Hot Tub Heat Exchangers
Question:
"Hi, I am looking into buying a new hot tub. I have hot water baseboard heat in my house. I also have a outdoor wood boiler that I used for my primary heat all winter. What I would like to know is if I could somehow take advantage of my already hot water to help heat the hot tub. Can the plumbing from the hot tub run thru a heat exchanger so I won't use as much electric to heat the spa water? Please give me any info you can."
Answer:
Most hot tubs are self-contained units that can be filled with a garden hose and have internal heaters that use electricity to keep the water hot. There is no plumbing connection, so this keeps them in the "portable" category which can be a great advantage for taxes and building permits, etc.
Theoretically, it is physically possible to run a plumbing line from your baseboard hot water into your hot tub, but this would create a lot of problems unless you use a heat exchanger to keep the two systems separate.
Most hot water heating systems have a boiler that keeps the water temperature at 180°F to 200°F where it exits the boiler, and the water returns at a temperature of around 140°F to 160°F which is much hotter than a maximum recommended temperature of 104°F. And, putting your hot tub directly in the line could cause the water in the house to constantly drain down into your tub, causing it to overflow. Finally, the chemical sanitizers and bacteria in the tub could re-circulate back into the system, so if you also use this hot water in your household sinks, you would be drinking this water, which is not a good idea at all.
You definitely need to use a heat exchanger, and should consider a double-wall heat exchanger that provides positive leak detection. This keeps the water in the hot tub separate from the potable hot water in your plumbing system and alerts you should a leak occur in the future.
Remember that this becomes a "permanent" fixture due to the plumbing connection to your house, so it may raise your taxes. Also, you should consider the plumbing and heat exchanger costs when you are determining the savings you may hope to gain from this system during the life of the hot tub. Hot tub insulation with a high R-value combined with a hot tub cover that saves energy may prove to be a better investment than running a plumbing line outside and installing a heat exchanger on a poorly insulated hot tub with an inefficient cover. It is impossible for me to predict the associated costs without knowing a lot more about the installation, but you should be able to calculate these costs yourself when you are planning. Consult a licensed plumber if you are unsure.
Whatever you decide to try, check with your local building officials to obtain advice and the proper permits prior to undertaking this project.
: )
"Hi, I am looking into buying a new hot tub. I have hot water baseboard heat in my house. I also have a outdoor wood boiler that I used for my primary heat all winter. What I would like to know is if I could somehow take advantage of my already hot water to help heat the hot tub. Can the plumbing from the hot tub run thru a heat exchanger so I won't use as much electric to heat the spa water? Please give me any info you can."
Answer:
Most hot tubs are self-contained units that can be filled with a garden hose and have internal heaters that use electricity to keep the water hot. There is no plumbing connection, so this keeps them in the "portable" category which can be a great advantage for taxes and building permits, etc.
Theoretically, it is physically possible to run a plumbing line from your baseboard hot water into your hot tub, but this would create a lot of problems unless you use a heat exchanger to keep the two systems separate.
Most hot water heating systems have a boiler that keeps the water temperature at 180°F to 200°F where it exits the boiler, and the water returns at a temperature of around 140°F to 160°F which is much hotter than a maximum recommended temperature of 104°F. And, putting your hot tub directly in the line could cause the water in the house to constantly drain down into your tub, causing it to overflow. Finally, the chemical sanitizers and bacteria in the tub could re-circulate back into the system, so if you also use this hot water in your household sinks, you would be drinking this water, which is not a good idea at all.
You definitely need to use a heat exchanger, and should consider a double-wall heat exchanger that provides positive leak detection. This keeps the water in the hot tub separate from the potable hot water in your plumbing system and alerts you should a leak occur in the future.
Remember that this becomes a "permanent" fixture due to the plumbing connection to your house, so it may raise your taxes. Also, you should consider the plumbing and heat exchanger costs when you are determining the savings you may hope to gain from this system during the life of the hot tub. Hot tub insulation with a high R-value combined with a hot tub cover that saves energy may prove to be a better investment than running a plumbing line outside and installing a heat exchanger on a poorly insulated hot tub with an inefficient cover. It is impossible for me to predict the associated costs without knowing a lot more about the installation, but you should be able to calculate these costs yourself when you are planning. Consult a licensed plumber if you are unsure.
Whatever you decide to try, check with your local building officials to obtain advice and the proper permits prior to undertaking this project.
: )
posted by HotTubSource at
3:24 PM
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