Hot Tubs FAQ

Our customers often ask questions regarding buying, owning and maintaining their hot tubs, so we've compiled some of the most frequently asked questions here. Read on to learn more about hot tubs. If you have a specific question that you would like to see answered here, please visit our Contact Us page and fill out the form there.

Using the FAQ

The Hot Tubs FAQ is split across multiple pages on this site, so please select a question from the list below and click it to read the answer.

Hot Tubs - Frequently Asked Questions

1. How much does a Hot Tub cost to run?
2. How long does it take to fill a Hot Tub?
3. How long should it take a Hot Tub to get hot?
4. Why will my Hot Tub not stay hot?
5. Is it more efficient to keep your Hot Tub hot, or heat it up for each use?
6. Can you put soap into a Hot Tub?
7. How do I get rid of Suds in the Hot Tub?
8. Can you go into a Hot Tub if you have a pacemaker?
9. How do you repair an old Hot Tub Cover?
10. Can Hot Tubs cause headaches?
11. How long should you stay in your Hot Tub?
12. Are Hot Tubs good for your skin?
13. Can you get Chlamydia from a Hot Tub?
14. How do you remove limescale and biofilms from the inside of the pipe work?
15. What does an Ozone generator do?
16. How do I get rid of my old Hot Tub?
17. How do you stop Hot Tub leaks?
18. Why is my Hot Tub green?
19. Are Hot tubs good for your skin?
20. What do you add to raise Alkality in Hot tubs?
21. How do you drain a Hot Tub?
22. What if I do not put chemicals in to my Hot Tub?
23. What is an air lock in a Hot Tub?
24. How do you move a Hot Tub?
25. Can you run a Hot Tub cold?
26. I have frozen Hot Tub pipes, what can I do?
27. What do you do if your spa water is cloudy?
28. How do you replace the electrical panel on a Hotspring Hot Tub?
29. How do you clean a hot tub filter?
30. How do you get rid of black algae in a hot tub?
31. Why is my Hot Tub Cover waterlogged?
32. How long do you have to wait to get into your Hot Tub after shock dosing it?
33. How do you mend hair line cracks in your Hot Tub?
34. Is it harmful to take a baby in to a Hot Tub?
35. What is the average temperature for an outside Hot Tub?
36. If you over-chlorinate your Hot Tub, what should you do?
37. How often do you have to change Hot Tub water?
38. Where is the reset button on a Hotspring spa?
39. Do you need planning permission to install a Hot Tub?

How much does a Hot Tub cost to run?

Hot Tubs are made in many different ways using many different materials. The least expensive designs will cost about £5 a week to own, up to £30 for other designs. Why the huge difference?

1. Does the spa come with a Thermal cover or just a thin floating cover made of bubble wrap? Most heat escapes from the top so a good quality thermal cover will save you loads of money.
2. Is the spa insulated with foam or reflective materials? If it is not, then your expensive heat is just floating off into the garden.
3. If the spa has a air blower, this will look nice, but have no therapeutic value and cost a fortune in waste heat. As the air travels from the bottom of the spa to the top it absorbs the water heat and takes it straight out in to the air.
4. If you can see air vents in the cabinet then this means valuable heat is being lost to the outside, instead of being recycled back in to the spa water.
5. Hot tubs are designed to be kept hot 24/7. If they are built correctly, an average 300 gallon hot tub used 1/2 hour per day, every day, with an average 15p per kW energy cost will cost the owner about £260 a year. Larger hot tubs with more surface area and longer use periods, in colder climates like Scotland, and with higher energy costs, will cost more.

How long does it take to fill a Hot Tub?

Most, if not all portable Hot tubs are filled with a hose pipe. The time it takes to fill it with water will depend on how much water needs to be put into the spa, what size of pipe you are using and your water pressure. If you are in the UK, have reasonable water pressure, and are using a standard 3/4" UK hose and filling a 300 gallon spa, I would expect this to take between 1.5 and 2 hours approximately.

How long should it take a Hot Tub to get hot?

Firstly, we must remember Hot Tub heaters vary considerably, from 1KW up to 6KW, and the volume of water to be heated varies, as does the mains water temperature from summer to winter.

As an example, let's look at a 300 gallon Hot Tub with a 1.5kW heater, with summer temperature mains water. You should expect this to be hot in about 20 hours. Bigger spas, different heaters and winter mains water will all have longer or shorter heating times. A final point - Hot Tubs are designed to be hot 24/7. Once a hot tub is hot you, are only ever topping up lost heat. A 1.5KW heater will put about 3 degrees of heat into a spa per hour, so a typical 1/2 hour use will drop the spa temperature about 1 degree, meaning it will take about 20 minutes to recover.

Why will my Hot Tub not stay hot?

This could be down to a faulty part like a failed heater, circulation pump or thermostat, or even simply that there is not enough water in the Hot Tub. However, if the spa heats up again after use, then your spa is using more heat than your heater can replace. If this is the case, you could fit a larger heater (if your power supply allows), or you could avoid using the blower, which takes a lot of heat out of your spa. Many spas also turn the heater off when the jet pumps run - there is normally a jumper on the control box to switch on full-time, but again it will take more power, and you must get an electrican to check wether you have the correct supply cable and fuse.

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