How Long Does It Take for a Hot Tub to Heat Up?
When you get your hot tub set up, your first thought is to jump in. However, it’s going to take a while before you can get the water to a comfortable 100 degrees. How long are you going to have to wait? Well, that depends on a few factors.
How long does it take a hot tub to heat up for the first time? Knowing this will make it easier for you to plan accordingly as well as to know when there are issues with the overall functionality.
The Average Time It Takes for a Hot Tub to Reach the Desired Temperature
On average, a hot tub with today’s technology will take approximately four hours to reach the desired temperature of about 100 degrees. Older hot tubs may take a little bit longer.
Now, if your hot tub doesn’t reach 100 degrees in four hours, does it mean that something’s wrong? Not necessarily. Some hot tubs will take up to eight hours to reach the desired temperature. This extra time is not ideal, but it will ensure that you have a comfortable temperature to soak in once it’s ready for you.
Factors that Affect the Heating Process
Why does it take four hours for some hot tubs to reach 100 degrees while it will take other hot tubs eight hours?
There are a few factors that you’ll want to consider.
The capacity of the tub. Larger capacity tubs take longer to heat simply because there is more water that needs to get to the specified temperature.
Temperature of the water coming from the hose. Some hoses will dispense water at 60 degrees while others might dispense at 70 or 75 degrees. The colder the water, the longer it will take because of the temperature difference.
Ambient air temperature. The temperature outside will impact the temperature of the water and how long it takes to get up to 100 degrees. In places like Colorado and the Pacific Northwest, the temperatures are colder, so it could take an extra hour or so to get the water temperature to where you want it.
Once you factor in everything that will affect the heating process, you can develop a plan. The water should heat in approximately the same amount of time every time. If you find that it takes a few hours longer than it did the last time, you can start to wonder if there’s something wrong with your unit.
Maintain the Temperature
Considering that it can take anywhere between four and eight hours to get the temperature to where you want it, you now know why most people keep the temperature heated at all times. If you come home after a long day and want to soak, you don’t have the luxury of waiting around for hours.
There are only a few instances where you’ll need to heat the water from room temperature (or lower):
- You’ve just drained and refilled the tub
- You lowered the temperature in between uses
- You powered the hot tub down during the winter months
Don’t assume that maintaining the temperature is going to be costly. It’s a lot easier for your hot tub to maintain a temperature than it is to continuously raise the temperature from ambient to 100 degrees on a daily basis.
Tips to Help with Speeding it Up
Be honest about the overall performance of your hot tub. How long does it take for a hot tub to heat up at your home? If it’s taking longer than you think is necessary or you’re encountering other problems, it’s time to have a technician take a look.
There are some tips to help you speed up the heating of your hot tub and ensure that everything is running the way that it should.
Cover the Hot Tub
Especially when you live in a colder climate, a hot tub cover is your friend. You get rid of the ambient air temperature that continues to work against your heater. The temperature will be trapped under the cover, speeding up the process to reach your desired temperature.
If you don’t have a cover or lid, look at using a tarp.
Use a Thermal Blanket
There are thin plastic sheets known as thermal blankets that can be used to raise the temperature in your hot tub. These float on the surface of the water and help to capture some of the sun’s heat. When you want to really speed up the process and the sun is shining, these can reduce the time by an hour or more.
Turn the Jets On
The reality is that you should turn on the jets (once they’re submerged in water). When the jets and the other water features are on, your hot tub will heat faster. The reason is because the water will circulate more effectively, getting rid of those cold “pockets” you might encounter from time to time.
Once the desired temperature is reached, you can choose to keep the jets on or turn them off.
Get It Serviced
When you find that it’s taking a considerable amount of time for your hot tub to heat up, schedule a hot tub repair with a professional such as Ajax Pool and Spa. A technician can come out to inspect your hot tub, including looking at the heating elements.
Invest in a More Powerful Heater
If you have a number of factors that work against you to heat up your hot tub, consider investing in a more powerful heater. Many smaller hot tubs only have a 1kw heater. There are heaters that are 4kw or more. If you’re not sure whether this will make a difference, talk to a technician when they come out to service your hot tub.
Knowing how long it takes to heat up a hot tub is an important piece of information. It might take longer than you want, but once it’s done, it’s done for a while. As you learn to maintain the temperature and speed up the heating process, you can stop stressing. And, if you find that your hot tub is taking longer to heat (or the temperature isn’t easy to maintain), call a hot tub technician right away.
