How much insulation does a hot tub need?

Question:

"I just purchased a hot tub and I noticed that there doesn't appear to be a lot of insulation on the underside of the hot tub shell. How much insulation is needed? Should I purchase some expanding foam insulation and add more to what is there? It looks like an inch of insulation."

Answer:

While I am not sure of the type of spa, I assume by your question that you have purchased a full foam spa and the area you are speaking about is where the equipment is. If there isn't insulation there, the manufacturer probably left it out for a reason (like needing service access to plumbing areas later).

It is unlikely that you should need to add insulation under the shell. If you purchased a good cover with your spa, and that cover overlaps all of the top surfaces of the tub, this adds a value of about R12 to the area I think you are speaking of.

Remember that heat rises, so a good, insulated cover that seals the top of the hot tub is much better than having a lot of insulation glued under the shell.

Also, the outer cabinet of the hot tub serves to trap the air around the shell, creating an insulating barrier of air. Make sure the cabinet walls do not have a lot of leaks for air (and rodents) to slip in. You can find foam strips (for air conditioners, etc.) that will compress into cracks that allow air to seep in.

This, combined with a high-R rated, tightly fitted cover, is much more effective (and a lot less messy) than adding expanding foam insulation to the shell.

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How to keep bees out of your hot tub...

Question:

"Hi, I was hoping you could help me out with a problem we are having with our hot tub. We’ve had it since January (now March) and just within the last week or two, every time we get in the hot tub, we notice 10-15 dead bees floating in the water. My guess is they are getting in under the cover and drowning in there. How do we keep them away from the tub?? Any repellants? What is the primary reason they are drawn there to begin with. Are we not keeping the water CLEAN enough? Is it just a normal thing for this part of the year? (I know nothing about bees except that I don’t want them in my hot tub). They are collecting in the filter basket and my water is beginning to smell funky (I’m new to managing the water, so I don’t know if this is from the dead bee bodies fermenting ECK! Or because the water has gotten bad to begin with.."

Answer:

Don’t feel bad, because you are not alone. It’s surprising how many people have problems with bees in and around their hot tubs, and they all describe similar problems with smelly water and dead bees in their filters.

There are a couple of reasons for bees wanting to come to hot tubs or pools for water. The bees are after water to cool their hive. Many people think that the “people smell” or the water of their hot tub leads bees to stop by for a drink. If you put in fresh water, the bees may stop coming to the tub for a short time.

This is an odd situation of cause and effect – because on many accounts, dead bees lead to more funky smells, which lead to more bees. However, once the bees establish the tub as a supply, they know where to come back for more. Believe it or not - if enough bees get in there in the spring, it has been said that you can even get poison ivy from the oils they leave on the surface of the water.

Here are some things you can do:

1) Make sure your cover is sealed. If you see steam coming from any areas around the tub, you can use a layer of the puffy side of Velcro to provide a better seal, or use foam tape that can be found for sealing cracks around windows or air conditioners.

2) If you know your neighbor keeps bees, make sure they have provided a water supply close to their hives, or if you know of a wild bee hive nearby, have it removed.

3) If you don’t know where the bees are coming from, you can provide them with an alternate water source. Fill a shallow pan or birdbath with some sand, and then add water just above the level of the sand. Bees will find this attractive because they can drink without falling in and drowning. Place this new source near your hot tub (in the shade if possible). After a day or two of hot weather, move it gradually away from the hot tub, a few feet at a time until it is as far as possible from your hot tub. Then you can live in peace with the bees.

4) Finally, make sure that your water is always clean. When you’re ready, drain your hot tub and start with a fresh supply of water. Make sure to flush your plumbing lines with a good jet line cleaner before you drain it. When you have it filled again, make sure you shock it before you start using it – bacteria comes from the water in your hose too, so you need to start sanitizing right away. If you don’t have an ozonator you may want to consider one – it will help sanitize your water and cut down on your chemical usage.

Good luck, and please let me know how it turns out!

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How to quiet a noisy Hot Tub?

Question:

“My next door neighbor has a hot tub that cycles all night long and keeps us awake. The tub is 75-100 feet from our house. Is this normal? Does the pump need to run all night or even once per hour for 5-10 minutes in cold weather? It's really a problem, and he and I are trying to work it out amicably, but I'm tired of sleeping on the living room couch. Any thoughts would be appreciated.”

Answer:

It sounds like the filtration system is running on a 24/7 schedule. This is needed to filter out bacteria which can cause health problems if not kept under control. A recent Texas A&M study discovered a large percentage of hot tubs that had unacceptable levels of bacteria, so it is a really good thing that the hot tub’s filtration system is doing its job.

Many hot tub companies use circulation pumps as the primary filtration method for cleansing their spa water. Unfortunately, most circulation pumps run 24/7.

So, the answer is, yes, this is normal. However, I’m glad that you are willing to work this out amicably with your neighbor, and there are a few things you can check into.

1) Verify that the pump is secured on rubber mounts to minimize vibration and noise. There are mini-shock absorbing mounts available that can be added to any motor that will isolate and dampen the vibration.

2) See if the hot tub’s computer can be set to run on an alternative filtration schedule (2 times a day for 4 hours). Many hot tubs have programmable options. Your neighbor may be able to have a service tech program the hot tub to filter twice a day instead of 24/7 to reduce the amount of time that the hot tub is filtering at night.

3) Circulation pumps come in two types; magnetic drives and direct drives. Magnetic drives are typically noisier and are not as robust as direct drives. Also, the size of the pump will determine how hard it has to work. A larger, direct drive pump will run more quietly, but you will need to check with the manufacturer to see if one can be retro-fitted.

4) It may be possible to put the hot tub on a timer to cut the power for a few hours in the middle of the night so you no longer have to sleep on your couch. This will only work if the hot tub self-starts when power is re-applied each morning, so you need to check this out with the manufacturer. This would also require an electrician, but it may be worth the expense to you.

In any event, your neighbor should call the manufacturer to find out his/her options.

Good luck, and sleep well.

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