Hi, I have a combined pool/spa with spill over. The pool and spa have separate plumbing coming in and going out, but they both come together into the common pump/filter.
there is no heater on the system
My primary goal is to heat to the spa to 104 or so degrees (hot tub temperature) in winter months only. Heating the pool is not particularly important to me.
I had a pool guy come over and give me an estimate for installing an electric heater (has to be electric, i don't have gas).
I would have to upgrade the electrical, 136 kbtu top of the line heater - $4400.
For this system, every time i wanted to use the spa, I would have to go over and switch the valves to isolate the spa, then turn on the heater and wait 40 minutes for it to come up to temperature. Then turn it off and switch the valves back to pool when i'm done.
So I thought...for all that expense...why not just permanently isolate the spa, and install a combined spa pack (heater and pump) and keep the spa hot all the time?
I would purchase a high R value cover for the spa. As I said, I don't really care to heat the pool.
When I asked the pool guy about this, he said he's never heard of that and that it was "weird".
I just moved to south florida. People up north keep their hot tubs hot all the time. I would be using this thing several times a week, so to me it doesn't make much sense to reheat it every time I use it. Is there any reason why this would be a bad idea in south florida? would the fact that its in ground make this a bad idea? i.e. excessive heat loss through the concrete? Has anyone out there tried this with an in ground spa and can you tell me anything about your electricity costs?
Thanks for any info you can pass on, much appreciated!
MissBliss
there is no heater on the system
My primary goal is to heat to the spa to 104 or so degrees (hot tub temperature) in winter months only. Heating the pool is not particularly important to me.
I had a pool guy come over and give me an estimate for installing an electric heater (has to be electric, i don't have gas).
I would have to upgrade the electrical, 136 kbtu top of the line heater - $4400.
For this system, every time i wanted to use the spa, I would have to go over and switch the valves to isolate the spa, then turn on the heater and wait 40 minutes for it to come up to temperature. Then turn it off and switch the valves back to pool when i'm done.
So I thought...for all that expense...why not just permanently isolate the spa, and install a combined spa pack (heater and pump) and keep the spa hot all the time?
I would purchase a high R value cover for the spa. As I said, I don't really care to heat the pool.
When I asked the pool guy about this, he said he's never heard of that and that it was "weird".
I just moved to south florida. People up north keep their hot tubs hot all the time. I would be using this thing several times a week, so to me it doesn't make much sense to reheat it every time I use it. Is there any reason why this would be a bad idea in south florida? would the fact that its in ground make this a bad idea? i.e. excessive heat loss through the concrete? Has anyone out there tried this with an in ground spa and can you tell me anything about your electricity costs?
Thanks for any info you can pass on, much appreciated!
MissBliss