Should Your Hot Tub Always Be On?

You can use a hot tub at any time of the year. It’s one of the few outdoor aquatic experiences that’s safe to use even in the winter. While the run to the hot tub may not be that safe–or enjoyable–while it’s freezing cold out, the water is so warm that it’s not dangerous to you. In fact, it can be nourishing, relaxing, and a much-needed reprieve from a long work week when you can’t get in the pool.

But the one downside that some hot tub owners are having is the long wait for the water to heat up during the winter. For some, it feels like it takes more time and electricity to warm a hot tub up than it’s worth. At the same time, it has to be done, or else you can’t sit and soak. Or can you?

Maybe you don’t actually have to turn off your hot tub. Maybe it can always be on, and that will be for the better. If you’re unsure of whether or not an always-on hot tub is a good idea, let the experts at Aqua Leisure Pools and Spas explain.

Does an Always-On Hot Tub Use More Electricity?

As it turns out, it takes a lot of electricity to heat up water. Water is an incredibly versatile substance with a lot of strange properties. For example, water is one of the few substances that is denser as a liquid than as a solid. That’s why ice floats on water. Another strange feature of water is that it has a high capacity for heat. This means that water molecules can absorb and retain a lot of heat.

This may sound like water should have an easier time staying warm, but it’s the opposite. Because water can absorb and retain heat so well, the heat doesn’t get evenly distributed through a hot tub for a long period of time. Heat is absorbed by the first water molecules it encounters to put it simply, and then takes longer to get to every water molecule. This is made worse during the winter season when there isn’t much warmth to go around.

This leads to the hot tub actually using a significant amount of electricity to get warm. If the water is already warm, it’s much easier to keep it warm than it is to heat cold water. So unless you only use your hot tub a few times a month, less than you can count on two hands on average, it’s likely more expensive to keep turning it on and off between uses.

Is It Bad For a Hot Tub to Be Always On?

Electronics break down over time, especially with continued use. There are a lot of electronics that are not built to be used continuously for days, or even months on end. Thankfully, a hot tub is one of those rare electronics. They are actually designed to always be on. There are some exceptions depending on what model you purchase, but most are meant to continuously run. You don’t need to turn them off except in specific situations.

Is There Any Time Where You Have to Turn Off Your Hot Tub?

There are times when you are going to have to turn off your hot tub, however. Regardless of how often you use it, you should drain and replace the water in your personal spa every three months. There’s no need for it to be on while you do this. If you leave it on while you clean it, you may end up hurting yourself. Without the water, the hot tub is heating air and its surfaces. That can burn you and/or the cleaning equipment you use.

Another instance of when you should turn off your personal spa would be during extreme weather. During thunderstorms, you do not want to leave any electronics running outside, and that includes hot tubs. You should turn it off before the storm starts, but if you have forgotten, use your own discretion. Sometimes it can be too dangerous to go outside and turn it off.

Get a Hot Tub You Can Use How You Want!

Aqua Leisure Pools and Spas carries a wide variety of hot tubs and swim spas for you to choose from. If you’re looking for one that you can leave on most of the time, we can find a model that best fits how much you’ll use it.

We only carry the best brands, and we can deliver and install hot tubs and swim spas to your home all year-round. Don’t wait until the winter is over, you can use a hot tub once its put together and filled with water. There are no seasonal restrictions on personal spas.

For more information on your next aquatic oasis, contact the experts at Aqua Leisure Pools and Spas. We have everything you need.

Posted by Aqua Leisure Pools & Spas in Pools