Rookie Question: Hot Climate Spa Owners?

[Zep]

I have a rookie question.

I live in Dallas, Texas where it is pretty
hot from mid-June through all of September.

Do any hot tub owners in hot climates simply
drain their tubs for the 3 months of very hot weather
to avoid chemical testing, electric cost....ect....?

Then refill in the Fall?

[Brewman]

I don't live in the hot south, but wouldn't your electrical costs be drastically lower in the hot summer anyway?
I mean if it's 90+ degrees all the time, your heater sure won't be working very much, and all you'd be doing is running the filters.  That can't cost all that much, could it?
I suppose it would cut down on the routine of testing the water, but then again, not using the spa very much would lower water maintenance anyway.  And the spa would be there if you did want to soak.  

[Brookenstein]

This will be my first summer with a tub, but I plan to switch it to the summer setting and have it as cool as I can keep it.  It is the closest thing to a real swimming pool we have, so we will enjoy it.  I certainly wasn't digging swimming in hose water in a 3'x5'x8" hard plastic pool last summer.  I think this will be a huge improvement.    The main problem I will have is keeping the neighbor kids out of it.

[drewstar]

I don't live in the hot south, but wouldn't your electrical costs be drastically lower in the hot summer anyway?
 I mean if it's 90+ degrees all the time, your heater sure won't be working very much, and all you'd be doing is running the filters.  That can't cost all that much, could it?
 I suppose it would cut down on the routine of testing the water, but then again, not using the spa very much would lower water maintenance anyway.  And the spa would be there if you did want to soak.  
 
 

Some folks have a hard time getting the water temp down that low.  A Fully insulated tub, sittting in the hot sun gets pretty warm.  A lot of folks have recomneded propping the cover open to let some of the heat escape.  

[windsurfdog]

As drewstar said, propping one side of the cover open is a good way to vent excess heat.  Here in N. Fl., my spa is in full sun all day.  During the hotter months, I prop my cover and turn the heater down to 96.  The temp usually runs from 96-98.  Also, soaks in the middle of the day are avoided....since I prefer dawn/early morning or dusk/evening soaks anyway, it's not a big change.  Drain and wait for cooler weather?.....NO WAY!

[Anoroc]

I think you should drain it fill it with bags of ice than fill it with your favorate beverages and throw a block party.

That's what I would do...if I had any friends

[TN__HOT_TUB]

One of you math wizards do a calculation:  How many pounds of ice are required to lower 350 gallons of water 20 degrees?  

I know you'd have issues with introducing water and would need to add chemicals, but I'm just curious.  

Some folks have a hard time getting the water temp down that low.  A Fully insulated tub, sittting in the hot sun gets pretty warm.  A lot of folks have recomneded propping the cover open to let some of the heat escape.  

[tanstaafl2]

What would be a reasonable temp to shoot for in the summer? What temp are most pools anyway? My spa is under a deck and so it is generally shaded. I tend to soak in the evenings.

Should I try to get the temp to 90 or less during the summer? 96 as WSD suggests? 80? 100?

What is the temp of the "summer setting" on a HS?

[Brookenstein]

I think the summer mode is 80 on the HS, but I could be wrong as I haven't looked in my manual since Nov.

I'm hoping for upper 80's- mid 90's.  I live in inland SoCal, and so I'm not sure how low I'll be able to keep it.  I figure the kids will be splashing quite a bit, so the hose water top offs should help.

We had some warm weather week before last (high 80's) and the tub at 100 was way too hot.  So, I don't know what will be a comfortable temp to soak in at night, but not be too hot during the day to play in.  

[East_TX_Spa]

One of you math wizards do a calculation:  How many pounds of ice are required to lower 350 gallons of water 20 degrees?  

Dr. Spa knows this.  He berated and belittled me when I was new here and I related the story of one of my customer's use of ice jugs to cool his spa.  He made me feel small and insignificant, but now I am the master.

PS Summer mode is 80.  It's around 100 here in the summer, spring too this year.  Spa heater never comes on in July-September for the most part.

Terminator

[TN__HOT_TUB]

I've got a spare refrigerator/freezer in the garage.  I could see myself using ice jugs to cool the spa down a bit when I have one of those all day/evening cookouts

The spa starts out as a place to cool down by day but by nightfall folks are wanting warmer water.  It might be easier to just bring in one of those kiddie pools for the day and not fuss with the hot tub.

[Bonibelle]

doesn't adding air cool the water too? I am already fighting my hubby over the tub temperature. He insists on 101, but when the air temp is in the 50's, I think 98 is just fine...Last night I kicked up the air on my tub to cool it down. He said he may as well take a shower if I was going to make him sit it "cold" water...

[DPS]

I live in the same area as you and set my temp anywhere from 93 to 97 during the summer.  I have programmable filtration cycles and set them to run at night so as to add as little heat as possible.  Spa is most often used after dark, then we go into the air conditioned house and freeze.  The things I need my spa for - stress relief, aching old body, shared time with family, are no less important in the summer.

[Bill_Stevenson]

I live in West Palm Beach, FL.  and it gets hot here, although I doubt that it ever gets as hot as it can get in Dallas.  Anyway, I like the spa in the summer, turn the heater off, and open the cover every night after sunset to let it cool down.  My water temp runs around 86 that way.  I do not like the summer mode feature as it stops the circ pump for several hours per day and that means no ozone and it just doesn't work as well.  

Regards,

Bill