Many people feel like hot tubbing can be difficult for them during the summertime, but they also don’t understand how to enjoy the warm water during the winter. This is especially true when it comes to inflatable hot tubs. Here is all the information you need to make sure your hot tub experience during the winter runs smoothly.
Manufacturer’s Recommendations
For anyone who has ever searched google asking “can you use an inflatable hot tub in the winter?” – the answer is not as straightforward as you think. Most manufacturer’s will only guarantee that the motor unit and heating system will only work when the ambient temperature is above -40⁰F. The main concern is that the heating system will not be able to heat the water fast enough to keep up with the cooling effect of ambient temperature. In other words, the weather will start cooling the water down at a rate that the heating system can’t keep up with.
A Way To Run Your System Efficiently During Winter
Even if you stick within the manufacturer’s recommendations and only use your hot tub when the weather is warmer than -40⁰F, you might find that your unit uses up a lot more energy during the winter months. An easy way to remedy this problem is to add insulation to your hot tub. Search online for insulating pads to place below your inflatable spa, because the hot tub loses a significant amount of heat to the ground below it (which is likely to be freezing cold). Other parts of your hot tub can also be insulated. For example, some people have found that insulating the motor unit itself (while making sure to leave and vents uncovered) is a great way to increase its efficiency. Finally, you can add insulating pads to the walls of your hot tub, and also on top of the hot tub cover. The basic idea is that insulation will help prevent heat loss and reduce the strain on your motor.
Running The Hot Tub In Temperatures Colder Than -40⁰F
Despite the manufacturer’s recommendations, there are still ways to work around the -40⁰F rule and run your hot tub even in the most extreme weather. Firstly, you can beef up your insulation – basically everything we’ve already mentioned but with extra insulation. Double up on the insulation wherever possible. Secondly, you can use an external source of heat. Search online for portable hot tub heaters – they usually run on butane, and can work much more efficiently than the standard inflatable hot tub heating system. This means you can safely run your hot tub at extreme temperatures. Don’t assume that because it runs on butane that it will be more expensive to run. On the contrary, portable butane water heaters are much more energy efficient and thus will result in a slight energy saving when compared to your hot tub’s built-in system.
In short, you can enjoy your hot tub during the wintertime if you prepare accordingly. Winter is no reason not to destress with a hot soak in bubbly water,
