The movement of water is important in a hot tub – without it you’re just sitting in a bath. A hot tub’s jets are fundamental to the soaking experience, delivering strong and steady streams of water to the areas of your body that need the relief that hydromassage can deliver.
But the importance of spa water movement goes beyond the jets. Even chlorinated water goes bad if it’s left to stagnate, so if you don’t use your hot tub for an extended period, you risk a health hazard, or at the very least having to drain, clean and refill it more often than you should.
In this guide we’ll take a closer look at hot tub water circulation, and in particular hot tub recirculating pumps, to understand why circulation is important, and how to choose a spa that will keep your water cleaner, clearer and fresher for longer.
What is water circulation in a hot tub?
Hot tub water circulation simply describes the movement of water within your spa. There are a number of ways to move water within a hot tub, and the method utilised by your chosen model can determine the enjoyment of your soak, how long your water lasts, and how often you need to drain, clean and refill your spa.
Some hot tubs only circulate water when their jets are turned on. In these spas extended periods of disuse can lead to stagnation, which can have a range of negative effects on your water and spa.
Higher quality machines tend to feature dedicated hot tub recirculating pumps that are designed to move water while the jets aren’t in use. This helps avoid water stagnation and keeps your H2O clean and fresh.
Why is hot tub water circulation important?
Spa water pumps can help to stave off a number of negative effects, from dealing with debris to avoiding health hazards. A high quality hot tub recirculating pump:
Suppresses the growth of bacteria and algae
Intruders like algae, mould and bacteria thrive in stagnant water. By keeping your water moving, a quality spa water pump will work in tandem with chlorine to suppress the growth of what can be serious health hazards.
Filters your water
A quality pump won’t just move your water – it will filter it too. Take Hot Spring’s 100% no-bypass filtration system, which uses the constant movement generated by our SilentFlo 5000 circulation system to ensure all your water is filtered all the time.
It makes your water last longer
Between movement and filtration, a dedicated pump will help your hot tub water to stay cleaner, clearer and fresher for longer. This is particularly the case when it is paired with high quality water care technology, like the FreshWater Salt System, which can see your water last up to a year.
Types of hot tub circulation system
Not all hot tub circulation systems are made equal. Prospective hot tub owners will have a choice of three main systems.
SilentFlo 5000 constant circulation system
The SilentFlo 5000 system is the latest iteration of a technology first developed 45 years ago, and is still the finest circulation system on the market. This completely silent system runs 24/7, constantly moving and filtering your spa water.
With the water already in motion, it takes the strain off the jets, reducing their noise, particularly at start-up. It’s also incredibly energy efficient, using less power than a 40W light bulb. It even transfers the heat it generates back into the spa water, helping to reduce energy consumption. This is a hot tub water circulation system that genuinely lacks a downside, and can be found in our Highlife and Limelight spas.
Two-Speed jet pump circulation
A two speed circulation system uses the same pump for both hydromassage and water circulation. When set to jet speeds it draws around 2200W of power, while at circulation speeds it draws about 450W of power (which is more than ten times that of the SilentFlo).
The higher power requirements mean that these systems are generally only used for a few hours a day, and they do make a low humming noise. These systems usually feature no-bypass filtration, which means that water is being filtered whenever the pump is turned on, even when the jets are in operation.
Spas in our Hot Spot and Freeflow collections feature two-speed jet pump technology.
Small centrifugal circulation pump
Some of the more cost-effective hot tubs on the market come with a dedicated small centrifugal circulation pump. Unfortunately this cheap and cheerful option doesn’t stay cheap and cheerful for long, as these systems can cost over 15x more to run than the SilentFlo 5000 system.
They aren’t designed for 24/7 use, they are the noisiest of the three pumps, and the circulated water will usually bypass the filters.
The Hot Spring difference
At Hot Spring our aim has always been to create the finest hot tub soaking experience possible. And no element of Hot Spring hot tubs and Fastlane Pools swim spas better encapsulates our commitment to innovation than our SilentFlo 5000 water circulation system.
The SilentFlo 5000 is the only hot tub water circulation system designed to be used 24/7/365. This means that in partnership with our no-bypass filtration system, it’s also the only hot tub pump that keeps your water 100% filtered 100% of the time.
The SilentFlo 5000 features a small electromagnetic motor capable of spinning the pump’s impeller without making a sound. Any heat the pump generates is also injected back into the water, effectively doubling the efficiency of the system by helping the spa heater to do its work.
This incredible efficiency means that the pump can run all day for a total true cost of just ten cents. With innovations like these, it’s little wonder that Hot Spring offers Australia’s most energy efficient hot tubs.
“Our Hot Spring spa is the best investment we've made for our family and health. Quality is definitely there and we've not seen much difference to our power bill.” – Jaimie Lancaster
Ready to experience the Hot Spring difference? Visit your local dealer today.
