What most dealers will not tell you about choosing and using
a hot tub:
When you enter your hot tub you will enter a world of soothing relaxation that
will help relieve the stress and tension of the fast paced world we all live in.
Step into a world of soothing comfort where quality family time can take place
in a distraction- free environment. Experience the health benefits as your body
rejuvenates and heals itself while immersed in a soothing, swirling mass of hot
water.
Thousands of Brits every year are joining the growing number of home spa owners
as more and more people realise that the climate in the UK is perfect for a hot
tub. After all, if we lived in a tropical paradise who would want to be up to their
neck in hot water? Spring, Autumn and Winter bathing is actually far more enjoyable
than during the height of the Summer when all you want to do is cool down!
Talk to anyone who owns a hot tub and they will tell you that once you own a spa
you will never go without one again. Unlike many products today there are few purchases
that will have as profound a change on your life as your hot tub will. Whether
you require therapy massage, pain relief, stress relief, or just great family and
social time a spa will allow you to create your own private oasis right in your
garden.
There are a number of things to consider when purchasing your hot tub. The first
and most important is what do you want out of your spa? Many people simply want
to soak away their stress and relax in the hot water. Or perhaps you want a focal
point for social events or romantic evenings. For these people many entry-level
spas are perfect. Typically these have 10-20 jets and a small pump of around 2Hp.
If however you are looking for therapy quality massage you need something with
30-50 jets and multiple pumps. Look for horsepower ratings of at least 6-9hp on
these systems. Lots of jets may look great but unless the Horsepower is there to
move the water they will not be as effective. To cloud the issue dealers will sometimes
quote the pumps in kW or Watts. Online conversion web sites can quickly clear this
issue up by converting kW to horsepower.
Another system that is offered is air blowers or air pumps. Some manufacturers
recommend them and some swear you don’t want them. The real reason for this
debate has less to do with its value as a feature and more to do with the fact
that unless the manufacturer has years of experience doing air systems they can
be problematic and cause service issues which ultimately cost the manufacturer
money.
These systems are typically used for soft tissue massage or skin therapy and they
work very well. A good system will inject millions of heated bubbles into the spa
and this will help exfoliate your skin. Also the heated air and agitation of the
skin causes the blood vessels to dilate helping to flush toxins from the epidural
layer.
Some manufacturers also put aromatherapy injectors on the air blower to allow
the customer to add aromatherapy essential oils and scents to the air without contaminating
the water. Some manufacturers even have super chargers that allow you to divert
the heated air into the water jets to change the feel of the jets and increase
the massage pressure. If you do choose to go with this option make sure of at least
two things. First that the blower has an actual heater element in it to heat the
air prior to injecting it into the spa. This will prevent the water from being
cooled down quickly. Also ensure the blower has an automatic purge system to blow
the lines clear when the spa is not in use.
Deciding to purchase a spa can be a very daunting task. It is difficult to sort
the issues from the gimmicks. The following are a couple of things that will make
a real difference in your spa.
Shell construction
When discussing shell constructions there are three materials that matter. There
is a lot of talk about bonding resins and barrier layers but in truth the main
elements are the surface, the core and the structure. The industry standard is
to use an acrylic material and vacuum form it into a shell. A layer of fibreglass
is then added to the structure.
The next type of shells are made from plastics ranging from ABS and other types
of plastics using various trade names. The surface warranty on these shells is
usually higher- between 5-7 years, but they can sometimes yellow and the structure
may not be as good. Check for flexing while standing on the lounger and chairs.
Whilst these shells are touted as superior they are about the same cost to make
and realistically are the same quality- they have simply improved one area of the
shell at the sacrifice of another.
There are a few companies that use a combination of all of the above shells. Typically
these are using an acrylic surface, plastic or vinyl core, and a fibreglass backing.
While expensive they typically carry warranties of up to 25 years.
Shell Surfaces
There are many surface materials and styles available for your hot tub. Almost
all spas use acrylic as it is an excellent surface material that lasts for years.
Some companies use only a plastic surface to save on the cost of the extra acrylic
layer but discolouration and difficulty in cleaning have led to almost all manufacturers
using acrylic- its proven performance guarantees a durable, reliable product.
Within the acrylic ranges are a multitude of choices, from Marble look smooth
finish, metal effect, and the newest textured non scratch safety granite effect
surfaces, all available in a huge range of colours and tints. Whatever you choose
there are two things to bear in mind. Firstly, the smooth surfaces can be slippery
when wet, and whilst beautiful when new, they can scratch quite easily and tend
to dull after a while. Just imagine what your car would look like if you climbed
all over it for a year... Unless you want a part time job buffing and polishing
your spa shell every year, think twice before buying a smooth finish.
On the other hand the textured granite-like finishes are scratch resistant, non
slip, uV stabilised and look like new for decades with no maintenance. As for colour,
keep in mind that you only see the shell colour while you are in the spa. The rest
of the time you see the cover, and for great looking water- nothing beats a blue
shell for that appealing clean clear water look.
Look for a deep spa with multiple level seating. Depth is paramount to ensure
you are seated comfortably while still fully submerged- a good depth is above 90
cm.
Most hot tubs have ozone purification systems. Claims abound about chemical free
systems and better and worse methods of producing ozone. In short, all the systems
work fairly well and the costs are similar with ultra violet being the bottom of
the pile and Plasma cell being the top for ozone technology. Some spas simply inject
the ozone into the spa while slightly more expensive and efficient systems use
mazi injection into absorption tanks or absorption lines to get longer contact
time.
The bottom line is if it has ozone it will reduce chemical usage and according
to all professional governing bodies for spas and hot tubs no one should offer
these systems as a replacement for halogen type oxidisers (chlorine/bromine). Despite
what a sales person might tell you with even the most expensive well designed ozone
system, health and safety and every other industry governing body recommends small
amounts of chlorine to assist the ozone system.
Another important thing to look for is insulation. Generally speaking, the more
insulation the better heat retention. Whilst the motors do produce heat of about
40-50C they only run for about 8 hours a day and transfer of heat from the motors
to the water is marginal at best. Some spas will have partial foam or very little
foam under the shell. The claim is that the heat from the motors will help to heat
the shell.
Some hot tubs fill the entire cavity with foam to retain heat more efficiently.
Both systems have pros and cons and while a full foam spa costs more to manufacture
they are only slightly more efficient. The most expensive system on the market
has fully foamed spas with heat extractors that collect the heat from the pumps
and inject it directly into the water. This is the best of both systems but expensive.
Other than that? Look for accreditation like ISO 9001 2000 to ensure quality compliance,
and membership to the world’s largest governing body for spas which is the
association of pool and spa professionals.
Finally and most importantly look for a manufacturer with a proven track record,
established presence of 10 years or more, and a manufacturer’s warehouse
and office in the UK. The majority of spa companies in the UK and Europe are importers.
If the importer or distributor changes lines, or goes out of business you may be
stuck dealing with North America for parts, and having no warranty. If you buy
from a dealer that is selling a spa line that has a manufacturer’s warehouse
and head office in the UK and you have any issues with the local dealer you have
the safety of falling back on the manufacturer for parts, and warranty. |
