Hot Tub Advice. . . .

[0627Devildog]

Looking for any advice/direction/opinion on Hot Tubs. . . . . (preferably from someone who has bought/owned one)

We've had our eyes on one of the 6 or 7 person tubs listed here:

www.recdirectfactoryoutlets.com

or

http://www.bjs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?catalogId=10201&storeId=10201&langId=-1&pageSize=40&currentPage=1&sortBy=&searchKeywords=&tASearch=&state=online&clubId=00&searchCategory=2000151&categoryId=3000000000000117127&parent_category_rn=3000000000000117127&top_category=&catName=outdoor&originalSearchKeywords=keyword(s)+or+item+#

I know VERY little about hot tubs and really not sure what I should even be looking for/asking. It would be located year round in upstate NY (12701) so I would likely have to drain it down each winter to prevent freezing etc. . . should the power be interrupted (which it often is).

Outside of that I am assuming more jets and dual pumps is better?

What am I missing?

 

[smashedheadcat]

I had one for roughly three years when I lived in San Diego. I was big time excited about owning one, but it did not take very long for me to stop using it. It wasn't because I didn't want to, but more so a cost thing. If I kept it heated all the time, my electric bill would go up around $80 a month. I wasn't a fan of that, so I decided I'd just keep it cool and then heat it up when i wanted to use it. By the time it was hot, I lost interest. Now, I'm not saying it wasn't awesome, because it was, it's just I didn't use it as often as I thought I would. 10-15 times a year maybe.

 

[beachbum]

We have found our hot tub to be very low maintenance.

Started using Bromine... daughter and I developed a skin alergy... switched to chlorine...

We operate in Winter... so ... different with respect to your use.

we open it (local hot tub service people)... they fill it and check all the stuff... we keep the pool serviced (chemicals and clean) all winter on our own... weekend use ... it generally stays pretty clean and clear. We close it in the spring... again the hot tub people come to empty and blow the lines... in your case... you MUST blow the lines if you are leaving for winter... we cover with a tarp tied down and that's it... power / breaker OFF... good till next winter. We don't use our ski chalet in summer at all... because we are on a lake in the summer.. with a BOAT!!!...

Good luck choosing... and enjoy.

 

[0627Devildog]

I had one for roughly three years when I lived in San Diego. I was big time excited about owning one, but it did not take very long for me to stop using it. It wasn't because I didn't want to, but more so a cost thing. If I kept it heated all the time, my electric bill would go up around $80 a month. I wasn't a fan of that, so I decided I'd just keep it cool and then heat it up when i wanted to use it. By the time it was hot, I lost interest. Now, I'm not saying it wasn't awesome, because it was, it's just I didn't use it as often as I thought I would. 10-15 times a year maybe.

Thanks for the feedback. In my situation I think it might actually save me money from reducing all the Hot Baths my wife takes. . . . . = ) She's in a bath at least every other day. Not only am I heating the water, but running the well pump to provide it, and shortening the filter life.

 

[Shuck Water]

My wife and I went through the brain damage two years ago of whether it was worth to put in a pool and instead we went the hot tub route and couldn't be more pleased.

We purchased the G-12 spa from RecDirect. I looked at Jacuzzi and Hot Springs and couldn't justify the premium over the RecDirect tubs.

After two years of ownership/operation here's my pros and cons:
Pros:
-Price (half the cost of competitors)
-Two pumps are imperative. Otherwise it's just a bathtub.
-Very stylish tub, LED lighting and MP3 hookup is cool. The stereo even has a subwoofer.
-Maintenance is simple. Every Sunday three tablespoons of chlorine/shock/water clarifier. One scoop of each after use to maintain. Drain and fill the tub twice a year (buy a sump pump) and new filters once a year (amazon).
-You have the option of Eco vs nonEco mode. nonEco saves electricity by allowing the temp to drop up to 15 degrees. Good for summer time when the tub stays hot anyways.

Cons:
-Build quality is not as nice. Need to replace hot tub speakers and the water fall is showing a little rust.
-Dual pumps are good enough for me, but some folks want even stronger (i.e. Hot Springs or Jacuzzi)
-Dealer support sucks. Once they've made the sale the tend to disappear.
-Resin cabinet fades in direct sunlight. I keep using the restore products from home depot.
-Resin cabinets are a pain to access. I had a previous tub that basically allowed you to pop off the panels, here you have tons of screws per panel.

After two years the pumps are still strong and the acrylic shell looks great. The year round use is awesome.....I mean really awesome. I find the electric use is about an additional $35 per month.

Would I buy again? Probably, going to depend on when I start having pump/heater issues. However, right now, even with the little crap, yeah I would.

Hope that helps.

 

[Gym]

First of all @0627Devildog they don't come big enough to float your beautiful new boat . We've owned and enjoyed ours now for 8 years with very few problems. We use ours year round and I actually find winter use more enjoyable. After all do you really want to jump into 101 degree water on a 90 degree day? I was actually sitting in ours during our record cold snap of -8 last winter. there was no problem keeping the beer cold.

Here is what I would look for...1) Buy a recognized name brand. Stay away from the Costcos and no names. I got a Dimension 1 but Jacuzzi is probably #1. I got mine at a factory authorized discount from a local dealer that was at a local home show. 2) Buy from a local dealer for service and parts. This dealer drove 95 miles to my Cape Cod house to install it as part of the price. As a courtesy to him I have done all the repairs as I am very electrically capable, you being more so. My repair issues have only been replacing the control panel twice as the design was faulty allowing moisture to fog up the inside of the screen. The dealer provided all parts free and gave me install tips. They would have been very happy to send someone out but that would have cost them a guy for a full day for a 1 hour job. On the flip side they took care of the last (new & improved) control panel after I was out of warranty. These are things you won't get from an online store.

You mentioned winterizing your tub. I did that for 2 winters and found it almost as much work as closing my pool. You have to use a wet vac to suck out all the jets after draining the tub. The new tubs are extremely energy efficient unlike the old ones. My friends had a hot tub about 10 years ago and warned us it cost them about $100 per month to run during the 3 seasons they kept it running as @smashedheadcat mentioned. I can't give you a dollar figure on my electric usage as we are on the Cape just 2-3 days a week. I turn it down to 70 degrees at the end of the weekend. When we return on Friday nights I turn it back to 101. During most of the 3 warmer seasons it never gets all the way down to 70 due to the blown foam insulation.

Most newer tubs, like mine do not depend primarily on chemicals for sanitation. Mine uses a mineral cartridge and an ozone generator (black light bulb). Rarely I put a couple tablespoons of shock in. My expenses are a new mineral cartridge every 6-7 months (65-80 bucks)and a new ozone generator light every 16-20 months (180-200 bucks). Those items I buy online for the best price.

If you're on well water I'm sure you are on filters and water softeners to counteract the minerals. That is another good reason to use a local dealer as they are familiar with local issues. Sorry to make this so drawn out. If you need anymore info you can ask here or PM me. Hope this helps.

 

[Britboater]

We had an Artic Spa, Canadian built and excellent quality. Not sure where they lie in your price bracket but didn't even consider jacuzzi, brand name pricing.
It came with a lifetime tub warranty and five years pumps and most importantly circuit board and heater.
The thing with Artic tubs is there made for cold climates so the insulation is far superior thus saving you tonnes in heating costs, plus it's all about the lid, the Artics come with a 5" thick lid that you can actually walk on. Ours had three pumps which gives you more individual operation with the jet nozzles.
The aerator can feel cold because it basically blows cold air into the water, Artics blow warm because of the insulation, something else to look at.

Chemical wise, don't forget if the temp gets above 100 the chemicals become imbalanced and chlorine, if that's what you use, stops working. I use to buy small tablets and use an adjustable floating dispenser, very hassle free, then every now and then use a litmus testing stick to check chemical. If I remember right with hot tubs over swimming pools the alkalinity is the most important then PH then chlorine.

As for winter, well that's the time when we used it the most, as long as you don't get you head or hair wet you can stop in all night and the winter night sky is so much more clearer. If you decided not to use it in the winter, but I suspect you will, just turn the temp right down and set program to storage mode, adjust the chlorine dispenser to minimal and your done, that's if you do purchase a well insulated version though. The proplem with emptying any hot tub is the nozzle seals can dry and perish like I found out, the chlorine eats them then if left to dry out they just crack and shrink and your tub can be scrap.

Any more info just asked, I purchased mine due to three prolapsed disc's and referred pain in my hip, it helped and we had some great times in it. Some people get the wifi hooked up, TV's installed etc but I liked non of that, sitting in the "captains" seat with a cold beer, wife next to me, skinny dipping watching the night sky with peace and quiet what more could a man want .

 

[0627Devildog]

wife next to me, .......... with peace and quiet.

How in the hell did you manage that? Were you holding her head under water?

 

[Topper232]

@0627Devildog I've had a salt water (bromine) hot tub for about 3 years now. I love the salt water aspect since it's very low maintenance, easy to manage with the chemicals. I only check/test the water about once a month and it's almost always crystal clear. If the phosphates get a little high, it tends to get a little cloudy, but after adding a phosphate remover, it's fine the next day. We have no issues with our skin as @beachbum reported. Perhaps a different type of bromine generator.

It has 4 pumps. 3 for the jets and one circulation pump. The 3 jet pumps are nice because you can turn on a pump for a specific jet zone, so you're not using as much electricity to fire "all" of the jets. I think mine has around 75/80 jets The advertised electric cost by the mfr is $20 per month with normal use. I can honestly say that it must be correct, because I never saw a noticeable difference in my bill.

I leave the water in and the tub on all year long. The circ pump runs in the summer, for obvious reasons, but the heater of course does not.

My only complaint, and it's not a big one, is the head cushions are starting to deteriorate a bit, but I'm guessing that's due to the salt/bromine.

http://www.artesianspas.com/spa/island/grandbahama.html

Good luck

 

[BigN8]

I owned a Hot Springs for about 6 years. It was great the first year. Second year the wife used it less but I still used it quite a bit. Third year I only seemed to use it after a grueling offroad motorcycle race to soothe my muscles, wife used it on occasion. By the 4th year it started smelling a little weird even though I maintained it regularly. We eventually ended up selling the hot tub as part of the house sell. Do I miss it..........Not really.

 

[subysti]

We've had our coast spa for about 18 years now. I've done a few repairs over the time but the shell and wood are all still good. Like others have said, stay away from BJ's, costcos etc. Go with a dealer with a name brand tub. With these items you do get what you pay for. They always have specials at home shows and fairs and will deal on price near the end of the year just like cars. Dual pumps is a must, ozonator, air blower and 220 volts are also a must. I've seen some 110 volt models and they will cost a lot more to run and take days to heat up. We went through a time when we first got it we used it every day, then every week, then monthly then hardly ever. So no that we're getting older and the kids are gone so we use it more for old aches and pains

 

[0627Devildog]

Bump. . . . Still searching, anyone else have recommendations?

 

[Scuba_ref]

I just purchased a Coast Spa - the Phantom to be precise. One feature that I really like about the Coast Spas is their Cascade Infinity Edge. There is an infinity edge with a holding tank so the water in the tub always stays at the same level, if more people get in the water spills over the infinity edge and into the holding tank - when those people get out the spa pumps the water back into the tub from the tank. It seems like a well built spa. Time will tell!

 

[H2OBoy]

I work within this industry and @subysti gave you the best advice to buy a name brand spa locally. The primary reason for this is that you should always be able to find parts for them and have them serviced. Nobody works on spas anymore and all of the equipment is now proprietary. Also the manufacturers that sell spas online tend to quickly go under and then you have no chance of any support. I would personally recommend either a Hot Spring or Sundance spa. You will pay more for them but you will have less headaches as well.

 

[Island Jay]

Spa Manufacturers in Largo, FL. Good product and prices. Wish I took mine when we moved from the area.

 

[viggen]

I had a hotsprings tub

I highly suggest them if of are looking for one. Probably been 7 years since I purchased one with not a single issue. I no longer have it due to a divorce... Can only imagine how she's screwed it up.... Anyways

Her mom went with a brand at a festival a hour or so away where someone had a big tent sale. They actually paid more vs what we had however it did have a bunch of other stuff that the hotsprings tub doesn't have. It's been constant issues for them, filtration were poorly designed (not enough filters) and they have had pumps fail several times and the list goes on. Due to not buying locally getting it services has been a complete pita.

I didn't do chlorine due to how it dries my skin out... Used bromine

 

[TahoeJeff]

If you are having dried out skin, cloudy water, unstable Ph or odors you should try a more natural method. Look up GreenSpaChemicals.com or Love Your Spa/Hot Tub Again in Kindle.

 

[J-RAD]

https://www.marquisspas.com

We did a lot of research a couple of years ago and settled on one of these for my mother-in-law's new home. 4 years in and it's been fantastic! It's conveniently located right next door. It's very therapeutic, has a feature called micro-silk which is supposed to be good for something or something. Anyway, if you haven't purchased yet, you ought to check it out.

 

[Scuba_ref]

I wanted a micro silk tub but got out voted. We bought a coast spa and use water's choice enzymes. They are unbelievable a small capful every two weeks, no chlorine and the water is clear and, clean and fresh for months on end.

 

[B0at1n]

I was looking at buying a spa a couple months ago, I was contemplating if we would really use it after the newness wore off. My brother in law suggested trying one of these inflatable ones to see if we would use it long term. We use it Multiple times a week still and love it. It held at 102 for two hours last night during low 40 degree temps while we were in it.

After buying this ones. I was more than impressed and don’t need to buy a fancy one. Best part this one was $350 compared to $10,000.