Silver1 Posted June 13, 2007 Report Share Posted June 13, 2007 **** THIS THREAD IS FOR OWNERS OR PEOPLE THAT HAVE WORKED ON THEM ONLY**** Every time I try to read through a post about this tub (which I bought) I have to read through 25 posts of jibberish. I bought the tub, it is sitting in the driveway waiting for me to have time to install so that's done. I am a very cautious person, I have not even turned it on yet but want to improve the insulation on the tub. I have been reading good coments on ROXUL products to increase the efficiency of the unit. Please describe to me what you have done to improve the tub. AGAIN, I don't have a problem with the tub, I don't know if the insulation will be ok or not, just want to educate myself. Please no bashing ladies and gents. Thanks from a new hot tub enthousiast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chas Posted June 14, 2007 Report Share Posted June 14, 2007 Let me jump in here as a moderator and a hot tub enthusiast, even though I do not own one of these spas. I have, however, helped folks add insulation to spas very much like them over the past twenty years. You mentioned Roxul in a PM, and I went to look at the web site. It sure looks like the right stuff to add. I would say that you need to look at your tub and see if you want to put rigid panels behind the siding, or cut some in to go between the support structure around the perimeter, etc. You may even want to look into putting a layer down on the slab, covering with a film of plastic (perhaps) and setting the spa right down on it. This would stop the transfer of heat to the cold ground, a source of heat-loss which is largely ignored even though it can have a huge effect on a spa. I look forward to hearing about and seeing pictures of how this goes for you. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwillard Posted June 14, 2007 Report Share Posted June 14, 2007 Why not wait and see how it does before adding insulation? Sorry, but what part of the world do you live in? I hope you post pictures of your project, I am sure others would be interested to see. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver1 Posted June 15, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2007 I am located in New-Brunswick Canada which means COLD WINTERS! Since I will be enclosing (Partly) the tub, it is much easier for me to insulate it now then later. The other thing, is that I would rather take care of it this sumer then in the middle of winter. Thanks for the tips fellas, looks like it will be this product: http://www.roxul.com/sw18192.asp 2'' thick will give me R-12 all around and will tape the seams around the lip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New NW tub owner Posted June 15, 2007 Report Share Posted June 15, 2007 quote name='jwillard' date='Jun 14 2007, 02:33 PM' post='28643' Why not wait and see how it does before adding insulation? Sorry, but what part of the world do you live in? I hope you post pictures of your project, I am sure others would be interested to see. Good luck! The 'Wait and see' is good advice. Our tub uses 300 to 400 kwh per month and maybe half of that is from just USING the tub which more insulation will not make any difference with and a lot of the rest is heat lost through the cover when it is on the tub. Just flipping the cover off means that warm steam floats up above the tub and carrys away a lot of heat meaning that your heater will kick on. Insulation around the shell will not make the slightest difference to the heat loss from the top if the cover is off. If your heater is 5kw, then there's 5kw per hour while the cover is off and the heater is running. And then there's the jets. A 3hp jet pump will use 2kw per hour. If you turn on two of them, there's 4 kw per hour. Say you use the tub for 5 hrs per week, and 4 weeks per month, there's maybe 180 kwh or as much as half of all of the power the tub uses in a month. Running the 1/15 hp recirc pump is only 50 wattts but it is 24/7 so it adds up to maybe 36 kwh per month. Bottom line is that the tubs use a lot of their power just from normal use and more insulation will not make any difference to that. If you want to be energy stingy, you would leave the jets off and keep your tubbing time short but that's not as much fun. Putting more insulation around the shell wouldn't hurt anything but it may not be very cost effective , depending on how much you spend to do it. I put a roll of 3/8" tubular foam into the gap between my shell and the tub sides and that cost me about $8 at home depot. Other than that, I have n't done anything but if I were going to spend more money on insulation, I think I'd spend it on the cover, although the 5x3 cover that the costco tubs come with is pretty good already and better than the 4x3 covers that a lot of tubs come with. Maybe there's a 6x4 cover somewhere. I think the covers only last a few years so when it's time for cover replacement I'll look into getting a super-dooper one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver1 Posted June 15, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2007 ... very interesting... The return on my investment will probably take some time to pay off I am sure but the Roxul produt will probably cost me 75-100$ Max., then there is my time to install. The cost of Energy in my area is relatively inexpensive .08KWh so you may be right, not worth my while. Time will tell, tks, B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Karna Posted June 15, 2007 Report Share Posted June 15, 2007 New NW tub owner, If you don't mind, where do you live, and how long have you owned your tub? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmendoza17 Posted June 15, 2007 Report Share Posted June 15, 2007 quote name='New NW tub owner' date='Jun 14 2007, 05:37 PM' post='28666'] Our tub uses 300 to 400 kwh per month That's interesting because in parts of California where rates and premium-rates can often exceed $.25 that works out to be between $75-$100 a month. Thanks for confirming what some on this forum have been finding out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trigger Posted June 15, 2007 Report Share Posted June 15, 2007 ... very interesting... The return on my investment will probably take some time to pay off I am sure but the Roxul produt will probably cost me 75-100$ Max., then there is my time to install. The cost of Energy in my area is relatively inexpensive .08KWh so you may be right, not worth my while. Time will tell, tks, B You in in New Brunswick Canada? I think the 75 to install the insulation board is money well spent. Also, check the gap between the shell and cabinet. that small space is noterious for allowing hot air to escape. I would caulk and seal as much of the cabinet as possible and put the Roxul board in the shell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwillard Posted June 15, 2007 Report Share Posted June 15, 2007 So you bought a spa....it uses electricity @ .25 a kwh? Your electric bill is high and you complain about how much power/money it cost to operate it? Ummmm, why wouldnt you complain about how much they charge per kilowatt hour instead of say the tub is expensive to operate? How do you know any other tub wouldnt cost as much?? Oh, thats right because you say the insulation is bad? I see that reasoning along the same lines as complaining about your vehicle and gas. 2 years ago people were not complaining about their car getting crappy gas mileage. Now that gas is over $3 dollars they still would rather complain about the gas instead of looking at the crappy gas mileage on their vehicle. I am glad I live where electricity is cheap... Electric Rates For Orlando, Florida Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spatech (the unreal one) Posted June 15, 2007 Report Share Posted June 15, 2007 ... very interesting... The return on my investment will probably take some time to pay off I am sure but the Roxul produt will probably cost me 75-100$ Max., then there is my time to install. I certainly wouldn't wait. I think you'll see payback within 2 winter months, longer obviously if its summer time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwillard Posted June 15, 2007 Report Share Posted June 15, 2007 Me personally I like to know my actions/time werent wasted.....I would let it be just as it is...later on if you think you could save more by adding insulation by all means do...that way at the end you will know if your hard work paid off or was frivolous. I guess I am a firm believer in why fix something that isnt broke...and right now you dont know if its broke. Now I can see if you wanted to add something that was aesthetical right out of the gate. If you are reading the post where someone may be spending .25 kwh and you are much cheaper I wouldnt stress it right off. Give it some time and see how your bill goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmendoza17 Posted June 16, 2007 Report Share Posted June 16, 2007 quote name='jwillard' date='Jun 15 2007, 07:27 AM' post='28713'] I am glad I live where electricity is cheap... That explains a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwillard Posted June 16, 2007 Report Share Posted June 16, 2007 quote name='jwillard' date='Jun 15 2007, 07:27 AM' post='28713'] I am glad I live where electricity is cheap... That explains a lot. What exactly does it explain?? Out of the million of other reasons why I wouldn't live in California your electric rates are just another nail in the coffin...a small nail but still a nail. So in your reasoning its the spa that is the problem and not the cost of electricity??? At your rates I would hate to hook anything up to an outlet for fear of being ass raped when the electric bill comes each month. I say pack up your spa and move to a place that isnt about charging an arm and a leg for something so basic. Oh, never mind...you would have to get a crane to move it...and then you would have to deal with the traffic...guess its just best you stay right there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmendoza17 Posted June 16, 2007 Report Share Posted June 16, 2007 I mean that if you pay 8 cents, you have no reason to be concerned. An ineffecient spa is a problem where juice is costly. Hydrospa units are not energy efficient. That is just information for prospective buyers to consider. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
104 Degrees Posted June 16, 2007 Report Share Posted June 16, 2007 I mean that if you pay 8 cents, you have no reason to be concerned. An ineffecient spa is a problem where juice is costly. Hydrospa units are not energy efficient. That is just information for prospective buyers to consider. Do they say this before you buy one??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmendoza17 Posted June 16, 2007 Report Share Posted June 16, 2007 quote name='104 Degrees' date='Jun 16 2007, 01:44 PM' post='28847']Do they say this before you buy one??? I should have looked more closely because COSTCO does not give any facts about the spa other than what's in the manufacturer's brochure. No blame here, just a fact. COSTCO just sells them and that's it. A good dealer can probably offer you some info on energy costs. I bought it ASSUMING that all spas use energy pretty equally. I now know there are big differences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwillard Posted June 18, 2007 Report Share Posted June 18, 2007 I should have looked more closely because COSTCO does not give any facts about the spa other than what's in the manufacturer's brochure. No blame here, just a fact. COSTCO just sells them and that's it. A good dealer can probably offer you some info on energy costs. I bought it ASSUMING that all spas use energy pretty equally. I now know there are big differences. Not one of the dealers I spoke with gave any information on energy consumption so I am not really sure what you could have looked more closely at. I am assuming since energy cost is mainly affected by use, how can any dealer give accurate information?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flibotte Posted June 18, 2007 Report Share Posted June 18, 2007 I think the hot tub industry as a whole is lacking when it comes to energy figures. It would be nice if they could come up with some baseline figures about the tubs, so people could get a ball park figure. Something like they do for major appliances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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