Cheaply Priced Hot Tubs are Very Expensive to Own

What about my heating and cooling costs*? 
The cost to space condition (heat/cool) a home is influenced by five factors:

• The thermostat setting
• The temperature outside
• The quality of the insulation and air tightness of the home
• The efficiency of the heating/cooling system
• The cost of the energy used by the heating/cooling system

You have control over all of these factors except one, the temperature outside. The other four items can be changed to some degree or other by you, the homeowner. An energy audit will help you evaluate these four factors. If you increase your attic insulation or put in a new heating system, how will that change your usage? 

And, is it a good investment? 

These are the types of questions an audit will help you answer. 

* Taken from Egyptian Electric Cooperative Association Website. 

Why Some Hot Tubs Cost More Than Others

The cost to heat a hot tub is influenced by the same five factors. Why then do some hot tub salespeople and manufacturers still ACTUALLY insist that you should avoid purchasing a fully foamed (insulated) hot tub? 

Because it is for their benefit - and NOT yours. 

Insulating a hot tub properly adds more expense to the cost of producing the tub. Cutting back on the amount and quality of insulation is one big way some hot tub manufacturers trim production costs. They know some shoppers are so focused on a low, low price.

A Cheaply Made, Low Priced Hot Tub is a Rip-Off

A cheaply made hot tub can only offer you a low price. You are being cheated out of a pleasurable and affordable ownership experience.

But who are you to believe?  

Do a little searching online. Google "hot tub insulation". Searching will result in many, many websites of hot tub owners inquiring how to ADD INSULATION to their expensive to operate hot tub. (A word of safety advice here - you REALLY have to know what you are doing if you are going to add insulation to a hot tub.)

Ask your friends who own hot tubs. If they own a Hot Spring they'll tell you the can't tell a difference in their monthly electric bill. If they own a anything else, you'll hear $60, $70, $80, $90 more a month to heat. Yikes!

Designing a hot tub that is energy efficient also increases the cost of the hot tub. 

• Design improvements keep the monthly operating (electricity) costs very low.  
• Design improvements keep the tub always at your ready to use set temperature. 
• No hassles with having to turn the thermostat up or down to save money on heating expenses. 
• Design improvements mean less wear and tear on the major components in the hot tub - this saves you a large amount of money. You hot tub is also so much more reliable in the long run.
• Design improvements mean a quieter tub. You don't want to hear your hot tub running when you are trying to sleep at night.

While the cost of the tub may be more, the long term ownership experience increases drastically compared to a cheaply made tub.

A well designed, quality hot tub may cost you a bit more initially, but over time will save you money in two ways:
1. You will own the tub for at least 10 years or more.
2. Over that 10 year period, your hot tub will cost you much less in monthly operating costs and replacement parts/labor costs. 

• Cheap tubs are loud and noisy. 
• Cheap tubs aren't comfortable. 
• Cheap tubs are expensive to operate. 
• Cheap tubs break down. 
• Cheap tubs don't last for years and years. 
• Cheap tubs... are very expensive to own.

Do They Tell You These Things When You are Shopping for That New Hot Tub?

The other guys method for having an ENERGY EFFICIENT hot tub:

TURN IT DOWN IF YOU AREN'T USING THE HOT TUB!

Yikes.

Just how much DO their hot tubs cost to run?

Um a lot.

Just how convenient is this for you, the hot tub owner?

Hot Tub Insulation

Hot Tub Insulation: Hot tub insulation serves several purposes:

1. It keeps the heat in, creating energy efficiency.
2. It reduces the noise of the equipment in the hot tub.
3. It keeps the plumbing in place by reducing vibration.

While you're shopping, you may experience several different types of spa insulation. Generally, all manufacturers place hot tub foam insulation along their hot tub shells. Some place spa insulation along the floors, and some place insulation inside the cabinets. These hot tubs are called "partially insulated." Hot tubs that are full-foam insulated - ones that have foam along the shell, the floor, and the cabinet - are the most energy-efficient hot tubs on the market.

While some manufacturers claim that partial insulation forms a "thermal plane" or a "heat keeper" pocket, we believe the most efficiently engineered hot tubs and spas are foam-filled.

You may also hear that full foam insulation makes servicing a hot tub more difficult. This may, in fact, be true. However, it's important to take into account the entire cost of owning your hot tub. If full foam hot tub insulation reduces your energy costs by adding efficiency, is it worth giving up your savings to make hypothetical repairs a little easier? You're probably better off buying a fully insulated hot tub or spa from a hot tub manufacturer with a good reputation, sound warranty, and well-built components. Overall, you'll spend less in the long-run, and enjoy your spa more.

• Does the hot tub have full foam insulation? Is it insulated along the shell, inside the cabinet, and along the floor? Are the plumbing fixtures housed inside the spa insulation, to soundproof the hot tub, reduce vibration and leaks?

Taken from: http://www.hottubguide.com/hot-tub-insulation.php