How does an Inflatable Hot Tub work?
It’s hot tub season! Here at HandiWorld, we love our inflatable hot tubs. They are a great way of passing the time while relaxing on a long, hot summer evening – or even a short autumnal one! Hot tubs and spas have positive health benefits both physically and mentally. They can be enjoyed by people of all ages, and they are a brilliant addition to a home’s leisure kit.
What is putting you off owning an inflatable hot tub?
We find that most people are put off because they are not familiar with how to set one up and maintain it. Actually, it’s very easy once you get to know what you are doing. So here we have some pointers to help you make the decision whether to invest in a hot tub or spa for you and your family.
How much are inflatable hot tubs?
We sell two versions of the INTEX PureSpa hot tub; the INTEX Octagonal Inflatable Hot Tub for 4, and the INTEX Round Inflatable Hot Tub for 6.
INTEX PureSpa Bubble Round 6 Person
The 4 person version is £575.00 and the 6 person is £700.00. This is considerably cheaper than wooden hot tubs which retail from around £2,000.00 and fibre-glass hot tubs which retail from around £3,000.00 and more!
How easy is an inflatable hot tub to set up?
Very easy! There are two main parts; the tub with lid, and the power unit. Once the tub and lid are inflated (often the power unit can do the inflating), you connect the power unit and follow the instructions provided to start it off. You will also need to insert a filter, which are generally supplied with your hot tub.
The water is simply put in from your home’s water supply using a hose pipe. You add chemicals as per the instructions, and leave the water to heat up to the required temperature. Heating usually takes around 12 – 24 hours to heat the water from around 20 degrees up to 40 degrees.
After around 24 hours after the initial chemical insertion, you test the water using your testing strips and you’re good to go!
How long do inflatable hot tubs last?
Like a lot of hot tubs, the life of an inflatable hot tub depends on lots of things, like how often it is used and how you look after it. There are two main components to an inflatable hot tub; the tub itself and the power unit. Each needs to be looked after correctly to ensure a long life. The hot tubs that we sell come with a manufacturers guarantee of 12 months. We expect the hot tubs to last longer than this guarantee.
Do inflatable hot tubs have jets?
Yes. Well ours do anyway! Check before you buy if you specifically want jets, but we definitely know the ones we sell do. Our 4 person one has 120 heated bubble jets, and the 6 person has 140. The jets are worked by selecting the option on the power unit.
INTEX PureSpa Bubble Octagonal 4 Person
Do inflatable hot tubs use a lot of electricity?
An inflatable hot tub uses around £5.00 – £10.00 of electricity per week, depending on a few factors. To reduce energy use, you could turn down the temperature of the hot tub if you know you’re not going to be using it soon. Electricity is used for heating the water, and running the bubble jets.
You should set the power unit to your preferred temperature and let the hot tub do its thing. When you’re done, you simply replace the lid. You don’t need to fiddle with the settings every day. Making sure to put the lid on correctly to preserve the heat after use will mean the power unit uses less energy to get the water back up to the correct temperature each time.
What are the costs of running an inflatable hot tub?
Aside from the electricity, there are other things to take into account. These are:
- Chemicals
- Filters
- Water
What chemicals for inflatable hot tub?
Chemicals – you will need a chemical kit to keep your hot tub’s water well balanced and hygienic. The main chemicals you will use are chlorine granules, PH+ liquid, PH- liquid, and foam reducer. You can buy these in a pack, or individually. As an example, a hot tub chemical starter kit including PH testing strips can be bought from Amazon for about £24.00, which should be more than enough to get you through the hot tub season. You may also be able to pick up these packs from a local store or garden centre.
You will likely need to top up the water with chlorine every day when used. You should dissolve the required amount (about a capful) in water before adding it to the hot tub to avoid clogging the filters with undissolved granules.
Filters – You should clean the filter every couple of uses, and change the filter every 4 – 6 weeks. Price of the filter depends on the size you need but expect to pay anything between £4.00 and £15.00 per filter. Again, these can be sourced fairly easily on Amazon, or your local store.
Water – If you are on a water meter then you need to consider the cost of the water itself. A hot tub can hold around 800 – 1000 litres, and you should change the water around every two weeks. If you find yourself using a lot of chlorine and foam reducer and you can’t see your feet when you sit down, it’s definitely time to get it changed! 1000 litres of water costs around £3.00 – £4.00 depending on your water supplier.
In total, a hot tub shouldn’t cost more than £50.00 – £60.00 a month to run.
How to drain/empty an inflatable hot tub
Emptying your inflatable hot tub is easy. They come with a drain point/plug in the base. You connect up a hose pipe and direct it into a drain. Once most of the water has drained away, it’s easy to prop up the hot tub and tip the remaining water onto your garden. A little water with spa chemicals in won’t do a lot of damage to your lawn and the garden might appreciate some extra water, come the summer.
Can inflatable hot tubs be used in winter?
Yes, an inflatable hot tub can be used in the winter, though you might want to empty it and bring it indoors during particularly frosty seasons. Energy use may increase through the winter as the power until will be working harder to maintain the water temperature, so if you know you won’t be using it in winter months, then you might want to consider putting off hot tub activity until the spring. However, using the hot tub in colder weather is very enjoyable and we can think of worse ways to spend the winter evenings!
INTEX PureSpa Bubble Octagonal 4 Person
Why an inflatable hot tub is better than a fibre glass hot tub
We prefer inflatable hot tubs to fibre glass ones for three main reasons.
- They are significantly cheaper to buy.
- They can be deflated and stored when not in use which saves on maintenance and running costs
- They are nicer to sit in. Inflatable hot tubs are deep with a soft floor which we prefer to the hard base of a fibre glass tub.
Do you have a hot tub? What do you like about it?
