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Inflatable Hot Tubs Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to run an inflatable hot tub?
If the cover is kept on you should be able to run an inflatable hot tub for between £5 and £10 per week. Inflatable spas are nowhere near as well insulated as the bigger, acrylic/hard-sided spas so beware of the not inconsiderable cost of electricity required to keep the spa water at the set temperature! Spas with inflatable covers cost substantially less to run than those without. To make your inflatable spa even cheaper to run, you might want to consider insulating it even further and use a floating Thermalux cover, which floats on the surface of the water and reduces heat loss (and therefore your electricity bill) through the water surface.
Do inflatable hot tubs plug into any home electrical socket?
Yes, all these inflatable spas run on a UK standard 13amp / 240v electrical supply. You can plug your spa into any standard home electrical socket, but obviously it is sensible to ensure that you use a socket with RCD protection, and if you use your spa outside, then the socket should be waterproof too.
What's an RCD?
Like all spas, inflatable hot tubs must be fitted with a safety cut-out in the event that any water comes into contact with the electrical supply to the spa. An RCD (Residual Current Device) immediately disconnects the hot tub from the electricity supply if water is detected and therefore stops any risk of electrocution.
How easy are inflatable hot tubs to set-up?
Generally they are very easy. Set-up times vary from 5 minutes to around 15 minutes and, usually, no tools are required. In most cases the air blower is used to inflate the spa shell.
How long does it take to fill an inflatable hot tub?
It depends on your water pressure and the maximum capacity of the hot tub but you will probably need to allow between 1.5 to 3 hours.
How long does it take to heat up an inflatable hot tub?
It depends on the temperature of your mains water. The table below gives you an idea of the approximate length of heating time needed for some common models of inflatable spa from an average mains temperature :
| Intex PureSpa Range | MSPa Range | Lay Z Spa Range | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mains water temperature @ 10oC | 11 hours | 17 - 24hours | 17 - 24hours |
| Mains water temperature @ 15oC | 9 hours | 14 hours | 14 hours |
How long does it take to inflate the hot tubs?
Inflatable hot tubs can take anything from 5 to 15 minutes to inflate depending on the model you buy.
What cleaning/maintenance is required?
We suggest that a soft damp sponge can be used to clean general dirt and any deposits/scum lines should be removed with a gentle spa surface cleaner. Do not use conventional household cleaners on your hot tub or you could end up with more bubbles than you could possibly imagine. Proprietary spa surface cleaners are non-foaming.
Do inflatable hot tubs need a water sanitizer?
YES! All hot tubs need a sanitizer to be regularly added to the water in order to remove bacteria and other 'nasties' that can accumulate in the water. You can buy Chlorine starter kits to sanitise the water in an inflatable spa. However, whilst Chlorine is the cheapest method, it is not necessarily the easiest or kindest to your skin, your swimwear, the tub plastic (Chlorine will make plastic surfaces split/crack over time) nor the environment. It also smells and is very hard to dose correctly. In our experience, it is very difficult to run an inflatable spa properly using Chlorine and more often than not results in many users emptying the spa, re-filling and starting again. For a hassle-free and much easier way to treat the water in your inflatable spa we would recommend using eco3spa. Eco3spa is really easy to use, makes the water in your spa really soft and crystal clear whilst protecting the plastic surfaces and having no Chlorine odour. Don't just take our word for it though - to find out more abou eco3spa and see the many reviews from other hot tub users just go to eco3spa.com.
Do inflatable hot tubs have a filter/filtration system?
YES! All hot tubs, be they inflatable or hard-sided/acrylic, must have a water circulation and filtering system. If they did not have a filtration system then the water would have to be drained out of the hot tub and re-filled more or less on a daily basis, otherwise it would become unsafe to use due to the level of bacterial growth. Inflatable hot tubs have a filtration system that is only small/low power and therefore nowhere near as effective as the system in an acrylic/hard-sided hot tub. This means that regardless of whichever water treatment you use, an inflatable hot tub’s filter(s) need to be cleaned every other day if tub is use is per day and cleaned no more than 2 times before they become ineffective.
The replaceable filters in an inflatable hot tub are also approximately 5 to 10 times smaller than in a hard-sided hot tub, which means they will need cleaning after each and every use of the tub and will quite possibly last for only 2 to 3 cleans. You are therefore looking to replace filters at least weekly with daily use of an inflatable hot tub. The filters are removable and should be cleaned using a proprietary powder filter cleaner. You should be able buy replacement filters easily but it might be necessary to stock up on them at the start of the season so that you don't run out unnecessarily.
What if the hot tub gets a puncture?
A repair kit should be included with most inflatable hot tubs just in case. It obviously makes sense to choose the toughest spa fabric that you can find though.
Can I use an inflatable hot tub over winter?
No! The PVC material used in these spas becomes hard and brittle at temperatures below 4oC. Also, the insulation is not really sufficient to keep the heat in when the ambient air temperature drops too low. This means that inflatable hot tubs should not be used when it is very cold outside..
Can inflatable hot tubs be used indoors?
Yes, but we would not recommend it! The spa water will give off a lot of steam which could cause problems with your internal upholstery/furnishings etc.
How do I know how powerful the jets are?
All inflatable hot tubs have a 'blower' which forces air through a ring inside the spa that has an array of tiny holes cut into it. The more powerful the blower (expressed in watts) combined with a large number of holes means more force of air which creates more turbulent water in the spa. Bear in mind that the air will be at a lower temperature than the water, which means that prolonged use of the blower will gradually lower the temperatire of the water in the hot tub.
Some of the more expensive inflatable hot tubs have a dedicated 'jet pump' which forces water through a number small jets mounted around the inflatable wall of the hot tub. These are similar to the water jets found in hard-sided/acrylic spa and are responsible for providing massage therapy for bathers seated directly in front of the jet(s).
Can inflatable hot tubs be used as birthing pools?
Well they were not built for that purpose, so NO! The spas cannot be used safely without chemicals to sanitize the water and the effect of the chemicals on the unborn or newly born baby is unknown. Furthermore, it's difficult to see how an inflatable spa used as a birthing pool could ever be cleaned satifactorily after the birth.
How do I store an inflatable hot tub during winter?
Simply drain and deflate. All should go back into the box for storage. Ideally leave the spa inflated and empty for a few days, in the sun, to make sure it is completely dried out before deflating and folding flat for storage.
