At the end of a long day relaxing into a bubbling hot tub seems like you suddenly transported yourself to a vacation spot far away from the workweek, stress, and responsibilities of everyday life. How much would you pay to have this luxury right outside your door?
That’s a question a lot of people ask themselves when they consider getting a hot tub. There’s no denying that it’s going to be an investment up front and an ongoing expense. All that heat and water circulation requires a fair amount of energy.
How much energy? Let’s find out!
Hot Tub Considerations That Affect Electricity Consumption
The question of how much energy a hot tub uses doesn’t have a straightforward answer. There are many different factors at play that need to be considered if you want to get a more accurate estimate of the monthly cost to run a hot tub.
Heater
The heater inside the hot tub is the biggest energy hog. It can draw anywhere from 1,500 to 6,000 watts based on whether it’s a 120-volt or a 240-volt heater.
New hot tubs have a serious energy advantage. The heaters inside are much more efficient today than in years past. If you plan to keep a hot tub for a while it may end up being relatively the same cost or even cheaper to get a new model when energy use is factored in.
Size
The larger the hot tub is the more energy it will use because more water has to be heated.
Frequency of Use
The more you use the hot tub the higher your monthly electric bill will be. When a hot tub isn’t being used it’s kind of in standby mode. The heater will kick on every so often to maintain the temperature. But when you’re using the hot tub the heater is running continuously. There’s also the pump that will be constantly running too.
Water Temperature
The higher the temperature is set the more energy the hot tub will use and the more expensive it will be to run.
Temperature Outside
The outdoor environment also makes a difference. The cooler it is outside the more energy is required to warm up the hot tub. The monthly expenses will end up being significantly higher in the northern part of the country compared to the southern regions simply due to colder weather.
Fit of the Cover
The better the hot tub cover fits the less energy you’ll need to keep it at the ideal temperature because the heat won’t escape and be wasted. Some people actually get custom covers made so that the fit is precise.
Insulation Around the Hot Tub
Like insulation in your home, insulation around a hot tub makes a huge difference in terms of energy efficiency. The better insulated a hot tub is the better it will hold in the heat when it’s not in use and keep the water temperature warm.
Cost Per Kilowatt-Hour
Another big factor that influences the monthly cost is how much you pay per kilowatt-hour. Two families can use hot tubs for the same amount of time each month but have dramatically different monthly costs due to the kilowatt-hour rate.
The Monthly Cost of Owning a Hot Tub
All of these variables make it very difficult to say exactly how much it costs a month to run a hot tub. There are calculators online that can help you get a better estimate based on big factors like location, hot tub size and kilowatt-hour rate.
Generally speaking, the monthly electric cost for a new hot tub is typically $10-$30. However, some models estimate the monthly electric use to be closer to $50, and the costs are usually higher in the winter months than the summer months.
In terms of actual electricity use, you can get an idea of this based on the heater and pump. Most hot tub heaters use 1,500 or 6,000 watts and the pump will draw around 1,500 more. That means hot tub machinery uses 3-7.5 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per hour of use. If you pay 15 cents a kWh it will cost $0.45-$1.13 an hour to use a hot tub.
One variable is whether or not you have a time-of-use plan. If so, the hot tub use can be timed so that it’s in use when electricity rates are lower or possibly even free.
Want to find an electricity plan with a reasonable fixed rate that will make monthly costs more predictable? Check to see which Provider Power electricity plans are currently available in your area!
