How Long Does a Hot Tub Take to Fill?

There are lots of questions that most people ask when they’re considering buying a hot tub. However, one question that often gets overlooked is how long a hot tub takes to fill. Yet it’s pretty important to know how long it’s going to take you to fill up your tub before use, so I thought I’d look into the average filling time.

So, how long does a hot tub take to fill? Although the length of time taken to fill a hot tub will depend on several factors including the size of the tub and the width of the pipe being used to fill it, on average it takes between 1 ½ and 2 hours to fill a standard sized spa.

There are a number of factors which affect the length of time taken to fill your hot tub, so here, we take a closer look at filling your spa for the very first time, and how long it’ll be before you can enjoy your first soak.

How Long Will I Spend Filling Up My Hot Tub For The First Time?

Unfortunately, when you buy your hot tub, you can’t just jump straight in it – well, you could, but you wouldn’t have a very relaxing experience! There are a few things that you need to do first, and one of those is filling up the tub with water. There are a few factors which will affect how long this process is going to take. Experts say that, on average, a standard sized hot tub takes about 1 ½ to 2 hours to fill up to the proper level. Of course, that can vary depending on several things.

Firstly, if you have very poor water pressure at your property, this is going to slow down the process considerably. Conversely, if your water pressure is strong, you’ll find you may be able to cut down on the length of time taken to finish filling your spa substantially. Secondly, it stands to reason that if you have a larger tub, it will take longer to fill. The 1 ½ to 2 hour figure is based on a tub which has a total fill capacity of around 300 – 400 gallons. If your tub has a larger or smaller fill capacity, it will take a longer or shorter time to be filled to the appropriate level. As an example, a tub which is designed to accommodate six to eight people will take around two to three hours to fill.

Another factor which is relevant to the length of time it will take to fill up your spa is whether it’s a portable model or whether it’s connected to your water system. A portable spa is filled using a hose pipe, and this adds another level of variation to the mix. If your hose pipe is narrow or has a smaller nozzle, it will take longer to fill up the tub in the long run.

Where Should I Fill My Hot Tub Up To?

Although it might sound very simple to fill up a hot tub with water, you might be surprised to learn that in fact it isn’t as easy as it seems. In fact, if you fill your tub incorrectly, you could end up causing damage to its components, and that could be costly to rectify. That means you need to use the correct amount of water to suit your spa, and it can be hard to determine where to fill the tub up to. Water height can be hard to define on some hot tubs, but there are a few common sense things to bear in mind to make sure you get the level right every time:

• Always make sure that there is sufficient water in the tub to cover all the jets
• Always make sure that the water is above the water level sensor
• Make sure that the water is at least an inch below any rubber pillows as otherwise the rubber will rot.
• Make sure that no air can be sucked into the circuits of the heater. You can avoid this by always filling the tub to a minimum of 2 inches above the filters.
• Never turn on the hot tub to begin heating the water before you have filled the tub.

Can I Use Hot Water To Fill My Hot Tub?

Some people are tempted to use hot water to fill up their hot tub since they believe that this will save them a lot of time and effort waiting for the spa to heat up to the right temperature for use. Experts recommend that you don’t do this. However, if you choose to ignore their advice, it’s important to ensure that the temperature of the water that you use isn’t excessive. The best course of action is to take out the air lock, then slowly increase the amount of cooler water in the water area by adding hot water to the cool water. This increases the water temperature slowly which is much safer.

Should I Pre-Filter The Water For My Hot Tub?

One question that some people ask when thinking about filling their hot tub is whether or not they ought to pre-filter their tap water before using it in their spa. The answer really depends on the type of water you have at your property. Pre-filters may be useful in some cases, but they certainly aren’t necessary for everyone.

A pre-filter is similar to a standard hot tub filter however it works in a different way. A pre-filter has been specially designed to remove any excess minerals such as calcium from the water which could make it scaly and cloudy. You simply connect the pre-filter to your hose pipe with a hozelock connector, and it will make sure that the water that goes into your tub is clean and free from any unwanted contaminants.

If you live in an area which has a high level of minerals in the water supply or if you’ve experienced problems with scale in the past, having a pre-filter is a good idea if you want to make sure you have the best possible experience from your hot tub.

Do I Need To Empty My Hot Tub Every Time I Use It?

The good news is that you certainly don’t need to empty your hot tub each time it’s used. In fact, that would be a terrible waste of water! A spa isn’t like a bath tub – they’re ready for you to use 24 hours a day, 7 days a week all year round. If you drain the tub every time it’s used, you won’t be able to just jump in whenever you feel like it – you’d have to wait for the water to fill to the correct level and then wait even longer for the water to heat to the right temperature. That won’t just be a waste of your time, it’ll also be a waste of energy and you’ll see your electricity bills go through the roof (not to mention your water bill if you’re on a meter). You use most of the energy used to power your tub just to heat up the water ready for use in the first place. Once the water has reached the desired temperature, it doesn’t take a lot of electricity to keep it there, so always keep water in your tub to ensure you get best value and maximum use.

To keep the water clean and fresh you need to follow a simple maintenance schedule – check out my post here which explains water chemistry and hot tub maintenance in an easy to follow way.

Related Questions

How often should I empty out my hot tub? Although you don’t need to drain your spa every time you use it, you can’t leave the water in there forever. Experts suggest that if you’re using your hot tub on a regular basis you should drain it every three months to carry out a thorough clean and perform routine maintenance before filling it back up again.

Should I empty my hot tub during the winter months and then refill it again in spring? Although it might sound like a good idea to drain your hot tub in the winter to guard against any potential problems, experts suggest that you keep the spa running all year round. After all, there’s nothing quite like the pleasure of enjoying a relaxing soak in the hot water while the snow is falling around you! However, not everyone enjoys a winter spa session, so if you decide that you won’t be using your hot tub during the colder months of the year, you can drain it and leave it until the warmer weather arrives with the spring to fill it back up again for use. If you do decide to do this, however, it’s highly recommended that you seek professional help to make sure that your hot tub has been properly prepared for freezing weather. If there is any water remaining inside the pipework when outdoor temperatures get down to freezing point, the pipework may end up cracking and this will result in leaks when you restart your hot tub at a later date.