How Much Electricity Does A Hot Tub Use?

Though modern hot tub manufacturers have begun using high-tech equipment with better energy efficiency to cut costs, running a hot tub can still add a considerable amount of money to your electric bill.

We want you to feel at peace with your hot tub purchase, which is exactly why we've broken down what you might expect from your monthly energy bill once your hot tub is in place.

Continue reading for monthly electricity costs and tips to cut down on energy usage.

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Electricity Costs Per Month

Much of the electricity usage in your hot tub comes from the heater. A heater, depending on the size of the tub, will typically draw anywhere between 1,500-6,000 watts to heat your water.

One of the next big sources of electricity usage is the pump(s). One pump can cost you around 1,500 watts. To figure out the actual cost to run your hot tub on a monthly basis, you must take into consideration your energy cost per kilowatt-hour.

Beyond that, you might also want to take into consideration the climate you live in, as hot tubs will draw more energy to heat up and stay warm in colder climates, as well as your use. The more you use your hot tub, the more it will cost.

See our page on "how much does it cost to run a hot tub?" to factor all costs involved.

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Heater

Like we said, the main energy use comes from the water heater. Hot tubs typically have 120-volt heaters or 240-volt heaters. A 240-volt heater can cost you almost three times as much to run, though larger heaters are the only thing that can suit larger hot tubs with more water.

It is important to note that a heater will run on occasion to keep the water temperature warm, even when you aren’t using it.

For example, let’s say you have a 120-volt heater that consumes about 3,000 watts when you’re using it.

3,000 watts = 3 kilowatt-hours (kWh).

To figure out the cost, you can multiply the kWh of your hot tub by the kWh of your electric bill.

For example, let’s say you pay 10 kWh per hour for your electricity bill. This means your hot tub will cost you about 30 cents per hour. The cents per hour vary, so you must look at your heater voltage to see how much energy your tub uses.

Of course, the above number is a simple estimate. You must also take into consideration a few other factors, including:

The water temperature you run your hot tub at
The water capacity of your hot tub
The climate
The age of your hot tub
The type of insulation your hot tub uses
The quality of the hot tub cover

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Other Factors

Beyond electricity, you must prepare to clean and drain your new hot tub anywhere from 2-5 times throughout the year. Add that to the water chemicals you must buy (unless you have a saltwater system), and you’re looking at an extra $100 per year.

You will also need to replace the filters every once in a while as well.

Lowering Your Hot Tub Energy Use

If you want to reduce your hot tub energy use per month, there are many different considerations to make:

Quality: New hot tubs are typically much more energy-efficient than older models. It is important to look at different hot tub manufacturers to see which of them boast energy efficiency.
Insulation: An energy-efficient hot tub should have at least six inches of dense foam material on the inside. We also recommend looking for keywords like “dense full-foam” or “multi-density foam”.
Voltage: If you want to cut down on your energy costs, you may want to look into getting a circulation pump with a lower voltage. If you have a 240v pump, consider getting a 120v pump.
Location: If you can put your hot tub indoors or under an outdoor canopy, this helps to create an ambient temperature. This will lower the running costs, as your heater won’t have to work as hard to compete with the climate during the colder season.
Size: One of the biggest considerations to make is the size of your hot tub. If you have a large hot tub, there is more water to heat. If you have a large hot tub, you may want to consider selling it and purchasing one that is smaller and more energy-efficient.

Is A Hot Tub Expensive to Run?

Unless you are someone who has unlimited funds available, the cost of running a hot tub is probably pretty important to you. Unfortunately, getting an accurate estimate for the cost of running a hot tub is almost impossible when you consider all of the factors that contribute to energy use.

On average, most modern manufacturers have hot tubs that can run on about one dollar per day. On the higher end, you can expect to spend about $50 per month.

Estimating and managing all of these energy costs can seem difficult, though most retailers understand that.

Buying a new hot tub is almost like buying a car. There are so many considerations to make from the upfront price to the added features and beyond.

If your main concern with buying a hot is the cost, click on the button below to get several quotes based on your ideal hot tub setup, from dealers nearby. We bring the lowest quotes to you so that you can rest assured, knowing you're getting the best deal possible.