How Long Does It Take To Heat A Hot Tub
One of the questions that we often get asked is
“How long does it take to heat your hot tub”
You may want to know more about how to heat a hot tub fast because you have a hot tub party planned at your home or a tight schedule that you run on.
Unfortunately, there is no single answer to that question. This is because there are a number of factors that come into play when you heat your hot tub. From the power of your heating element to the outside temperature to the quality of your hot tub cover, you need to take many things into consideration.
If you’re getting a hot tub and you’re wondering how long it will take for it to heat up, we’re going to break down how long it might take for your hot tub to reach that optimal temperature
How Quickly Can You Expect Your Hot Tub To Heat?
On average, a modern hot tub should heat anywhere from 3-6 degrees per hour. You can think of hot tubs like a pot of water on the stove. If you keep the lid on, that pot will heat faster.
In the same way, if you keep your cover on, you can reduce the number of hours it might take your tub to heat
Of course, if your hot tub is outside, the time it will take to heat up will be dependent on the weather.

During the summer months, you can expect your water temperature to get up to 100 degrees in around 4 hours or so.
You also need to consider some of the components in your hot tub, including the pump, heating element, cover, and jets. Any damaged or worn out components can have a negative impact on your water heating time.
Should I Leave My Hot Tub On All The Time?
One thing to consider when heating a hot tub is whether or not you want to leave your hot tub water heater running all the time.
Should you leave your water heater running all the time or should you turn it off when your tub isn’t in use?
The answer to the questions depends on a few things, including the climate that you live in and the lifestyle you live. If you live in an extremely cold climate, you may want to consider leaving your hot tub heater running during the winter just to prevent the water in your pipes from freezing. Secondly, this allows you to get in whenever you please without waiting hours for your hot tub to temperature up.
On the other hand, if you live in a warm climate, leaving your hot tub heater on might just end up being a waste of money. Yes, it might take a bit of planning when you want to get out and use your hot tub, but cutting down on energy costs is never a bad idea.
Energy-Efficiency In Hot Tubs
One of the best yet most underrated ways to cut down on hot tub energy costs and keep your hot tub warm is to get a quality hot tub cover.
When looking for a good hot tub cover, we recommend looking for one that has tapered edges and a lockable design. Hot tub covers with tapered edges help to trap heat inside so that your hot tub water can retain heat over time without working overtime to get back to optimal heat.
Another thing to consider is where your hot tub is located in your yard. One of the best ways to reduce heat pull from the water on your hot tub is by surrounding it with barriers. Barriers can include shrubs, trees, canopies, or umbrellas. Our "hot tub privacy ideas" page goes into further detail on how to create housing for your hot tub.
Keeping Your Hot Tub Hot
So as you can see, there are a few things to consider when looking for an answer to the question of how long it will take your hot tub water to heat. If you want to optimize the heating time with your hot tub and cut down on those long waits, you may want to consider having routine maintenance on your hot tub, buying an energy-efficient cover, and keeping it in an area that is enclosed or blocked from the wind.
Happy hot tubbing!
