What is the Best Type of Hot Tub Insulation?

What is the best type of hot tub insulation?   

Are you looking at buying a Hot Tub or upgrading your existing Hot Tub? Have you heard about different Hot Tub insulation options and been baffled about the differences? It is key to understand the importance of insulation on a Hot Tub as that will determine your running costs, so it could save you money in the long run and provide many other benefits.

Insulation in Hot Tubs is used for thermal and structural purposes, ultimately designed to reduce your Hot Tub running costs and enhance structural integrity. In this blog I will inform you of the differences between the different types of Hot Tub insulation and run though the benefits.

Over time, and still to this day, Hot Tub companies are coming up with new names for different types of insulation in Hot Tubs, so it is easy to get misled by all this jargon. Below is a diagram which talks about different types of foam insulation.

100% Full Foam Insulation is considered one of the best types of insulation in a Hot Tub. The foam supports the pipes and plumbing to prevent leaks and reduce the noise (as there are little or no vibrations). It also backs the structure of the shell giving the spa structural integrity, and ultimately maintains running costs as the foam reduces heat loss.

What should you consider when thinking about insulation for your Hot Tub?

  • Where will the Hot Tub be located? (U.K, France etc.)
  • Will the Spa be outside?
  • Do you want to use your Hot Tub in winter?
  • Do you want to reduce the Hot Tub running noise (when jets and pumps are turned on)?
  • Do you care how much the Hot Tub costs to run?

If you are considering purchasing a Hot Tub or Swim Spa then one question you need to ask yourself is “where will the Spa be located?” well, if you live in the U.K like myself, then you know that for the majority of the year the weather is COLD! If you have a Spa running outside 365 days a year that doesn’t have any or an effective type of insulation, then it is a FACT that the Spa WILL cost more to run in comparison to a Spa that is 100% insulated. If you want to maintain low running costs all year round, then I would suggest 100% full foam insulation for your Hot Tub.

To understand how insulation works regardless of its application in consumer products, the first step is to understand heat flow which involves three basis mechanisms – conduction, convection and radiation.

  • Conduction is the way heat moves through materials. A good example of it is when a spoon placed in a hot cup of coffee conducts heat through its handle to your hand.
  • Convection is the way heat circulates around us in different forms of matter – through liquids and gases, and is why lighter, warmer air rises, and cooler, denser air sinks in your home.
  • Radiant heat normally travels in a straight line and heats anything solid in its path that absorbs its energy.

Regardless of the mechanism used, heat flows from a warmer area to cooler area until there is no longer a temperature difference. In Hot Tubs, this means that in winter, heat flows directly from all heated air spaces within the body of 4-walls, bottom floor and the perimeter space. Heat flow can also move indirectly under the shell of the hot tub side-to-side, up-and-down and through body of water (above the water line to the underside of the safety cover). To maintain the set temperature within the body of water, any heat loss in a hot tub must be replaced by its heating system within the portable design of the spa. A proper insulated hot tub will decrease this heat flow by providing an effective resistance to the flow of the heat.

If a hot tub was to have less insulation such as partial foam, foam around the core or structural insulation around the base of the hot tub this allows for large spaces within the cabinet and behind the shell for heat to escape. Which in effect decreases the heat of the water causing the heater to kick in and re heat the water. Costing you MORE MONEY!

Where will the Spa be located? Will it be in a cabin, property, building, balcony, garden, sunken or above ground? These are the types of questions you should be answering when considering a Hot Tub or Swim Spa. The majority of Hot Tub owners have their Hot Tub located outside in the garden, I find there is something quite magical sitting back relaxing in your Hot Tub outside whilst its cold or snowing sipping on a nice glass of wine. If you are like the majority and are considering putting your Hot Tub in your garden, then the logical answer is that you would want it to be 100% fully foam insulated.

Do you want to use your Hot Tub in the winter? If the answer is yes, then you will need to be careful with what insulation your Hot Tub comes with. Cheaper spas tend to have either no insulation or a partial insulation or foam core insulation which means your Hot Tub will cost more to run! After doing some research, I have found that you should always find out where the spa is manufactured. I have found that Canadian manufactured Hot Tubs are nearly all 100% insulated to suit the cold Canadian climate – if you live in a cold climate then I would suggest a Canadian manufactured Hot Tub, this means your Spa will costs less to run and you can enjoy it all year round!

What are the other benefits of having a fully insulation hot tub?

Do you want to reduce the Hot Tub running noise (when jets and pumps are turned on)?

  • Some Hot Tubs carry up to 2574 litres of water, that’s a lot of heavy water being pushed and pumped around the Hot Tub pipework! When the pumps and jets are on the internal pipework will move with the amount of water surging through them, like a fireman’s hose, if there isn’t anything supporting the pipework then the pipes can sometimes come away from the jets, causing leaks – this will mean you will be paying for a Hot Tub engineer to come out to the Hot Tub to see if they can fix the leak (sometimes it’s not always a guaranteed fix on the day, so you may need to pay another professional to come out, so this can become very expensive.) When you spend £1,000’s of pounds on a Hot Tub the last thing you want to do is worry about it breaking or leaking! Fully insulated spas allow the foam density to encapsulate the pipes and plumbing preventing vibrations, muffling noise and preventing leaks!
  • Hot Tubs are made all throughout the world, whether your spa is from China, America or Canada they are all being imported overseas in large containers. You want to ensure that the product is structurally supported throughout its transportation.
  • Saving you money! It has been proven that a Hot Tub that is fully foam insulated will cost less to run compared to a Hot Tub with no, or less than 100% insulation.

So what does all this research suggest?

When buying a Hot Tub, opt for a spa that has 100% Full Foam Insulation – this is the best form of insulation in hot tubs. This type of insulation is vital to make sure you are not spending thousands of pounds a year to keep the spa heated. Top brands in the Hot Tub industry have been using this insulation for decades, because it’s the best!

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Bromsgrove Hot Tubs

Award Leisure Birmingham is the number one retailer for premium hot tubs, swim spas & outdoor leisure products in Bromsgrove.  We are also delivering and installing hot tubs in the nearby areas of Birmingham, and Solihull.

Out hot tub showroom is just a short trip from Bromsgrove being only 10 minutes from junction 3 of the M42.  We are the authorised Coast Spas dealer for the Bromsgrove area.  What sets us  apart from other hot tub retailers is our ‘one stop’ shop store experience and our ability to offer the whole package from bases, decking, hot tubs, swim spas, outdoor enclosures and other garden leisure products such as wood fired pizza ovens – designed to make a garden a home and social hub all year round.

Contact us directly for the best hot tub prices in the West Midlands

Award Leisure Birmingham | Hot Tub Dealer in Wolverhampton
Hot Tub Dealer near Bromsgrove

Take a look at some of our recent hot tub installations in Bromsgrove:

Hot tubs in Bromsgrove
Hot Tub installation in Bromsgrove
Hot tubs Bromsgrove
Hot tub installation in Bromsgrove

We also offer hot tub chemicals, spares and accessories, and hot tub servicing in Bromsgrove.

Also check out our latest Hot Tub Sale offers here

Still browsing ? Need to know more ?

Download our Hot Tub Brochure here
Download our Hot Tub Buyer’s Guide here

Hot Tubs in Wolverhampton

Award Leisure Birmingham is the number one retailer for premium hot tubs, swim spas & outdoor leisure products in Wolverhampton.  We are also delivering and installing hot tubs in the nearby areas of Birmingham, Dudley and Stourbridge.

What sets our hot tub dealer showroom near Wolverhampton apart from other hot tub retailers is our ‘one stop’ shop store experience and our ability to offer the whole package from bases, decking, hot tubs, swim spas, outdoor enclosures and other garden leisure products such as wood fired pizza ovens – designed to make a garden a home and social hub all year round.

Contact us directly for the best hot tub prices in the West Midlands

Award Leisure Birmingham | Hot Tub Dealer in Wolverhampton
Hot Tub Dealer near Wolverhampton

Take a look at some of our recent hot tub installations in Wolverhampton:

Hot Tub Installations in Wolverhampton
Hot Tub Installations in Wolverhampton
Hot Tub Installation in Wolverhampton
Hot Tub Installations in Wolverhampton

Hot Tub Installations in Wolverhampton
Hot Tub Installations in Wolverhampton

Also check out our latest Hot Tub Sale offers here

Still browsing ? Need to know more ?

Download our Hot Tub Brochure here
Download our Hot Tub Buyer’s Guide here

Hot Tubs in Solihull

Award Leisure Birmingham is the number one retailer for premium hot tubs, swim spas & outdoor leisure products in Solihull.  We are also delivering and installing hot tubs in the nearby areas of Birmingham, Redditch and Bromsgrove.

What sets our hot tub dealer showroom near Solihull apart from other hot tub retailers is our ‘one stop’ shop store experience and our ability to offer the whole package from bases, decking, hot tubs, swim spas, outdoor enclosures and other garden leisure products such as wood fired pizza ovens – designed to make a garden a home and social hub all year round.

Contact us directly for the best hot tub prices in the West Midlands.

Award Leisure Birmingham | Hot Tub Dealer in Solihull
Hot Tub Dealer near Solihull

Take a look at some our recent hot tub installations in Solihull:

Award Leisure Birmingham | Hot Tub Installations in Solihull
Hot Tub Installation in Solihull
Award Leisure Birmingham | Hot Tub Installations in Solihull
Hot Tub Installation in Solihull

Also check out our latest Hot Tub Sale offers here

Still browsing ? Need to know more ?

Download our Hot Tub Brochure here
Download our Hot Tub Buyer’s Guide here

Free Hot Tub Offer Makes the News!

EXCITING NEWS! We are currently running a competition where one of our lucky customers can win a free hot tub – if England wins the World Cup! **COMPETITION NOW CLOSED**

Not only did we get a mention on BBC Radio 1 this morning, but we’re on Birmingham Live too!

Check it out here: https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/special-features/award-leisure-offers-free-hot-14866642

New Hot Tub Showroom in Birmingham

Our new permanent hot tub showroom and outdoor leisure store is open for business.  Come and see our new range of display products – we have a whole new set of display Hot Tubs.  Plus Log Cabins, a Cedar Sauna, a Thatched Tiki Bar and a Cedar Gazebo. We have a range of Award Leisure Outdoor Wood Fired Pizza Ovens also on display.

PLUS we are fully stocked with SpaMate Chemicals and Accessories
PLUS we are available for Hot Tub Servicing & Repairs and Hot Tub Relocations

Call on 07711 252775

We cover Birmingham, Solihull, Redditch, Bromsgrove, Worcester, Droitwich, Worcestershire, Kidderminster, Stourbridge, Halesowen, Dudley, Wolverhampton, and surrounding areas