Is maintaining a hot tub expensive?

Question

Is maintaining a hot tub expensive?

Answer 1

Alot of what companies sell you is unecessary I use 2$ chlorine tablets from wall mart in a floating dispenser. PH up and PH down at 8$ a bottle this lasts a month. My electricity bill went up about $50 a month but I live in Colorado with long hard winters

Answer 2

Depends on size of tube and what type filter and pump you have.

Answer 3

NO! The main thing is that you understand pool/spa chemistry, have a good test kit and chems.

Here is a great site that I frequent to maintain my pool. They also help with spas.

http://www.troublefreepools.com

Answer 4

It's not expensive at all.  Buy Bromine tablets ($32) that will last a year.  Bromine is more stable in higher temps then chlorine.  Non-chlorine shock that you find in the swimming pool section of Lowe's Hardware (7.95), you will end up using 2-3 of them for the year.  Baking soda adjusts your alkalinity.  You will need pH increaser and decreaser and buy it again at Lowe's and get the larger swimming pool container of each and that way you will save the most money.  Next get the Calcium Chloride (Hardness increaser)  These three will cost you about 24$  and last for years.  

Of course electricity varies from place to place.  So that is not easy to calculate.  Almost all new tubs have several settings allowing you to save money on operating times.  Also be sure to know that a 5.5 kw heater will raise your waters temp 6-7 degrees in one hour.  So you can always have your temp lower when your not using it.