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How Much Electricity Does a Hot Tub Use Per Month?

Everyone loves hot tubs, but before you buy one, make sure you ask how much electricity does a hot tub use per month?

Here’s what I’ve learned in owning 4 of them:

For most newer hot tubs built in the past decade or so, they aren’t likely to increase your electric bill by more than $20-30 per month. Constantly changing the temperature or turning it off and back on will increase that cost. Also ensure your lid is in good, working condition to minimize heat loss.

But there’s more to know about hot tubs and your electric bill.

So, if you’re wondering how much electricity your hot uses, or how you can better manage the electricity it uses, then you’re definitely in the right place. We’ll be showing you everything you need to know about the electricity behind your hot tub, and how to properly manage it.

Ultimately, we’re looking at how much electricity does a hot tub use per month?

So without wasting any more of your precious time, let’s dive right in, and take a look at exactly how much electricity your hot tub may use. If you’re curious about saving money, don’t worry, because we have your back there too.

Does a hot tub use a lot of electricity?

No, is the short, but surprising answer.

A hot tub is not something that uses a crazy amount of electricity. So how much electricity does a hot tub use, and is it really a lot?

Let’s find out if the price tag you find on your electricity bill is where it should be.

If you came here thinking that a hot tub was going to cost you thousands of dollars in electricity every year, then you’re sadly mistaken. A hot tub actually doesn’t cost very much to run. This is especially true if you have yours set to economy mode or sleep mode.

But even that isn’t necessary to keep the electric bill down.

Hot tubs in decades past may have cost $50-100 per month, but in the past few years, technology in that department has advanced substantially.

This ain’t your grandpa’s hot tub (luckily)!

A newer hot tub produced in the past 5 or so years, on average, only tends to cost roughly $1 per day.

That’s not bad for a hot tub, and even if you do plan on running it every single day, it will only cost you roughly $30 per month on average. See? It doesn’t have to be a burden.

At my house, we have our hot tub on 24/7 and it’s set to 98° most of the time.

While I have no way of isolating just the cost of the hot tub, I can tell you our whole electric bill is usually around $200. And that’s for a 2,500 sq. ft. house with 4 outside doors and older windows.

Not sure if it’s time to replace your hot tub?

In a recent article, I examine how many years hot tubs last. I cover all types from in-ground to inflatable and regular hot tubs. But I also explore a few key things that can extend the life of yours by years!

Just click the link to read it on my site.

How much does it cost to run a hot tub a month?

As we mentioned before, a hot tub will cost you about $1 per day to run if not even less.

No reason to turn it off or lower the temp way down. Ours is set to standard mode and 98° year-round and probably costs under $1.00/day.

What are some of the factors that can affect that monthly cost?

  • The amount of insulation inside the housing (if it’s over a decade old, it will likely be less energy-efficient)
  • The condition of your lid (if it’s old, cracked, waterlogged, or sags)
  • The age of the heater (if it’s over a decade old, it will likely be less energy-efficient)
  • How often you have the lid off (making sure the lid is secure when not in use minimizes heat loss)

If your hot tub cover is torn or ripped or waterlogged, now is the time to fix it before it gets worse.

Once it gets too bad, you’ll have no choice but to throw it away and get a new one. Believe me, that’s expensive!

In a recent article, I cover step-by-step what you need to do to quickly and easily fix a torn, ripped or waterlogged hot tub cover.

Just click the link to read it on my site.

What if I want to run it every day?

If you want to run a hot tub every day of the month, all year long, then a hot tub will cost you roughly $30 per month. Not too bad for a hot tub right?

Now you might think you could save money by turning it off when you’re not using it.

But you might want to reconsider that. Sure, it’s okay to turn it off here and there, but it will cost more for you to run it this way.

The reason is that it takes more energy to heat water from a neutral temperature than it is to simply maintain the temperature.

If you constantly turn it off and back on your monthly bill will increase by quite a bit. In these cases, your monthly bill can end up costing upwards of $50-70 per month.

Whether you’re looking to use your hot tub every day, or just on certain occasions, it’s probably not going to cost as much as you might think. It’s pretty safe to say that a hot tub will cost you under $30 per month on average unless you frequently adjust the temperature.

Does turning down a hot tub save money?

Yes, is the short answer. But not by much.

If you’re alarmed when you see your electricity bill, you might be wondering if there is a better way to manage the electricity consumed by your hot tub.

You might even be wondering if turning it down a notch might be all you need to save some hard-earned cash.

The reality is that unless you have an ancient hot tub, the savings you might see are minimal.

As we’ve covered, most modern hot tubs cost you about $1.00 per day or under.

104° is a pretty common hot tub temperature. I set ours to 98° so my kids can enjoy it and so we can all soak a little longer.

But the difference between 98° and 104° is probably $5 bucks a month at most.

So if you want to save money on your electricity bill, try and pick a temperature and stick to it. Constantly changing the water temperature will eat away at your electricity bill.

Not sure what the best temp is for your hot tub?

In a recent article, I break down the most common temperatures. But I also show you how long you should sit in your tub by temp to ensure safety.

Just click the link to read that on my site.

Is it cheaper to keep a hot tub on all the time?

Yes, is the short answer.

When it comes to using electricity, turning things on and off can be one of the main factors driving energy consumption. If you’re wondering if your hot tub plays by the same rules, then please pay very close attention.

So will running a hot tub all the time make it any more energy efficient?

When you leave a hot tub on all of the time, the water is typically hovering around the same temperature. As we covered above, modern hot tub heaters take less energy to maintain a temp than it does to go up and down frequently.

Why does leaving it running make sense?

As we mentioned briefly before, reheating the water is going to increase your electricity bill.

This is because it takes quite a bit of power to get the water temperature back where it should be. It’s no different than your air conditioner in your home. Do you constantly turn it off when you leave in the heat of summer? If so, and then you crank it back down when you return, your electric bill WILL be higher.

So for energy efficiency, you’ll want to keep the hot tub running as often as possible.

So if you want to save money, or try and run your hot tub in an energy-efficient way, try switching it to sleep mode or economy mode if your hot tub has that.

I do that to mine in the summer so the water temp doesn’t get too high.

Does it cost more to run a hot tub during the winter?

For newer hot tubs, the answer is surprisingly not much.

This is despite that when it comes to winter, obviously, it is going to take more energy to keep the water warmer.

This is because cold weather is known to dramatically reduce the temperature of pool and spa water. So you might be wondering whether or not a hot tub costs more to run during those brutally cold months.

Let’s find out if that’s the case or not.

When it comes to determining the cost of hot tubs in the winter, you need to understand that a lot of it comes down to insulation.

If you have an older model, chances are the insulation might not be as good as newer models. This is where increased winter costs can come into play, and you might want to consider an upgrade.

The good news is that since hot tubs are typically insulated with spray foam, it’s not hard to add some if yours needs it.

Just grab a can or 2 at Home Depot and take off the panels on the side of your hot tub. See where yours has spray foam and spray on some more. Or look for places around the jets or underside of the shell where the insulation is thin, worn, or missing.

What if I have a newer hot tub?

Hot tubs tend to have their energy-efficiency due to insulation. So if you have a newer (and by default, well-insulated) hot tub, your electricity bill will not increase much in the winter.

The insulation keeps the heat from escaping. This means the heater has to work less and operates more efficiently. When that happens, unless you’re deep in the heart of Alaska, your bill will likely only increase by around 2-3 dollars per month.

If you keep your hot tub running all winter, the price it costs to run will remain stable. Running a hot tub in the winter only becomes expensive if you decide to turn it off and on all winter long. Heating cold water takes time, and that time costs you money.

Another question people often have about hot tubs in winter is whether you can use antifreeze in a hot tub.

That might seem strange, but in ultra-cold climates, it’s a common question. You might be surprised to hear that yes; you can use antifreeze in a hot tub. But there’s a right way and a wrong way to do that!

Just check my recent article to see exactly how to do that. Click the link to read it on my site.

Did I cover all you wanted to know about how much electricity hot tubs use each month?

Running a hot tub is definitely going to cost you more than not having one.

But the good news is that for most newer hot tubs, the amount added to your bill is pretty small. For most users, that will cost you around $20-30 per month.

Just make sure your lid is in good condition and covers the hot tub completely to minimize heat escape.

If you want to heat your hot tub most cost-effectively, keep it running all the time. Also, avoid constantly changing the temperature.

Constantly raising and lowering or turning it off and back on will make your bill higher.

If you were wondering how electricity works when it comes to a hot tub, or just how to save a few bucks on your next electricity bill, hopefully, you found this post helpful.

Jeff Campbell