What does $1 buy these days? Not a chocolate bar. Not a McDonald’s cheeseburger. Not even a quarter of a cup of coffee. It does, however, buy you enough electricity to power a Hot Spring spa pool for an entire day.
Hot Spring spa pools are proven to be the most energy efficient on the New Zealand market. A wealth of technologies and design choices make them so, including super-efficient insulation, high-quality machinery and a suite of proprietary innovations. All in all, Hot Spring owners enjoy the luxury of a backyard spa for less.
What exactly makes a Hot Spring spa pool the most energy efficient in New Zealand? Read on to find out!
The Hot Spring difference
In New Zealand spa pool manufacturing is almost entirely unregulated. Compare this to an industry like construction, where companies are required to meet strict energy efficiency codes on new builds. This gives spa pool manufacturers the opportunity to make big and impressive claims about their machines, without the need to back them up with much substance.
At Hot Spring we take a different approach.
A company born in an Auckland garage in 1980, at Hot Spring we have spent the subsequent decades cementing our spot at the leading edge of spa pool innovation. We’ve chosen to build our spa pools in line with some of the world’s strictest standards, such as ISO9001 and the US regulation to provide spare parts for 20 years. We’re also the only spa brand in New Zealand to have our spa running costs independently laboratory tested and published.
The result: the most energy efficient spas on the market, with running costs as low as $1 a day.
What makes Hot Spring spas energy efficient?
Energy efficiency isn’t treated as an option or an added extra in Hot Spring spas – it’s in the DNA of every machine we create. Every design and construction decision is made through the lens of efficiency, and by investing in innovation, we’re forever pushing the boundaries of what spa pool efficiency means.
High-end insulation that reduces heat loss and power bills, high quality machinery that does more with less, water care solutions that save on energy, water and labour; there’s no single thing that makes a Hot Spring spa pool energy efficient – a number of factors work in harmony to create an ultra-efficient machine.
Energy efficient hot tubs comparison
Between Hot Spring, Jacuzzi, Vortex, Galaxy, Alpine and more, there are a wealth of spa pool brands trying to attract Kiwi customers. Browsing brands and models can be an overwhelming experience filled with unfamiliar terms and technologies, particularly if you are shopping for your very first spa pool.
So at Hot Spring we have tried to make things a little easier.
What is the most energy efficient hot tub in NZ? The answer is simple: a Hot Spring. We’re so confident in our energy efficiency credentials that we are the only Kiwi spa brand to have our spa running costs independently lab tested, and we’re the only ones who publish the results, which are clear.
Thanks to our commitment to developing energy efficient technologies, like multi-density full foam insulation, insulated covers, circulation pumps and hot air induction jets, Hot Spring spas are the most energy efficient spa pools on the NZ market.
Estimate your monthly operating costs
The sticker price of a spa pool only ever tells part of the story. Arguably more important are the ongoing costs – the energy, the water and the general maintenance that you’ll need to invest in to ensure your spa pool ownership experience is a good one. But how do you estimate these ongoing costs?
One way is with our spa pool energy calculator. Simply choose your model and your climate, and the calculator will tell you the average monthly cost that you can expect to pay in energy over the course of a year.
There are many brands that claim to build energy efficient spas in NZ, but only one – Hot Spring – puts its money where its mouth is. Our independently tested machines have been shown to run on as little as $1 of electricity a day, and can ultimately prove more cost-effective than a cheap but inefficient spa pool.
But what specific features make a Hot Spring machine so energy efficient? It’s a mix, but the six most influential are listed below.
1. High-end insulation
No single factor is more critical to spa pool energy efficiency than insulation. Heating your water is an energy hungry process, and if your machine lacks proper insulation, you’ll need to heat it regularly. A well-insulated spa, meanwhile, will heat far quicker, and will keep its water warmer for longer.
Cheap spa pools tend to utilise ‘partial foam’ insulation, where spray foam fills part of the cabinetry. This form of insulation leads to a lot of heat leakage, and the savings you might make on the sticker price tend to be erased by the high power bills that follow. At Hot Spring we avoid partial foam altogether, and instead utilise the following forms of energy-efficient insulation:
- Thermal wrap: This insulation layers different materials to retain more heat – in the case of our Tri-Thermic Barrier system you have thick polystyrene foam, 50mm of recycled textile fibres, and a heat-reflective foil.
- Full foam: The industry standard – at least at the premium end – full foam does what it says on the packet. Commercial freezer-level foam fills the entire cabinet, ensuring heat stays in and cold stays out while also giving more structural integrity to the unit.
- FiberCor®: This flexible insulation is fibrous, almost wool-like, which allows it to fill every crack and crevice of the spa pool cabinet, while being 4x denser than regular foam. It’s also a proprietary Hot Spring technology.
- Multi-density full foam: Perhaps the most energy efficient insulation on the market, here foams of various densities are strategically placed within the spa – two on the shell, four in the cabinet, and one layer of super-dense foam at the base. When compared to partial foam, this insulation can save you $365-$2000 per year.
2. A quality spa cover
You should think of your spa pool cover as an extension of the insulation described above. An open spa loses heat very quickly, so whenever yours is not in use you should cover it with a high-quality, lockable and fully insulated cover.
Hot Spring covers are not only fully insulated, that insulation is protected with a super strong exterior vinyl, beneath which sits a non-permeable water barrier. So confident are we in this dual layer of protection that we’re the only spa retailer that offers a no waterlogging guarantee in our warranty!
3. The right spa pool heater
The quality of the machinery within your spa pool is critical to its energy efficiency, and no part is more critical than the heater. Spa pool heaters come in two main forms: built-in electrical element heaters and external heat pump systems. At Hot Spring we offer both.
Our built-in elements are designed to be as energy efficient as possible. They are built with the highest quality materials and are fully encapsulated by insulation, which guards against heat loss. Our external heat pump systems, meanwhile, are the more energy efficient choice, and if you choose a CoolZone system, they’re even capable of cooling your water down.
4. Circulation pumps
What’s more energy efficient: keeping your spa pool water moving continuously, or letting the jets circulate the water whenever you turn them on? You might be surprised to hear that while it will be working 24/7/365, a dedicated circulation system can result in real energy efficiency gains.
Without a circulation pump, the spa’s jets must work super hard to get water moving whenever they turn on, which draws more power, makes more noise, and can wear out the internal machinery faster. Meanwhile a dedicated circulation system, like the Silent Flo™ 5000, continually moves the water while using less energy than a 40W light bulb. You enjoy reduced cost, reduced noise and reduced wear and tear!
5. Hot air induction jets
Not only are Hot Spring jets the most indulgent and therapeutic on the market, they also help to make the spa more energy efficient, thanks to hot air induction technology.
A lot of heat is generated within the insulated equipment compartment of a Hot Spring spa pool. Where other manufacturers let this latent heat disperse and go to waste, we use hot air induction technology to inject it into the water via the hydromassage jets. By recycling this otherwise wasted heat, your spa heats faster and more energy efficiently!
6. Adjustable jet pressure
Last but not least, there’s a very simple way to lower your spa pool energy use, provided your chosen machine has the feature: turn the pressure of the jets down.
Some spa pools don’t allow you to adjust pressure – and they inevitably blast water out at a high rate to ensure they cater to those who like a firm stream. Hot Spring models, meanwhile, allow you to adjust the pressure to your taste. If you don’t need it set to maximum, turn it down and enjoy some real power bill savings in the process!
Hot Spring spas care for your wallet and well-being
At Hot Spring we don’t want our customers to avoid using their spas due to fear over their next power bill. Looking at the features listed above, it could be argued that we over-engineer our spa pools. But the reason we over-build things is to ensure that they are over-used.
Our aim is to engineer out anything that might stand in the way of someone using their spa pool: comfort levels, high energy costs, upkeep and more. We know a spa pool represents both an upfront and ongoing investment of time and money, so we aim to treat that investment better than any other spa pool brand, to ensure it is minimised over the life of the machine and that it generates a real return, whether by improving relationships, delivering health and wellness benefits, or increasing the value of your property.
At Hot Spring we’ve always designed and manufactured spa pools with energy efficiency front of mind, and are the only spa pool brand to have our machines independently tested by a third-party, giving extra peace of mind. This philosophy is captured in our Energy Smart™ system, which ensures every spa we build features a complete suite of energy-efficient features that lower operating costs while providing the best soaking experience possible.
Totally insulated
Our Limelight® Collection and Hot Spot® spa pools feature FiberCor™ insulation, which fully insulates the spa cabinet to a density 4x greater than a typical 8 kg/m³ foam. Our premier Highlife® range, meanwhile, features market-leading insulation that keeps an unmatched amount of heat within the spa.
Covered spa pool
This high-end insulation extends to our spa pool covers, which are packed with dense foam wrapped in a waterproof barrier. A special hinge creates a tight seal around the lip of the spa, to prevent heat from escaping and to add an element of safety.
A perfectly SilentFlo
Within the cabinet of our Highlife® and Limelight® Collection spa pools you’ll find the Silent Flo™ 5000 circulation pump. This quietly circulates spa water 24/7, keeping 100% of your water filtered 100% of the time, all while using less energy than a 40-watt light bulb.
Save energy, save money
At Hot Spring® we lead the industry in the design, engineering and manufacturing of energy-efficient spa pools. With Hot Spring® spas Energy Smart™ system, each spa is built with a combination of energy-efficient features that simultaneously provide you with lower operating costs and the absolute best value over the life of the machine.
Our Energy Efficiency Checklist is loaded with tips and tricks for current and future spa pool owners to lower their ongoing costs, while your local dealer will be more than happy to offer up their expertise. Get in touch with yours today!
For more insights into the average cost for one of our models, check out Hot Spring Energy Calculator.
