Hot tub maintenance costs range from $240 to $900 per year, with a national average of $570. The size of your hot tub impacts cost the most.
Many people dream about being able to slip on a swimsuit to enjoy a relaxing soak after a long day at work. Running a hot tub costs between $240 and $900 per year, but can vary depending on your usage and location. Beyond the initial cost for your unit, though, there are some ongoing hot tub maintenance costs you should consider before you install. This guide explains how much it costs to keep your hot tub running.
How much electricity will your hot tub be putting out? How much do chemicals and filters cost? Where do you live? These are just some of the factors to consider when it comes to running your hot tub.
Simply put, a bigger hot tub costs more to run. You’ll need to use more chemicals, replace a filter that costs more each time, and pay more in electricity bills. When you read manufacturer maintenance suggestions, they typically refer to how much electricity your hot tub will draw in terms of how much you will pay each month.
An outdoor hot tub in a colder climate will draw more electricity to stay warm. Depending on the size, a hot tub draws between 1,500 and 6,000 watts for heating purposes. A large hot tub in a cold location may draw as much as 7,500 watts of electricity. Over the course of a month, this may come out to $20 to $30.
You'll need to use chemical additives in your hot tub to prevent hot tub health hazards. Specifically, you need a chemical for increasing or decreasing the pH level of the hot tub, as well as sodium dichlor chlorine granules. These chemicals keep your pool from developing bacteria and can add $100 or more to your yearly maintenance cost.
You should replace hot tub filters every one to two years to ensure your hot tub is clean and safe. These can cost anywhere from $15 to $120.
Hot tubs should be drained and cleaned every three to four months. You can drain, clean, and refill a hot tub for just the price of the water if you do the job yourself. However, you can also hire a hot tub professional to do it for about $100 to $150.
Sometimes, a hot tub will break down and require repair. The average cost to repair a hot tub is about $300, but it depends on what's wrong with it. If it's just a small crack that needs sealing, it may only cost you $100, but replacing a two-speed pump could run you $1,000 or more.
Don’t put on your swimsuit yet! If you’re installing a new hot tub or upgrading an old one, there are some additional factors to consider.
If you own an older hot tub, you might choose to update your water care system or control panel (sometimes, these come as one unit). Upgrading a control panel costs $200 to $700, depending on your hot tub type.
Standard hot tubs hold between 300 and 450 gallons of water. While a gallon of household water in the U.S. typically costs a penny or less, it’s not a huge expense. Still, if you refill your tub three to four times a year, it can add up to at least a few dollars—more if you have a bigger tub.
Hot tubs have to be placed on level ground with a prepared foundation. A concrete slab or outdoor living space like a patio is the ideal location. If you’re installing one of these
For some homeowners, it’s not just about the hot tub, but the experience you create around it. Here are some common add-ons you might be considering that’ll require additional investments:
Concrete slab costs: $3,600 to $7,200
Pergola costs: $4,000
Outdoor home theater projector costs: $350
Plunge pool costs: $20,000
On average, labor for professional hot tub installation costs $650 to $6,000. The cost could be much higher if you’re installing an in-ground hot tub. So if you decide to install a hot tub yourself, you’ll save on those labor costs and will only have to pay for the hot tub itself, which ranges from $2,000 to $25,000, plus electrical work and any add-ons.
Everyone likes saving money. As it turns out, there are a few easy ways you can save cash before and after you buy your new hot tub:
Keep the lid on: Keeping the lid on the hot tub when you're not using it will keep heat from escaping, and reduce the amount of work the hot tub motor has to do to keep your hot tub heated.
Check the thermostat: Sometimes, thermostats can get out of whack and give you incorrect temperature readings. When that happens, you may be running it too hot and wasting a lot of money on electricity costs.
Conduct regular maintenance: A properly maintained hot tub will save you money over time. If you don't maintain your tub, you run the risk of having to perform costly repairs or cleanings that can add a lot to your annual bill.
Shop for off-season deals: You might be able to score a more affordable or energy-efficient unit during the winter or late fall months.
Don’t shut your hot tub off completely: This may seem a little counter-intuitive, but it takes a lot of energy to heat your hot tub from cold every time you want to use it. Keep it at a relatively low temperature but one where it would be easy to get it to the temperature you want. You can, of course, shut the hot tub off completely if you're leaving for a long time.
Unfortunately, a hot tub does use a relatively large amount of electricity. In fact, much of the money you spend on your hot tub will go toward electricity costs to keep the water heated. A typical hot tub will use anywhere from 1,500 to 6,000 watts of electricity per month.
It is less expensive to leave your hot tub on all the time as opposed to periodically turning it on and off. It’s more economical to keep your hot tub at a constant temperature 24/7 because heating it up from a cold temperature on a regular basis would use a lot of energy, particularly if you frequently use the hot tub.
You should keep your hot tub at a constant soaking temperature of around 100 degrees Fahrenheit when the hot tub is not in use. However, you can lower that by a couple of degrees during the summer, so you don’t feel overheated.
You should put chlorine in your hot tub on a regular basis. To keep bacteria away, keep the chlorine level in your hot tub at between 3-5 mg/l, which may mean you need to add chlorine daily or at least every two to three days. Don’t add chlorine to your hot tub water more than once per day.
Biofilm growth can cause a hot tub to feel slimy. Hot tub biofilm is a slimy substance that’s typically due to natural contaminants like makeup, soaps, skin oils, deodorants, or lotions. A hot tub can also have a slimy interior or slimy water if the tub’s filters are old or damaged, or if the hot tub isn’t properly cleaned. You should drain your hot tub, wipe away any slimy residue, then refill the water and use a spa purge product that prevents the buildup of biofilm.
