The Costs of Running a Hot Tub

It's a key influence in the decision to purchase a hot tub, this influence is the cost of running a hot tub.

Firstly, we need to look at the specific costs of running a spa.....

Water -

A good place to start considering hot tubs wouldn't exist without its presence. With most houses in the UK expected to have water meters fitted within the near future, the days of relaxed water usage are over. With hot tubs averaging a water capacity of 1000 litres, the filling and re-filling of spas can be expensive, especially as draining is recommended every 3 months. However, water costs, in comparison to chemical and electricity costs are relatively low.

Electricity -

With an average hot tub running two pumps and a 3kw heater, clearly electricity is the main cost in the running of a spa. Most hot tubs have two, two hour filter cycles every day and this is separate to the running of the pump when the spa is heating. The main electrical requirement is the 3kw heater, however once the hot tub has reached temperature, this cuts out, therefore, the most expensive time on a hot tub, is the re-fill period, where the temperature rises for a period between 15 & 20 hours. The most effective way to save on this cost is to ensure your spa cover is in top condition and not waterlogged, as this can lead to heat loss, which requires the heater to kick in.

Chemicals -

This cost has significantly decreased in the last 10 years, as chemical prices have dipped. However, it is still key to consider the costs of maintenance products. This cost really depends on what the hot tub is maintained with, is it chlorine, bromine or a chemical-free system such as Aquagarde. Chlorine is the cheapest sanitiser to run your spa on, and a 5kg tub of granules can last 2 years if used correctly, this is the main chemical needed to ensure water safety. Bromine is the second cheapest, but significantly more than chlorine due to less popularity and its softer touch on the skin. Chlorine-free systems such as Aquagarde & Aquafinesse are significantly more expensive compared to the standard sanitisers of bromine and chlorine, simply because the technology contained in them is unique. Other water chemicals, which assist the standard sanitisers are not strictly required but products such as No Foam can make maintenance easier. Generally, chemical costs are less when you shop around and do not get fooled into the "unofficial chemicals will invalidate warranty" scam. This scam is so easy to be fooled into as a new hot tub owner, but it has no ground to be based on, most chemicals come from the same factory in South Africa, this factory simply re-labels the products to the appropriate brand.

Go HotSpring Spas, Go Highlife!..

The HotSpring Highlife collection contains the SilentFlo circulation pump that draws the same as a 40 watt  lightbulb! With full FiberCor insulation and a top quality spa cover, Hot Spring Spas are the most efficient hot tub on the market.!

Happy Hot Tubbing !

Eddie.

eddie@happyhottubs.co.uk

Chlorine vs. Bromine

The two most popular hot tub sainitisers (disinfectants) are chlorine and bromine, with chlorine being the most popular. But with many people judging chlorine as harsh, bromine, with its "softer" touch on the skin, meets the demands of spa uses that disapprove of chlorine.

Chlorine is by far the most popular sanitiser among hot tub and pool users worldwide. Chlorine was historically unrivaled until the growing popularity of bromine in the 1980's, due its fast-acting effectiveness in disinfecting spas and pools. It also has the added benefit of being cheaper Per KG than bromine, suiting smaller budgets. However despite effectiveness in sanitation and cost, chlorine has been labelled by many as "harsh" on the skin, eyes and lungs. This mainly comes down to association with "eye sting" and that sharp smell at public pools. The reason for this is the chlorine when it combines with organic compounds in spa water, so, in more simple terms, the dirtier the pool or spa, the more the chlorine will smell, hence the odour at public pools.

Bromine first became popular with pool and spa users in the 1980's, as scientists saw it as a more effective water disinfectant. The clear benefit was that, when bromine combined with organic compounds, the bromamines, unlike chlorine, helped to continually sanitise the water rather than cause odour. Many see bromine as "softer on the skin", but in my personal opinion, i believe this is more down to a distaste to chlorine, rather than bromine actually being less harsh. However, like all developments, issues with this bromine became clearer over time. At first, bromine was so stable, that chlorine had to be added to it, to speed up its sanitation of water. Even though developments have speeded up bromine sanitation, it cannot keep up with the Usain Bolt of chemicals, which is chlorine. Some strains of algae, such as black fungi, have been resistant to bromine, but affected by chlorine, limiting the effectiveness of bromine further.

In my opinion, chlorine is the safest and most effective hot tub sanitiser. But with bromine constantly being adapted and becoming increasingly effective, Its inevitable that the contest will go on. With more recent "non-chlorine" systems also being developed, such as AquaGarde, new competitors will join the race to be the top disinfectant.

Happy Hot Tubbing !