Manufacturing: Insulation

Perimeter Heat Lock System         "one of the best cold climate tubs built today"

Please read. Important Information Below.

 

Our Perimeter Heat Lock System can be compared to an efficient thermos bottle. The foamed walls and floor creates a sealed and insulating dead air space. The pump, heaters, jets and water hoses are in this warm cocoon.

With our efficient Perimeter Heat Lock System 100% of the waste heat produced by the hot tub pump and electric motor is captured and transferred by convection and vacuum (negative pressure produced by the jets) into the hot tub water through the four air intakes going to the jets. When the cover is on, this captured waste heat will heat our hot tubs for almost 6 months of the year. The electric heater almost never comes on during warm days.

Lets look at some facts:

The majority of the heat loss in hot tubs occurs when the hot tub cover is off. Hot tub heat loss is calculated by surface area of water and the difference between water temperature and air temperature (and wind speed if any). With these numbers, one could calculate the exact BTU loss per hour while the hot tub is in use. A very small amount of the total heat loss happens through the sides and bottom of our hot tubs. The heat transmission factor (the heat energy is passed from one atom to the neighboring atoms of lower temperature) of our foam insulation is extremely low. When it is dry it is such a good insulator, you only need so much. At about 1/2 to 1 1/2inches of foam insulation the point of diminishing returns is reached. Eight inches of foam insulation will not work twice as well as four inches.

When a Moose Mountain Hot Tub is not in use and covered, its heat loss is minimal.

Why do some companies use full foam insulation? In most cases it is just a different manufacturing process. Most full foam companies use the foam as structural reinforcement instead of fiberglass but are emphasizing insulation value.

Our Perimeter Heat Lock System is superior to full foam insulation for the following reasons:

  1. Insulation is only as good as the thinnest wall or roof. Our hot tubs come with a tapered five to four inch cover but most hot tub covers are three to four inches thick. Since heat rises, having twelve to eighteen inches of foam on the side and bottom of a hot tub does not provide superior insulation. The value of full foam as an insulator is over-stated by most hot tub companies.

  2. Our hot tubs capture the waste heat off the equipment. Most full foam hot tubs have the equipment (pump & heater) behind uninsulated doors or in uninsulated equipment boxes or steps. These warm climate hot tubs (typically made in Vancouver or California) are designed to counter the problem of pump overheating caused by extreme heat and humidity. Moose Mountain Hot Tubs are designed for the opposite extreme (extreme COLD). These hot tubs usually have a dubious feature known as "freeze protection". It's really a heat loss monitor. Once the water in the equipment cools down (to a preset temperature) the motor turns on and sends the cold water into the hot tub and puts hot water back into the equipment. This happens continually at cold temperatures. It continuously dissipates heat (and your money) out of the hot tub.

  3. Extreme temperature differences produce condensation inside all hot tub cabinets. With our Perimeter Heat Lock System the waste heat off the pump dries out the foam continually and eliminates any condensation build up. Over an extended period of time full foam hot tubs get a build up of condensation in the foam. There is no way to dry out the foam in a full foam hot tub. Wet foam has a reduced insulation value.

  4. Typical multi-jet hot tubs have over 100 glue joints and over 350 feet of pipe in them and unfortunately leaks do occasionally occur, Full foam hot tubs are very difficult and expensive to fix if a leak occurs. How does one fix a leak in a full foam hot tub? Usually full foam hot tubs just have one service door so you must tip the hot tub on its side (a three or four person job) and try and see where the leek is located. Then remove all wet foam in that area and fix the leaking spot. Then tip the hot tub down, fill it and let it run for a week or two and try to dry out any wet foam. Then go back and drain the hot tub and tip it on its side and check for any sign of water. Then spray in foam and tip it back down and hope it does not leak again. The cost to fix this leak would be about ten to twelve hours labor at the average service rate of $70 per hour. How would we fix a leak in one of his hot tubs? We would take off the doors, locate the leak , drain the water down, repair the leak, fill and recheck for leaks and put the doors back on. It is a one-person job that takes one or two hours.

  5. Unfortunately, hot tub equipment is not infallible and in freezing weather, power outages or equipment failure can cause an expensive problem. How long does it take for a full foam hot tubs' equipment in an uninsulated box or step to freeze at -20ºc if the power goes off? Our guess would be in about one to two hours the pump would be frozen solid because hot tub pumps have cooling fins on them that dissipate the heat when they are pumping. Shut off pumps freeze very fast because the cooling fins continue to dissipate heat until the pumps are frozen solid. Once a pump is frozen, the water in the pump expands and the pumps crack. The cost of repair would probably be over $600.

With our Perimeter Heat Lock System the hot tub pump is protected for an extended time period because the pump is in an insulated cocoon. All the water in the hot tub would cool at about the same rate and it could take up to a week for a Moose Mountain Hot Tub to freeze. With our Perimeter Heat Lock System one 100w light bulb put inside the cabinet will keep the hot tub from freezing for an indefinite period of time at even -20ºc. That's how well our Perimeter Heat Lock System works. Make sure you buy a hot tub made for the climate you live in. If you live in a cold area get our Perimeter Heat Lock System.