The house we just bought came with a hot tub. There's just me and the
wife and we use it maybe a half dozen times a year. She claims it is
cheaper to keep the water warm all year long as long as the tub is
covered, than to reheat it for each use.

I say the whole damn thing is a big time energy sucker and we should
just sell it or use it as a fish pond.

Anybody out there with one who can share any wisdom?

On Sun, 03 Sep 2006 21:14:44 GMT, 46erjoe
wrote:

The house we just bought came with a hot tub. There's just me and the
wife and we use it maybe a half dozen times a year. She claims it is
cheaper to keep the water warm all year long as long as the tub is
covered, than to reheat it for each use.

I say the whole damn thing is a big time energy sucker and we should
just sell it or use it as a fish pond.

Anybody out there with one who can share any wisdom?


If you were using it every few days, then oh wait,
you wanted WISDOM. Unless it's affecting your
ability to to pay the mortgage, do whatever your
wife wants, even if the reason she gives doesn't
make any sense. (The reason she wants it probably
doesn't have anything to do with the words coming
out of her mouth, anyway.)

On Sun, 03 Sep 2006 21:14:44 GMT, 46erjoe
wrote:

The house we just bought came with a hot tub. There's just me and the
wife and we use it maybe a half dozen times a year. She claims it is
cheaper to keep the water warm all year long as long as the tub is
covered, than to reheat it for each use.

I say the whole damn thing is a big time energy sucker and we should
just sell it or use it as a fish pond.

Don't do what I did. I had an Oscar. I guess it is tropical. It was
in a heated aquarium when I got him. For a treat, I bought him 100
little goldfish, and put them in a second 10-gallon acquarium I had
acquired. In less than a day, they were all dead. I had to give him
all 100 for one meal. Instead of spreading it out over weeks.
Apparently goldfish don't do well in warm water.

Anybody out there with one who can share any wisdom?

I'm sure it's a lot cheaper to warm the water when yhou need it. I
don't know how long in advance you have to start. Maybe you can boil
hot water on the stove amd pour that in. That's what my great
grandmothers did. But others probably know more about this than I.
I'm just like you.

"46erjoe" wrote in message
...
The house we just bought came with a hot tub. There's just me and the
wife and we use it maybe a half dozen times a year. She claims it is
cheaper to keep the water warm all year long as long as the tub is
covered, than to reheat it for each use.

I say the whole damn thing is a big time energy sucker and we should
just sell it or use it as a fish pond.

Anybody out there with one who can share any wisdom?

No wisdom here. I like mine. I keep it hot 24/7. I use it a LOT more than
the pool, which also runs most of the time. I like my hot tub. Before I
had one, I just thought they were a waste. Sounds like you've got your mind
made up. Why even ask the wife? Besides, if you didn't have the hot tub to
relax in, you'd have more time to gripe and more to gripe about besides.

Steve

On Sun, 03 Sep 2006 21:14:44 GMT, 46erjoe
wrote:

The house we just bought came with a hot tub. There's just me and the
wife and we use it maybe a half dozen times a year. She claims it is
cheaper to keep the water warm all year long as long as the tub is
covered, than to reheat it for each use.

We had an above ground spa for my wife's medical needs. We kept it
covered and adjusted the thermostat to just circulate the water, etc.
It was mostly used during warm months before it got to cold in the
Winter. She never went out there unless it was summer or so it seemed.

I say the whole damn thing is a big time energy sucker and we should
just sell it or use it as a fish pond.

You guessed it, I cleaned it. We moved across town eighteen months
ago and I refused to bring it as the new house had a pool. What I did
with some help was, remodel the new master bath and put a whirlpool
type bath in for her.

Hot water right out of the tap.


Oren

"Well, it doesn't happen all the time, but when it happens, it happens constantly."

Oren wrote:
On Sun, 03 Sep 2006 21:14:44 GMT, 46erjoe
wrote:

The house we just bought came with a hot tub. There's just me and the
wife and we use it maybe a half dozen times a year. She claims it is
cheaper to keep the water warm all year long as long as the tub is
covered, than to reheat it for each use.

We had an above ground spa for my wife's medical needs. We kept it
covered and adjusted the thermostat to just circulate the water, etc.
It was mostly used during warm months before it got to cold in the
Winter. She never went out there unless it was summer or so it seemed.

I say the whole damn thing is a big time energy sucker and we should
just sell it or use it as a fish pond.

You guessed it, I cleaned it. We moved across town eighteen months
ago and I refused to bring it as the new house had a pool. What I did
with some help was, remodel the new master bath and put a whirlpool
type bath in for her.

Hot water right out of the tap.


Oren

"Well, it doesn't happen all the time, but when it happens, it happens constantly."



Here in NJ, I keep mine turned down around 80 during winter and turn it
up a few hours before I intend to use it. I use it a couple times a
week, so it definitely saves energy MAny also have timers so you can
have it turn itself up to 100+ before the times you are most likely to
use it.

But in the end, if you only use it 6 times a year, the hassle of
maintenance plus the energy usage probably aren't worth it.

"46erjoe" wrote in message
...
The house we just bought came with a hot tub. There's just me and the
wife and we use it maybe a half dozen times a year. She claims it is
cheaper to keep the water warm all year long as long as the tub is
covered, than to reheat it for each use.

I say the whole damn thing is a big time energy sucker and we should
just sell it or use it as a fish pond.

Anybody out there with one who can share any wisdom?

If you use it a few times a week, keep it hot. If you use it once a month,
get rid of it and save a bundle on your electric bill. Depending size and
temperature, it can cost from $20 to $60 a month or more to keep heated.

On Sun, 3 Sep 2006 14:56:25 -0700, "Steve B"
wrote:


"46erjoe" wrote in message
.. .
The house we just bought came with a hot tub. There's just me and the
wife and we use it maybe a half dozen times a year. She claims it is
cheaper to keep the water warm all year long as long as the tub is
covered, than to reheat it for each use.

I say the whole damn thing is a big time energy sucker and we should
just sell it or use it as a fish pond.

Anybody out there with one who can share any wisdom?

No wisdom here. I like mine. I keep it hot 24/7. I use it a LOT more than
the pool, which also runs most of the time. I like my hot tub. Before I
had one, I just thought they were a waste. Sounds like you've got your mind
made up. Why even ask the wife? Besides, if you didn't have the hot tub to
relax in, you'd have more time to gripe and more to gripe about besides.


There is no question that it's cheaper to have the hot tub
cool, and heat it up when you want it. The
problem is that you either need the ability to
supply a great amount of heat in a short time,
or you need to start heating the hot tub
an hour or so before you want it.

"Goedjn" wrote

There is no question that it's cheaper to have the hot tub
cool, and heat it up when you want it. The
problem is that you either need the ability to
supply a great amount of heat in a short time,
or you need to start heating the hot tub
an hour or so before you want it.

Mine heats at five degrees per hour. So, at that rate, I would have to
maintain it at 95 degrees instead of 100. Or, if I had it at 80, that would
be four hours. I guess it all depends on YOUR spa. One size does not fit
all.

I cannot "supply a treat amount of heat in a short time". My spa only heats
as fast as it heats. There is no control other than the standard/economy
mode, which switches from heats when temp down to heats only in filter
cycle.

I have not run mine and checked what it costs to run in all these different
situations. I set the heat at 100, and it's always ready.

Steve

I see a significant difference in my electric bill when I turn the hot
tub down after use (to about 75-80 degrees) and then turn it up the
next day in anticipation of using it. It does remove a little of the
spontaneity, since I have to remember to turn it up several hours
beforehand if I think I'll want to use it later, but it's worth it to
me for the savings.

Jo Ann

Steve B wrote:
"Goedjn" wrote

There is no question that it's cheaper to have the hot tub
cool, and heat it up when you want it. The
problem is that you either need the ability to
supply a great amount of heat in a short time,
or you need to start heating the hot tub
an hour or so before you want it.

Mine heats at five degrees per hour. So, at that rate, I would have to
maintain it at 95 degrees instead of 100. Or, if I had it at 80, that would
be four hours. I guess it all depends on YOUR spa. One size does not fit
all.

I cannot "supply a treat amount of heat in a short time". My spa only heats
as fast as it heats. There is no control other than the standard/economy
mode, which switches from heats when temp down to heats only in filter
cycle.

I have not run mine and checked what it costs to run in all these different
situations. I set the heat at 100, and it's always ready.

Steve

On 3 Sep 2006 19:45:00 -0700, wrote:

Here in NJ, I keep mine turned down around 80 during winter and turn it
up a few hours before I intend to use it. I use it a couple times a
week, so it definitely saves energy MAny also have timers so you can
have it turn itself up to 100+ before the times you are most likely to
use it.

NJ? Oh yeah, what exit grin?

But in the end, if you only use it 6 times a year, the hassle of
maintenance plus the energy usage probably aren't worth it.

When you first get one, all excited and then find the cost of products
to do this and that. It was as hard as Japanese Arithmetic. I found it
easier to drain the 500 gallon monster and refresh it with celan water
- cheaper (6-10$) vs.chemicals at 20, 30, plus to do this and that.


Oren

"Well, it doesn't happen all the time, but when it happens, it happens constantly."

wrote in message
oups.com...
I see a significant difference in my electric bill when I turn the hot
tub down after use (to about 75-80 degrees) and then turn it up the
next day in anticipation of using it. It does remove a little of the
spontaneity, since I have to remember to turn it up several hours
beforehand if I think I'll want to use it later, but it's worth it to
me for the savings.

Jo Ann


Thank you, Jo Ann. Here in Las Vegas, I don't get in the hot tub from about
the end of May until mid September. I leave it hot, thinking that it might
get gungy if I don't. But, next summer, I believe I will set it down to
about 80.

I don't monitor the bills (don't ask, it's all in a trust), but there's sure
no sense of letting it run all the time if it don't need to.

But, man, I sure do like it in the cooler weather, and the cold of winter,
when I keep it hot all the time.

Steve

Oren wrote:
On 3 Sep 2006 19:45:00 -0700, wrote:

Here in NJ, I keep mine turned down around 80 during winter and turn it
up a few hours before I intend to use it. I use it a couple times a
week, so it definitely saves energy MAny also have timers so you can
have it turn itself up to 100+ before the times you are most likely to
use it.

NJ? Oh yeah, what exit grin?

But in the end, if you only use it 6 times a year, the hassle of
maintenance plus the energy usage probably aren't worth it.

When you first get one, all excited and then find the cost of products
to do this and that. It was as hard as Japanese Arithmetic. I found it
easier to drain the 500 gallon monster and refresh it with celan water
- cheaper (6-10$) vs.chemicals at 20, 30, plus to do this and that.


Oren

"Well, it doesn't happen all the time, but when it happens, it happens constantly."


I don't know what chemicals or practices you use, but my cost of spa
chemicals is very low and not an issue. Might be $50 a year. I use
time release bromine, plus ocassional shock. Change the water about
every 3 months.

Cheaper to keep the hot tub and 86 the wife..

On Sun, 03 Sep 2006 21:14:44 GMT, 46erjoe
wrote:

The house we just bought came with a hot tub. There's just me and the
wife and we use it maybe a half dozen times a year. She claims it is
cheaper to keep the water warm all year long as long as the tub is
covered, than to reheat it for each use.

I say the whole damn thing is a big time energy sucker and we should
just sell it or use it as a fish pond.

Anybody out there with one who can share any wisdom?

Well, technically, if you use it only once a month,
it's probably cheaper to re-heat it. (unless it's
indoors, in which case it's a wash {so to speak} during
the winter, because the escaped heat from the bath
heats the house.

But *WISDOM*, which is what you asked for, suggests
that winning this argument with your wife is not a
good idea. Particularly since the reason she wants
in left warm is because she wants her damn hot tub
on the same day that she decides to use it, not
22 hours later.

Steve B wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...
I see a significant difference in my electric bill when I turn the hot
tub down after use (to about 75-80 degrees) and then turn it up the
next day in anticipation of using it. It does remove a little of the
spontaneity, since I have to remember to turn it up several hours
beforehand if I think I'll want to use it later, but it's worth it to
me for the savings.

I agree - I turn mine down when I don't plan on using it for a couple
days.

Thank you, Jo Ann. Here in Las Vegas, I don't get in the hot tub from about
the end of May until mid September. I leave it hot, thinking that it might
get gungy if I don't. But, next summer, I believe I will set it down to
about 80.

The water should be changed every few months anyway, so if you are not
using it through the summer, just drain it. Wipe it down and refill in
the Fall.

But, man, I sure do like it in the cooler weather, and the cold of winter,
when I keep it hot all the time.

And in the dead of winter, the (outdoor, above-ground) tub obviously
uses more energy in colder climes (like here in NJ). When it gets
below 15-20F, getting in/out of a wet tub is a less appealing
proposition. I may drain mine this December...

Regards,
Teo

We keep our tub hot (100 degrees) 24/7. Up until this year, it was wired
for 120V which meant that it could take literally days to go from 50 degrees
(e.g. a freshly-filled/changed tub) to usable temp). This spring I rewired
it for 220V (huge job -- had to run about 100' of new wire/conduit) and it
now heats about 4x faster. But as was mentioned elsewhere, if you cool down
the tub, you then have to plan to use it significantly ahead of time. It's
kind of nice to be able to say "hey lets go jump in the tub".

If we're leaving town for more than a weekend, we'll sometimes turn it down
to 80 degrees. But otherwise it stays hot.

-Tim