Are you feeling light tingles when you touch shower knobs or other metallic plumbing fixtures? According to the electrical safety standards, your bathroom’s electrical system should be well-grounded to avoid electric shocks, so you should be concerned by any tingling from shower knobs and sink faucets. The best you can do in this case is to contact a Colorado electrician to help. 

How Does A Shower Head Work?

Turning your knob to the right automatically directs the trim to pull water from the storage, which goes into the pipes. Cold water flows through the pipes into the heater, and once the water is hot, excess cold and hot water mix in the valve, releasing the water off the shower head.

Why You Are Getting Tingles From Your Shower Knobs 

Grounding is when excess electrical current is directed to the ground through a metal plate fixed on the ground to protect any building and its occupants from excessively high voltage. The problem in your case can occur when your house has poor grounding, and a hot water pipe is electrified due to faults in the house’s wiring. Once you feel the tingles or get shocked by a tap or a shower knob in the house, you should avoid the area and immediately call a professional Arvada electrician.

What Causes Electric Shocks with Shower Knobs?

Electric shock is a serious safety concern that needs immediate addressing to stop further safety issues. As much as it is recommended to have a residential electrician from the Denver metro area fix the problem, it is good to know the possible causes. These include:

1. Electrical Storms

Showering under a shower head when it’s raining is not recommended. During a thunderstorm, lightning can strike electrical wires and other conducting materials, which can cause a surge of electricity to flow in your house’s plumbing system. With the electrical surge, the water in the plumbing system can easily get electrified, thus potentially`electrocuting anyone in contact with shower knobs, faucets, and other metal plumbing fixtures around the house.

To ensure electrical safety for every occupant in the house, keeping off all faucets during a storm until the rain stops is the best idea.

2. Improperly Grounded Appliances

Using improperly grounded appliances such as hair dryers or electric shavers often causes electricity to flow into your plumbing system. This means anyone touching a plumbing metal fixture within the system can get electrocuted. You can only avoid this if professional electricians from Denver regularly inspect your house.

3. Stray Voltages

This occurs when electrical currents leak into the ground with underground cables or other electrical equipment. When either of these gets into contact with plumbing pipes, it increases the chances of electrocution when someone touches a shower knob, faucet, or other metallic plumbing fixture. The stray voltages are often a result of different factors, including faulty wiring, which creates a path for electricity to flow through the shower knob or faucet.

4. Poor installation of plumbing fixtures

If installed improperly, plumbing pipes can make contact with electrical wiring and other electrical appliances that cause current to flow to the pipes. This, too, leads to electrocution upon touching the faucet. Note that the intensity of the current flowing through the pipes will determine the degree of electrocution.

What to Do Incase of an Electric Shock at Home

Electrocution can be quite fatal if not managed in time. So, when one is electrocuted, here are the right things to do while waiting for professional help:

Turn Off The Power

The first and most important step is to turn off the power at the mains to prevent more current from flowing to the circuit and causing further damage. Remember, you should not assist the electrocuted person until the main power source is turned off to prevent you from getting electrocuted too.

Check for a Pulse

Electrical shocks can be quite intense. First, you must ensure the electrocuted person is breathing and has a noticeable pulse. If the person is not breathing, you’ll note it through their lack of a pulse. You should, therefore, help resuscitate the victim until medical help arrives.

Move the victim

If the electrocuted victim is still close to the cause of electrocution, you need to help move them away from the electrical source. You must, however, ensure you only touch the person after all electrical mains are switched off. Otherwise, you, too, will be at risk of electrocution. It’s also important to note that you should not touch their skin or clothes directly when moving them. Instead, use a non-conductive material such as a wooden object to push them away from the source of electrocution.

Call An Electrician

Once the victim is in safe hands that would manage their injuries, call a residential or a local electrician that will inspect the house for the appropriate fix. You may sometimes have to cater for any necessary repairs unless you have your house insured. However, if you are still covered by the electrical company that did your first installation in the house, you can have them make the necessary repairs at little to no cost.

Electrical Safety Facts to Remember About Your Bathroom

• Avoid using hair dryers and other electrical radiating appliances in the bathroom or other water sources. This is because condensation can get through to the appliances and be a potential cause for electrical shocks along the water line.
• Avoid handling electrical appliances with wet hands. Before touching your equipment, dry your hands with a towel to prevent your electricals from coming into contact with water and causing electrocution. Do not be ignorant of any appliance. Even the smallest, like flat irons and electric shavers, can cause electrocution.
• Central heating has become the best and safest way to warm your room. However, if you have an electric beater, keep it away from your bathroom, kitchen, or toilet to avoid electrocution in water.
• Do not attempt your electrical repairs if you are not qualified to do so. Instead, call professional electricians in the Denver metro area to help with any electrical repairs.  

Importance Of Understanding The Reasons For Electrical Shocks In The Bathroom

The importance of electrical safety awareness at home cannot be understated. The main reasons for this include:

Identifying Potential Hazards

By frequently inspecting your house, you can identify any risks that could cause possible electrocution. It is important that you have a residential electrician do these surveys around the house, but if you can do it in person, it’s much better since you can note a problem before it escalates.

How To Reduce The Risks

Once you have identified the risks, you can prevent any possible cause of electrocution or teach your house occupants how to handle different issues. However, when it gets to wiring systems and electrical circuitry, you must let trained persons take over.

Conclusion

The bathroom is one area you cannot avoid. In most cases, it is often accessed by everyone in the house, therefore you must learn to keep the bathroom safe from all electrical problems. In this case, the best approach to avoid future problems is scheduling frequent inspections with residential Denver metro area electricians to keep the house safe for everyone.

Despite the myths that voltage stabilizers are for homes with unpredictable power outages, every home needs one to keep all electronics functioning at their best. A voltage stabilizer’s main essence is to ensure there is a constant flow of electricity to your appliances in case of a power surge.

While it sounds unnecessary, it is vital to every household as it keeps all electronics from problems caused by overheating.

Why Should You Have A Stabilizer?

There are various benefits of having a voltage stabilizer installed with your appliances, including:

Keeping Household Appliances From Malfunctioning

Every gadget has a voltage limit that, if exceeded, can cause malfunction through overheating or short-circuiting, resulting in permanent damage to the device.

The voltage stabilizer keeps the voltage at the required level neutralizing the chances of electrical burnout from sudden voltage spikes.

Extending The Life Of Appliances

Usually, voltage stabilizers ensure that power flows smoothly and with the right voltage to the appliances, keeping the devices running as they should, which keeps them in good condition, prolonging the life of the appliance.

Being Cost Effective

Buying a voltage stabilizer may be initially expensive, but it eventually reduces overhead costs for repairing a malfunctioned appliance as well as increases the lifespan, saving you the money you could have used to improve, repair, or replace the devices.

Safeguarding Life and Preventing Electric Malfunctions

Electrical malfunctioning is often ignored, possibly due to not knowing how to deal with it or due to cost issues, but can cause irreversible harm and, in some cases, death. So, it should always be taken seriously. 

These malfunctions are one of the leading sources of fires in Denver, so installing a voltage stabilizer and minimizing the risk of electrical malfunctions can keep you safe from potential fires.

How To Choose A Voltage Stabilizer

Choosing the best voltage stabilizer depends on factors such as the input and output voltages, type of load, and capacity. Here are some things to consider when choosing the best voltage stabilizer for your appliance.

Determine The Voltage Input Range

The voltage stabilizer should be able to handle the minimum and maximum voltage fluctuations within the input voltage range of your appliance, so be sure to check the voltage range for the various devices that will be served by the stabilizer.

Check The Output Voltage

You don’t want a situation where the output voltage from the stabilizer is too high or too low for the device’s requirements. You must, therefore, check that the output voltage of your stabilizer matches the expected voltage for your electronic appliance.

Consider The Load Application

Different loads have different requirements for voltage stabilization. Whether you have a motor, fridge, computer, audio system, or TV, each of these devices has a specified load limit, so you must ensure they are all within the voltage range of the stabilizer.

Type Of Voltage Stabilizer

There are two major types of voltage stabilizers: static stabilizers and servo-controlled units. Static stabilizers are cheap to acquire and are quite compact, while servo-controlled stabilizers are more reliable for heavy loads.

Which Appliances Need Voltage Stabilizers?

Here are a few appliances that require the use of stabilizers:

ACs

AC stabilizers come in different ranges, from heavy to light loads, depending on your room size. Ideally, air conditioners have components that make them voltage sensitive, so you must constantly protect them from voltage instabilities by installing a stabilizer. However, this is most important for areas that have frequent voltage fluctuations.

Televisions and Refrigerators 

Although fridges have a high voltage capacity, excess voltage is enough to permanently cause malfunction, so they need a voltage stabilizer to function properly.

Televisions, on the other hand, have minimal capacity, which makes them very sensitive to any excess voltage. Therefore, ensure your television has an operational stabilizer at all times.

What Causes Voltage Fluctuations

According to Denver-licensed electricians, there are many causes of voltage fluctuations. Some can be resolved with measures to reduce their impact, while others are beyond human control. These causes include:

Grid Load Differences

Different locations across the US and the world at large have varying electricity demands that can cause grid variations, leading to unexpected fluctuations. Other factors, including weather, the time of the year, industrial activity, and special events, also bring about varying demands for electricity.

These may increase the electricity demand based on factors such as demand for cooling or heating with weather changes when people are likely to use more electricity for their AC or heating appliances.

In this case, the best solution is to install voltage regulators on individual main circuits, which is the responsibility of the grid supplier. 

Faulty Wiring

Damaged and worn-out electrical cables are a specific problem in older buildings with unreliable power supplies. For example, improper wiring can increase resistance, causing a voltage drop. The best solution here is regular inspection and maintenance of electrical equipment in order to can spot specific issues that a local electrician can handle. You also need to be sure your house has proper wiring and grounding, tested and certified by a professional electrician. This will reduce voltage drops brought about by improper wiring.

Power Surges

This often occurs due to lightning, earthquakes, floods, and other natural disasters that tamper with the electrical equipment, causing sudden changes in the grid voltage and possible voltage spikes.

Electrical Equipment

Some electronics, such as motors and compressors, can cause voltage fluctuations during their start-up and shut-down processes. The best way to curb this is to ensure regular maintenance of electrical equipment.

Fluctuating Voltages From The Power Supply

Voltage surges brought about by this factor can be caused by different issues such as the quality of power infrastructure, distance from the power source, and capacity of the load on the grid. The only way to curb this is by improving power infrastructure by investing in upgraded transformers and power lines.

What Are The Key Components In A Voltage Stabilizer

Mounting Element

Like every other electronic, the voltage stabilizer can be damaged if it gets wet or is placed on an unsafe surface. It can also harm children or any other person unaware of the risks of such situations, therefore, before buying any stabilizer, check that it has a mounting element so that you can place it away from daily-use places to avoid electric shock

Indicators

Recent models are now being bought with LED gauges to show the voltage released to the appliances and the one being regulated.

Time Delay Systems

This feature is especially common in fridge compressors and ACs. When a short power outage happens, the timer system immediately activates so that the voltage flow balances the device in the shortest time possible.

Digitized Systems

This feature best applies when moving the stabilizer from one appliance to another. When this happens, the appliance readjusts and adapts to a new gadget and continues operating immediately.

Overload Protection

The overload protection component shuts down the stabilizer when a short circuit occurs or if anything burns due to a circuit overload.

When Does Overvoltage Occur

Overvoltage occurs when the voltage reaches higher than 15% of what is noted on the device. Usually, before anything, overvoltage hits circuits and motherboards of appliances, which then overheats the apparatus. Overheating occurs when the extra heat is being converted instead of the device operating as it should. The heat continues to rise, which can to destroying the appliance.

When Does Undervoltage Occur?

Undervoltage occurs when power running through the circuit of a device goes below the recommended amount, which can lead to the degradation of a product.

Conclusion

Every home in Denver has been a victim of a power outage or burnout of electrical appliances. So, if your house lacks a voltage stabilizer, consider purchasing one from your local electrical store or ask your residential electrician in the Denver metro area to help install the device.

Automated home lighting is a system that uses a central router to program and control different switches around the house. Our professional electricians in Denver, CO, can customize the lighting controls to your needs.

You can set the time you want to turn on the lights, the area of the house, and the kind of lighting to fit your desired occasion. Some advantages of having an automated lighting system are that you’ll save big on energy and guarantee security and comfort around the home.

As the years go by, people opt to have automated lights compared to traditional lighting. In 2020, out of 3 million houses that were set for construction, 7.4% were installed with automated lights.

Here are some benefits of having an automated lighting system.

1. You will Save On Energy Costs

Automated lights mean you can turn them on only when necessary, saving you big on electricity bills and reducing your carbon traces.

This is how automated lighting systems work. They have three automatic sensors to regulate your lights as needed.

• Time controls that have been set manually on the lighting system, whose main function is to determine when your lights go on or off. You can change these settings whenever you want.
• Light sensors measure the amount of light produced by the lighting fixture. 
• Motion sensors detect movement around their location, and turn the lights within the area On/Off. For example, you can position it along the hallways to help turn on the hallway lights only when they detect movement.

 2. Programmed scene setting

The greatest advantage of having an automated lighting system is that you get to automatically set the mood of your occasion with just the push of a few buttons, saving you time and energy that you would use to change the bulb or the color theme.

A good example is when you are working; you can easily set up the lighting to your ‘cooking theme’ to light up the mood and brighten your room for clear visibility as you enjoy preparing your meals.

New themes for your house will continue as trends arise. Talk to your local residential electrician and set up your smart, automated lighting to get a different look and feel for each occasion.

Here are some occasions you can have an automated system for:

• Watching TV
• Cooking
• Eating

• Working
• Reading

3. Improve The Safety And Security Of Your Home

Through activating sensors or by using a smartphone, you can switch on your lights from the comfort of your bed safely to move around during the night – no more blindly reaching for light switches as you head towards the staircase.

By improving safety, lighting control systems can enhance your home’s security. You can set intervals for the lights to automatically switch on at specific times while you’re away from home, which can help you deter thieves from your property.

4. Enhanced Convenience

Imagine turning all the lights in your house on/off by pressing a single button or a single click on the wall. Convenient, right? You can also have a mounted control system that automatically turns all your lights off when it’s day and on at sunset.

Technology has made work easier by integrating systems that allow you to fully control your lighting system by letting you use your mobile phone, laptop, or tablet to control the mood of your house or give a voice command with instructions of what you want.

If this simplicity and luxury appeal to you, talk to electrical companies near Denver and set up your choice of automated home lighting design.

5. Wide Colour Range

Imagine switching various colors in your living room with a single button. Automated lights allow you to change the colors of your room depending on the occasion you’re hosting. Imagine the cost and hassle they save you of walking around looking for lights for your party. 

If you want a calm and cozy mood to sleep in, a simple button will fix that. 

There are several light options to having different lighting systems with various amazing offers. For example, Immensa light bulbs come with about 16 million different colors, all contributing towards a cozy home.

The Best Automated Lighting Ideas That Will Transform Your Home

Aside from having cozy furniture or amazing finishing designs, there are more ways you can use lighting to completely turn around the look and feel of your home. Let an electrician in the Denver metro area automate your lighting system for you.

Additionally, by upgrading your lighting system, you will generally improve the appeal of your premises. Imagine, if you were to resell such a home, you’d have a better bargaining position that will guarantee you more money.

If you’re looking for smart, unique light ideas for your home, you are in the right place. Here are our top home light ideas that can completely transform your living environment.

Adjust Your Lighting With Color Temperature

Every light has its temperature, ranging mostly from mild to amber-red and an arctic blue color. However, there are many other options that you can choose from soft white to bright white as well as daylight temperatures.

Any licensed electrician near Denver will tell you that the right lights and temperatures are enough to shift the mood of your entire home.

Make Your Home A Place For Inspiration With Color-Changing Lamps

The automatic color-changing lamps are the best to experiment on, especially in play areas and kids’ bedrooms. Working around the house can be quite tricky when you feel bored, so why don’t you try color-changing lamps and feel the vibes of the different changes?

Every color has a special effect. For example, purple can spark creativity, while white will make you want to clean or exercise. Yellow will make you more alert, especially if you switch it up at sunrise, while green will make you feel relaxed, perfect for when you’re sleepy.

Use Motion Sensors

Set motion sensors in place, and you’ll never knock into the wall or trip on your kids’ toys! These home automation make your life more convenient and safe to walk around in. 

You can set up motion sensors anywhere, including your kitchen cabinets or stairs as you walk around the house. The peace of mind that comes from knowing the lights you left on will go off automatically is one to live for. You don’t need to leave your couch to confirm if you switched the lights off. You can also set up automated lights in your closet or dressing room so the lights turn automatically on as you reach out for your clothes, saving you time, especially on a late morning.

Set Up Bias Lighting For Your Tv

Another cool thing to do with smart lights is to use them to create bias lighting behind your TV screens.

These lights are set up behind the TV and automatically match the color of your screen as you watch your show, improving the quality of the images you see on TV and giving you a better watching experience. Additionally, if you are sensitive to white light, this lighting can keep your TV from feeling too harsh, which helps your eyes relax as you focus on the show.

Use Accent Lighting to Draw Attention to Wall Artwork

The best places for these lights are above, below, or next to your paintings so that you can view the art on display in a much-enhanced way.

The next step is to set up lights depending on the theme of your art. For example, if your art is about sunrise, you can have orange or yellow colors highlighting the beauty of the dawn. Or if you have canvas prints or other wall art based on quotes, you can have soft colors drawing attention to the places you’d want to draw the most attention to.

Improve Security And Lower Energy Costs With Efficiency

With automated systems, you can program your lights to go on or off in the evening or the morning. The main essence is to distract intruders and think you are home while on vacation. If you get home late, you can also use the outdoor lights to provide a method of safety.

These automated lights are so easy to use that you can switch the floodlights on while you are still in your car. That way, you can walk to your doorstep without worrying about stumbling on anything around your patio.

Conclusion

The main goal of having automated systems for most people is to enjoy the cozy feel of the house while having automatic lights to protect yourself and your home from intruders. Reach out to Arvada electricians to help you with this installation.

If there is a power outage, a natural disaster, or a storm, your generator will be your most valuable appliance. They are, however, potentially dangerous if installed and used incorrectly.

If you have recently bought a generator, contact a licensed Denver electrician to install it for you and walk you through its correct usage. The electrician will also guide you on how to keep your family from potential dangers like carbon monoxide poisoning and electrocution.

Importance of a Generator

Generators have various benefits, however, their usage depends on different factors and individual preferences. These benefits include:

1. Constant electricity support: the essential part of having a generator is that you’ll never experience a power outage. Even if other areas around you have electrical problems, your house will have electricity from the generator that is just as effective as electric power from the grid.
2. They cut losses: having a generator for your business ensures your business runs throughout even when there are power outages, keeping your products from getting spoiled, among other losses that result from power outages.
3. More productivity: when you have a generator, you become more productive, knowing you are not dependent on electricity infrastructure in your area, especially when there are continuous power issues.
4. You can supply power to areas lacking electricity: if you have a portable generator, you can power it to your other projects that do not have electricity.
5. A source of security: A generator remains an essential backup source of electricity for power outages. This means you’ll have power for essential systems such as security systems, alarms, and other communication equipment, keeping your property from any loss associated with a power outage.

Possible Hazards Caused By Generators

The most common danger from using generators is carbon monoxide poisoning, primarily when people use a generator in closed rooms. However, there are other risks associated with generators, including fires and electric shocks.

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Carbon monoxide, also known as the silent gas, is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas produced at extremely high levels when a generator is active. Although you may not smell or see the fumes, there is a high chance you could still be exposed, particularly if you are operating your generator in an enclosed room. You should visit your nearest health center if you experience any headaches, nausea, or dizziness.

Although carbon monoxide is the most significant cause of generator-related deaths, electrocution and electrical shocks have caused several deaths in the USA over the past few years. 

Electrocution

Ensure the generator is stored in a dry place and away from the rain or any source of moisture, and that your hands do not have water while operating the generator.

Directly plug your equipment into your generator or use a powerful extension that can handle the total voltage of your appliances. Ensure also that the extension cords are in excellent condition and do not have any wear or cuts, to avoid electrocution risks. If you must connect your appliances to your house, contact a home generator electrician in Arvada to connect your generator to your devices.

How Professionals Can Help Prevent Electrical Hazards

By Ventilating Your Generator

When your generator engine starts running, by default, it gets hot as it passes power to your house. When your Denver area electrician ventilates the room, they allow unrestricted airflow, preventing the generator from overheating. Ventilating controls the heat circulating in the room and allows the free flow of toxic gasses and smells which can help safeguard the environment.

By Doing A Load Test

When a local electrician does a load test, they check the generator’s engine capacities to prevent future electrical problems. Once they allow the engine to reach its full potential, they read the results and make any necessary adjustments.

The most important reason for doing a load test is to identify problems your generator could have and to solve them before they develop into more severe issues.

Timely Maintenance

To prevent hazards of a DC generator in the Denver metro area, ensure your generator is fixed as soon as you identify a malfunction. Do not try to open the generator yourself or fix the problem to avoid further damage.

Grounding Your Electricals

Grounding an electrical appliance helps generate a minimal resistance path that connects electricity to the ground. When that happens, any excess voltage or voltage build-up goes to the groundbed and prevents electrocution risks.

• Ensure all your generators are earthed to prevent any chances of electrocution from excess voltage.
• Protect your appliances using guarding to minimize any chances of electrical hazards.

Usually, it is your electrician’s job to ensure the electrical circuit is grounded, so ensure you call them occasionally for a routine check-up. For quick electrical assistance within the Denver area, contact ElectriCall technicians.

Keeping Your Generator From Unauthorized Access

Your resident electrician will advise you to safeguard your generator’s room. By guarding the room, you prevent unauthorized persons from accessing your generators, which minimizes the risk of accidents and faults. 

You must wrap electrical tape around all exposed wires to prevent electrocution. This should be done with the guidance of a trained electrician.

Ensure you disconnect all your appliances and generators before repairing them, and insulate them with glass to minimize current flow.

Ensuring Your Electronic Cords Are Well Maintained

All electronic equipment, including your generator, have wires and cords, and your professional must teach you how to maintain them correctly to reduce damage. In most cases, generators come with grounded cords and instructions from the manufacturers. Ask your resident electrician for guidance on the proper maintenance of electric lines.

• The main aim is to reduce the extensive use of extension cords, avoiding using two electric lines simultaneously.
• When attaching your electrical cables to a wall or surface, never nail them or use pins to connect them. Nails will pierce lines, creating holes that are electrocution danger zones. If you must attach your electrical cords, use electrical tape or hook them.
• Never cover your extension wires with mats or rugs to prevent tripping or causing internal cable issues.
• Do not pull threads from the extension. Instead, hold on to the plug and carefully pull it after you switch off the socket so you do not mess up your cords or pins when unplugging them.
• If your plugin and cables are faulty, replace or discard the extension to avoid any risks of electric shock.
• You must inspect your cables regularly to see if any line is broken or needs a replacement. If it does, seek help from a professional electrician.

By Teaching You On Refuelling. Only Refuel When Your Generator Is Cool

Never try to refuel your generator while it’s hot or running. Refueling a hot generator could result in severe burns due to the combustible fuel released when fueling. Also, ensure any excess energy is stored away from the generator to avoid the risks of your house burning. If you need to learn how to refuel, consult a licensed electrician for guidance.

By Advising On Overloading Your Generator

Different generators come with specific power capacities. Find out the best voltage of a generator as you find the total voltage of your electronics to avoid overloading your generator. If you are unaware of your generator’s capacity, talk to a licensed generator electrician for more guidance. If you need more guidance on how to find the best electrician, here is some help for you.

Using High-Quality Fuel

Unsafe or recycled fuel is one of the most significant causes of malfunctioning generators. Most generator manufacturers suggest using fuel cleaners or stabilizers to reduce dirt build-up, which will ensure you use your generator for a long time and that it runs optimally. 

Conclusion

While generators are typically life savers, some of the risks caused by mishandling them can be life-threatening, so you must remain cautious and keep your generator room free from unauthorized users. Additionally, talk to a licensed Denver electrician to guide you on portable generator hazards and generator safety precautions to avoid any risks from your generator. 

With increasing concerns about energy efficiency all over the globe, electricians in the Denver metro area found it necessary to advise hot tub users on the best way to reduce their energy expenses. The main drive for this is because energy efficiency is at the center of every aspect of today’s society. 

This article will help you save on your expenses and better enjoy the hydrotherapy advantages of a hot tub. Read on for suggestions that will save you greatly.

1. Consider Trading-In Your Old Hot Tub

Want to reduce the expense of operating a hot tub with little insulation? The best you can do is replace your old hot tub with an energy-efficient unit. Among the different benefits that an upgraded hot tub comes with are better insulation, energy-efficient heaters, and variable-speed pumps.

You must, however, be smart and cautious when looking for a new hot tub. You must ensure you get an energy-efficient model that will reduce your electricity bills.

2. Try a Less Exposed Location

With your hot tub in a less exposed location, it means you will need little energy to heat it up compared to a hot tub in a colder location. This is because, in a cold environment, the hot tub will lose heat faster. Exposed hot tubs are also subjected to more wear and tear from the elements, so some key components, such as the pumps and heaters, may have to work much harder than they should to maintain the hot tub’s temperature.

If you want reduced electric bills, you should consider placing the hot tub in a less exposed location where the surface won’t lose so much heat. Think about placing the hot tub on a screened-in porch, covered patio, or a gazebo.

3. Keep Filters Clean

Water enters a hot tub through the filters, warms up through the heater, and exits the hot tub through the jets. If a filthy filter is clogged with dirt, it slows the process of warming up the hot tub since the dirt creates an insulation layer, affecting the water’s heating rate. This results in the heater operating harder to maintain the desired water temperature, therefore, using more electricity in the process.

While maintaining safe and clean hot tub water requires a clean filter, the advantages of conserving electricity could be overstated. A clogged filter might limit your hot tub’s flow, which strains the pump. This means the pump will work harder to circulate water through every filter, therefore leading to increased energy consumption.

4. Try a Lower Temperature

A lower temperature means reduced heat requirements. The reason here is if you have a full hot tub with hotter water, it will require a lot more energy to maintain the temperature.

But if you opt for a slightly lower temperature, there won’t be such a high electricity demand. It is important to note that a slight reduction in the hot tub’s temperature makes a noticeable difference in the overall electricity consumption rate. A reduced water temperature also means less strain on the pump and heater, further reducing their overall energy consumption rate.

5. Ensure Your Cover is in Good Condition and Fits Well

One of the most crucial components of heat retention is your hot tub cover, which blocks and minimizes heat loss to the surrounding air. Otherwise, with every joule of heat lost, the heater must turn on more frequently to maintain your desired temperature. Frequent switching on and off is also very costly on your electric bill.

A decent hot tub cover won’t be waterlogged, should have a heat lock hinge where it folds, and should fit snugly to provide a tight seal. Consider changing your cover if it is damaged, heavy, worn, or fits awkwardly.

Factors to Think About When Buying Energy-Efficient Hot Tubs

Buying an energy-efficient unit is your first step to reducing hot tub electricity bills, but with today’s market, several factors must be considered before paying for the hot tub.

Some of the most common things that should guide you include:

Insulation

Today’s hot tubs come with various types of insulation that you can choose from, including foam insulation, reflective material, and thermal blankets. Each of these types varies in how they reduce heat loss based on different factors, but generally, foam insulation is considered to be the most effective option, followed by thermal blankets and reflective materials.

Size and Volume

The size of your hot tub depends on your needs, but generally, smaller hot tubs require less energy to heat than larger hot tubs. However, you must consider other size and volume-related factors that may need your attention. But on matters of energy efficiency, small-sized hot tubs are more efficient.

Check for a cover

Hot tubs must be covered to minimize losing heat to the surrounding air, so check for a high-quality cover that reduces heat loss and maintains heat within the tub. Look for well-insulated covers made from durable materials.

Energy Star rating

Hot tubs with energy star ratings mean they have met specific energy efficiency standards as set by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This is a mark you want to look for before purchasing the hot tub.

Manufacturer’s Warranty

The best hot tubs can be quite expensive to acquire, but they are worth their value in the long run. On the off-chance that they malfunction sooner than expected, however, ensure the unit you purchase has a manufacturer’s warranty that will cover you in case of any defects. With some manufacturers, you can have extended warranties that cover specific components such as the heater or pump.

What’s the Average Energy Consumed by a Hot Tub?

The National Spa and Pool Institute estimates that a hot tub needs 2514 kilowatts per hour of electricity annually. Most of this energy is utilized to heat and circulate the water, with a little portion also going toward lights. Hot tubs continue to use power even when covered and not in use. So, when shopping for a hot tub, consider its long-term heating cost. Although higher-end hot tubs may come with a higher initial price tag, they often boast greater energy efficiency, resulting in lower monthly operating costs over time.