With the way energy prices have risen over the last year and are expected to rise further, it is a godsend to many that amazing advancements are being made in the field of hot tub running efficiency. Namely, improved insulation methods and the brilliant, Air Source Heat Pumps.

Hot Tubs can be heated with Air Source Heat Pumps in place of a traditional hot tub heating system. Fully installed by a professional with the minimum of fuss, the quick heat-up times and drastic energy savings of this sort of heat source make them desirable for all hot tub owners as energy prices soar.

In this post, we’ll look at everything you need to know about air source heat pumps for your hot tub and the financial benefits you can expect by having one installed.

What is an air source heat pump?

The Air-Source-Heat-Pump, from now on ASHP, is a device that transfers heat either to or from the water in your hot tub. The ASHP uses a compressor and condenser to absorb heat either from the air if we are heating the hot tub, or – on the more advanced HSP versions – from the water if we are chilling it (to use as a plunge pool in summer) and release it in the opposite direction. If we are heating the hot tub, heat is absorbed from the air outside and transferred to the water inside the tub.

Conversely, if we are using the ASHP in the summer to chill the hot tub into a plunge pool, heat is absorbed from the water and released into the air. NOTE. Many hot tub heat source pumps only heat the water. If you want fast cooling too, look into the more advanced pumps or call for more information.

How are they installed?

Heat source pumps are quite large and situated outside of the hot tub cabinet. Because of this it is important to ensure it is being installed by professionals.

Pipes will need to run from the HSP to the interior of the hot tub. In many instances, we see pipes literally plumbed right through the hot tub cabinet and blocking any access. While using the cabinet for access is sometimes unavoidable, it should always be done so not to hinder the ability to properly maintain the hot tub.

Our installers are trained at providing the most subtle heat source pump installation possible. We can magically make pipes disappear and the HSP itself be installed as discreetly as possible. In the instance that there is simply not choice but to use a hot tub cabinet, we do it so access is never a problem.

(Installation of the HSP is so important we strongly recommend speaking to your preferred installer and finding out how they would approach your particular installation. Some will simply turn up, pop the heater anywhere near the tub, plumb it in through the cabinet and call it a good job – then you will be looking for someone else to come and fix the mess).

How do they work?

An air source heat pump uses a compressor and condenser to heat a refrigerant as it moves through a copper coil heat exchanger. The refrigerant transitions between liquid and gaseous states as it is pumped through the heat exchanger in heating mode. To boil as it passes through the heat exchanger coil, the refrigerant is turned into a liquid.

If you’re still with us, we’re impressed lol.

As the refrigerant vaporizes and changes into a gas, the heat that was previously absorbed and stored inside is retained and carried along. The electric pump then compresses the gas, causing it to become hotter as a result of the compression.

A pressure valve regulates the flow of refrigerant through the coil, where it is transformed back into a liquid and transfers heat to the heating element, which in turn heats your Hot Tub water as it flows through the system.

This method of generating heat and controlling temp is more efficient than a standard heater to quite a standard.

What are the advantages of air source heat pumps?

Hot Tubs can be heated with Air Source Heat Pumps, one of the most effective heating devices available. These systems are both very efficient and inexpensive. Using them is a good thing all round and saves you money on operating your Hot Tub due to the following factors and benefits.

• A low carbon footprint.
• Lowering energy bills is possible by saving energy.
• It can be used for both heating and cooling.
• Works even at lower temperatures.
• A high Seasonal Coefficient of Performance (SCOP) is a measure of the seasonal performance of a photovoltaic system. It is expressed as a ratio of the system’s performance during the peak period to its performance during the base period.
• Retrofitting to any hot tub is possible.
• It is low-maintenance.
• A long lifespan is expected.
• No extra fuel storage is required.

But wait, there’s even more!

To go along with the superior technology of heat source pumps, there are now various insulation reinforcement methods that can be added to almost any hot tub – and we are specialists in every aspect of the latest and greatest hot tub insulation methods.

It’s genuinely hard to sum up exactly how brilliant the savings in hot tub running costs can so we have a few real-world running tests we have completed ourselves. Let the money do the talking.

Real World Hot Tub Running Cost Tests.

34 Degrees Temp Test Case Study = 71p per day!
Our energy-efficient upgrade results are unparalleled in the hot tub industry. Our own real-world tests achieved daily running costs of just 71p to maintain 34 degrees – a typical summer running temp. In our tests, we used a 32 amp Wellis 8-foot tub in an outdoor setting that used just £8.61 over a 12-day period calculated at current rates of 29p per kWh. Using a 5kw midi Onda test conducted July 2022.

38 Degrees C Test Case Study = £1.03 per day!
Our energy-efficient upgrade results are unparalleled in the hot tub industry. Our own real-world tests achieved daily running costs of just £1.03 to maintain 38 degrees. In our tests, we used a 32 amp Wellis 8-foot tub in an outdoor setting that used just £7.21 a week calculated at current rates of 29p per kWh. Using a 5kw midi Onda test conducted July 2022.

Interested to know more about your specific circumstance?

The eco upgrades available for hot tubs are genuinely staggering and have come at exactly the right time. The Hot Tub Doctors are nationwide hot tub specialists with the widest experience in the hot tub maintenance and repairs game. We can retrofit any hot tub with our eco upgrades so let us give you a quote today.

We have a dedicated page where you can see a bit more information and get in touch with us. We are happy to give you our best estimate for the saving that should be available to you. Just visit the following page and fill out the very short form.

Hot Tub Energy Upgrade

Thanks for reading!!!!!
Jerry @ The Hot Tub Doctors!