Can “energy-guzzling” hot tubs be made more environmentally friendly?

Some people criticize Severin Borenstein for having a hot tub.

“Typically, the criticism of owning a hot tub is that it's a waste of energy,” he says.

The main reason for the high energy consumption is that the heater is running on days when the hot tub is not in use to keep the water from getting too cold.

Professor Borenstein studies energy economics at the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, so he was able to take a closer look at the numbers for his own household.

He and his wife use the hot tub regularly, about five times a week.

“To keep your hot tub warm every day, you need to heat it for about 30 minutes a day on average to make up for heat loss,” he explains. Hot tubs filter for about six hours a day, and are emptied and refilled about three times a year.

The hot tub's energy usage represents about 18% of his household's electricity usage.

Borenstein calculated that running a hot tub for a year would produce slightly less greenhouse gas emissions than a one-way flight from Boston to London.

This is a significant amount, leading some people to refer to hot tubs as “energy wasting.” Heated cabin and pool And a second refrigerator.

According to UswitchHot tubs are likely the largest energy-consuming appliance in your home.

There are steps you can take to curb the pigs' greed a little.

One factor is how you power the tub in your shed.

Hot tubs usually come with their own dedicated electric heater, so using green energy sources reduces your carbon footprint.

These heaters can also be combined with solar hot water heaters to reduce the need for electricity.

But for those installing a hot tub in their home, things may get a little more complicated.

For retail customers, “simplicity is key,” says Carl Rowntree, technical director at British hot tub manufacturer RotoSpa.

Holiday parks are increasingly embracing alternative heating systems such as solar and biomass boilers (which can also run on wood pellets or coffee waste) and heat pumps.

heat pump For hot tubs More energy efficient More than electric heaters. WhatSpa? Buying Guide states that standard electric heaters are Consume three times more power Thermal efficiency during the heating cycle compared to air source heat pumps.

Rowntree says air-source heat pumps can reduce energy costs by up to 75 percent and pay for themselves within three years.

Other factors include how well the tub is insulated and covered to reduce heat loss, the size of the tub which affects the amount of water needed to heat, and the temperature setting.

Rowntree says the control system's energy-efficiency features also help: He uses a sleep timer on his bathtub, putting it into sleep mode from 11 a.m. to 7 a.m.

Although it cools down at night, it's still cheaper than leaving it on all night, he explains.

Of course, there is also the option of a wood-fired hot tub. The environmental impact will vary depending on whether the wood is sustainably sourced, but burning wood always produces carbon dioxide.

Another important factor for tourism operators is guest behaviour: at Alicazzo, a group of chalets in the French Alps, hot tubs are extremely popular.

However, the company recognises that the area has been hit by drought in recent years and that the 1,500 litre hot tub is an area where it should reduce energy and water usage.

As a result, the company has implemented a new hot tub policy whereby guests pay an additional fee if they use the hot tub during the summer or if the hot tub needs a mid-week water change.

“In the winter, most guests still want to use the hot tub, but in the summer, more and more guests are opting out of the hot tub,” says Al Judge, co-founder of Alicattz.

As for mid-week water changes, the company believes they can easily be avoided with proper usage, such as showering before getting in the hot tub.

He adds, “One of the key things we did this year was make sure we didn't drink the water in the hot tub, which allowed us to keep the hot water going for much longer.”

Judge explains: “If you spill beer in a hot tub, the yeast reacts with the water (which is 37.5 degrees) and you quickly get into an unpleasant state, so by quitting drinking in your hot tub, you are making a huge positive impact on the environment.”

Hot Tub Market It's been a rollercoaster few years.Hot tub sales soared in 2020 and 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, before falling in the UK in 2022 and 2023 due to the rising cost of living and rising electricity prices.

Finally, “we are now starting to see an economic recovery,” Rowntree said.

He said RotoSpa was selling about 600 units a year before COVID-19, 2,500 during the pandemic and now about 1,000.

This gradual increase is due in large part to the popularity of hot tubs in vacation rentals, with UK holiday property owners who are part of the Weekend Candy and ToWander UK networks reporting that having a hot tub can increase bookings by 10-20%.

But hot tubs can be costly to maintain: Last year, at Bucksby Manor in Yorkshire, owner Bernie Smith installed three hot tubs with air-source heat pumps, solar panels and battery storage.

“Despite this, it will cost around £100 for each replacement to fully clean, refill and heat the hot tub,” reports Smith.

Despite their maintenance and energy needs, many tourism operators now consider hot tubs essential.

“It's probably safe to say it's becoming expected as standard,” says Yasmin Wilkes, owner of Loose Lanes in Dorset, which is adding hot tubs in 2022 and 2023.

Back in California, Professor Borenstein said a narrow focus on energy consumption could miss the “big picture” about hot tub use.

that Health benefits include Lowering blood pressure and improving sleep.

“There are a lot of things we do that impact the environment,” he reflects.