Tips for an Energy-Efficient Hot Tub
Many modern hot tubs are crafted using materials and technology geared towards energy-efficiency. Although, there are a few things that you can do at home to maximize the energy-efficiency of your hot tub. Read on to explore some of our favorite tips to help you create and maintain a backyard spa environment that is geared towards eco-friendly living.
1. Use a Hot Tub Cover
This one is almost a no-brainer.
Investing in a cover for your hot tub is almost essential for creating a safe and well-maintained backyard spa environment. The hot tub cover will help to insulate your tank. Meaning that the heat and steam that is emitted from the hot water will be kept within the system instead of dissipating into the air.
As the heat escapes, the spa system has to work even harder to continually heat and regulate the temperature. With a hot tub cover, the heat is trapped within the spa and the system doesn’t have to work as hard to heat the water. Thus, saving you money and putting less pressure on the components of your hot tub.
But wait - there’s more!
Hot tub covers aren’t just beneficial for saving you on operating costs. They can also keep dirt, insects, leaves, and other debris from entering and contaminating the spa while not in use. It can also help to keep wildlife and young children out of the water, making for a much more safe and functional backyard feature.
2. Monitor Your Thermostat
Monitor the temperature inside your hot tub on a regular basis. Keeping it running at a toasty 104° F may seem like a great idea at first, but it can cost you more money in the long run. Even turning the water down by a few degrees may help save you some operational costs.
In saying that, ensure that the temperature of your thermostat is matching up to the control panel of your hot tub. If the two don’t read the same, it may be a good idea to request hot tub service. If something is amiss with your control panel or temperature settings, it could be costing you more money in operational costs, or even lead to an even bigger problem.
3. Lower the Temperature and Limit Functions
What’s the need for your spa to operate at a higher temperature if nobody is around to use it? If you’re heading away on vacation for seven days or longer, it may be wise to turn down the temperature.
If it’s only a two-day trip, we don’t recommend turning down the heat. This can cause your system to work even harder when you return to re-heat the hot tub, putting stress on the system and costing you more money than if you had just let it continue to operate at the same temperature.
The blowers and the air jets are accessories used to soothe sore muscles. While you’re not in the hot tub, they don’t need to be constantly running. This goes for other features, such as the stereo and lighting.
4. Invest in a Consumption Monitor
The disadvantage of a faulty power consumption monitor is that you don’t know if it is faulty. Therefore, if you think that the monitor is giving values too low or too high, consider changing it before you run into over-payment or even under-payment.
A quality consumption monitor can give you accurate and real-time power consumption values, which can, in turn, allow you to make necessary arrangements for lowering the power consumption of your spa.
5. Regularly Change and Maintain Your Filters
Clogged spa filters can put a strain on the pump motor to facilitate efficient water circulation. This can result in increased power consumption, not to mention the risk of breakage that the motor runs into. Also, when this happens, the heater element can perform irregularly.
To mitigate any risk to your heater element or pump motor, spare some time to clean the filters about once a month and change them when needed.
For a full cleaning checklist, check out Everything You Need to Know About Cleaning Your Spa.
Hot Tubs in Amherst
Did you find this article helpful? For more information about owning a hot tub and backyard living, visit our Amherst hot tub store today or take a look at the other articles on our blog.