There's nothing more relaxing than relaxing in your own at-home spa. Keep your electric bill stress-free, too, with these valuable tips to a smarter way to heat your spa.
Imagine a soft snowfall and you’re leaning back, face tilted up to the starry skies, your body bathed in bubbling water heated to the just-right temperature of 38.8 C. Just a luxurious dream? You can live the dream with a few practical, easy-to-follow tips to heat your home spa without going broke.
What to look for in a home spa in Canada
A hot tub is a welcome addition to the home of any Canadian. With frigid temperatures and constant snowfall, it's no wonder more and more Canadians are looking for affordable ways to enjoy a spa. Several Canadian manufacturers offer home spas engineered for maximum use and energy savings.
Northerners, you have spas built with tough winter weather and comfortable soaking pleasure in mind. What should you look for in these spas? Ask about the insulation. There should be plenty of it sealing the cabinet to keep the heat in the water, not the air.
Plus, ask if the spa’s pump is enclosed in the spa shell. Why? That way your spa will also use the pump’s heat, which means your heater will cycle less. The payoff? A relaxing hot soak, without a heavy duty energy bill.
Whether you place your spa indoors or out, there will be minimal waste, no matter your zone or the season.
Your spa can go solar, too
Put solar power to work in your home spa. Make the initial investment and then relax with virtually no operating costs for years to come. Sunlight is free. A controller and temperature sensors will do the work for you: they send the spa’s water through the solar panels whenever the solar panels are warmer than the water temperature. Reach the ideal water temperature and a valve automatically shuts the circuit. It's that easy.
With solar power, what you have is a closed system that stays clean and runs throughout the seasons, hot or cold. Not bad for a system that's practically free from both maintenance and the electric grid.
Even better, installation is easy – call your heating contractor or solar thermal installer. Or you can make your solar spa an inexpensive DIY project with recycled solar panels, black irrigation hose, some garden hose and PVC pipe.
Energy-smart tips to heat your spa
Want to place your spa in an all-season room with protection from the wind and cold? That alone could keep the bump in your electric bill under $30. Prefer to go outside with your hot tub and save even more? Here are some tips for getting the most therapeutic fun out of your spa for the least amount of energy:
- Keep your spa thermostat set consistently at 38.8 C.
- Put spa pumps on the “economy” setting when your spa is not in use.
- Enjoy your outdoor spa but use a windbreak to lower heat loss.
- Use a well-maintained insulated cover that closes tightly.
- Invest in a spa built for your climate and winter temperatures.
