did you know that relaxing in a hot tub can help ease your body into a deeper sleep? The National Sleep Foundation (NSF), a non-profit organization promoting sleep education, advocacy, and research, has declared March 30th National Sleep Awareness Day. According to a recent poll by the NSF, approximately 132 million Americans suffer from sleep disorders more than one a night a week. This number is on the rise as evidenced by the growing number of sleep disorder centers across the nation (approximately 3,000 in the U.S. today).

Sleep researchers believe that many cases of insomnia can be traced to hectic, stressful lifestyles lived by basically healthy people. The results of sleep deprivation are varied and can include battered nerves, grogginess, lapses in memory, depression, and even erratic mood swings. Rather than reaching for over-the-counter sleeping aids, a simple solution to this dilemma may be relaxing in a hot tub before bedtime.

Studies suggest that immersion in hot water (such as a hot tub which has a constant temperature) before bedtime can ease the transition into a deeper, more restful sleep. This may be due to a temperature shift, since the body’s core internal thermostat drops after leaving the water, which signals the body that it’s time to sleep. Or, the sleep improvement may be related to hot water’s relaxing properties – the buoyancy of water reduces body weight by approximately 90%, relieving pressure on joints and muscles, creating the sensation of weightlessness. The hot, swirling water leaves you feeling both mentally and emotionally relaxed.

In addition, hot tub-induced sleep is a natural remedy, unlike alternative sleeping aids such as prescription drugs, over-the-counter remedies and alcohol – all of which can make you feel groggy and have other adverse side effects.”

Please check back tomorrow for Part Three of the “Top 5 Tips for Buying a Hot Tub or Spa” series. If you missed the first part of this series you can find it here:

–>Top 5 Tips for Buying a Hot Tub or Spa – Part One: Comfort.