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Outdoor heating is highly inefficient in Big Sky due to the cold climate, heat loss, inefficient devices, and environmental impact. Our harsh winters are cold and require a significant amount of continuous energy to heat outdoor appliances. Heat dissipates into the air without insulation, making it incredibly inefficient.

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Why Outdoor Heating Isn’t Recommended

In a climate as cold as Big Sky, outdoor heating is highly inefficient. Heating outdoor spaces requires 2-3 times more energy per unit area than heating indoor spaces due to constant exposure and lack of insulation. 

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Hot Tubs

Hot tubs consume a significant amount of energy to heat and approximately 500 gallons of water to fill. By Montana law, the water must be changed out for each renter if you have a rental unit.

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Pools

Pools are strongly not recommended for Big Sky for three primary reasons:

1. Heating a pool requires a great deal of energy, as it must be heated for most of the year in our cold climate.
2. Big Sky has limited water resources in our aquifers. Pools require large quantities of water to fill and any potable water available should be used for drinking.
3. It is only practical to utilize a pool for less than ⅓ of the year due to our cold climate.

Many Owners Associations prohibit the installation of pools and those that do not are beginning to implement such regulations.

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Mitigating Inefficiencies

Minimize Heated Areas: Limit the amount of outdoor space you heat and use it only when necessary, such as when ice dams threaten the safety of your roofline.

‍Utilize Advanced Technologies: Consider new technologies like Powder Watts, which can significantly reduce energy use for roof heat tape. SNO will continue to research new and updated technologies that minimize energy utilized to heat the outdoors and update them here.

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Have you considered a cold roof?

A cold roof is a double roof with an air layer in between the two that encourages ventilation. This airflow helps to keep the roof at a consistent, cool temperature to minimize heat loss and prevent uneven snow melt. Cold roofs are a great alternative to heat tape and can be more effective at reducing ice dams and preventing water intrusion.