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By Alan E. Sanderfoot
The experience of a typical family purchase may make a stir for a few days, but the memory of it usually fades away as quickly as yesterday’s news. A new hot tub or spa, however, is hardly typical, and you’ll live with both the product and the purchasing experience for years to come.
In this article, we will look at every aspect of the purchase, decision by decision. By the time you reach the end of this article, you will know what makes a quality hot tub or spa and which features are worth paying for.
Shell Shock
When shopping for a hot tub or spa, you will need to know about the shell. Traditional hot tubs made from wood can still be found, but most of today’s portable spas are made from acrylic, thermoplastic or soft vinyl. Manufacturers offer a wide spectrum of color choices. Surface styles vary from smooth, glossy finishes to faux granite surfaces that make the hot tub/spa look like it has been carved from stone. This means that you can select a hot tub that matches your indoor or outdoor décor perfectly.
The design of the seating configuration often differentiates one hot tub/spa manufacturer’s shell from another. Whereas the average hot tub/spa seats five to six adults, there are models that accommodate as few as two and as many as 10. That means there is vast array of seating configurations that manufacturers have dreamt up using a combination of lounges, bucket seats and cool-down benches.
To determine which seat configuration is right for you, first think about how you will be using your spa. If you are imagining quiet soaks with a significant other, you might want a small two-person spa with dual lounges. If it’s a party spa that you are looking for, then you will want as much seating room as possible. Also, if your hot tub/spa is being placed indoors, you’ll want to restrict your choices to models that will fit through standard
32-inch doorways.
As you search for that perfect hot tub or spa shell, don’t underestimate the importance of comfort. You will be using your new hot tub or spa for many years, so you will want to make sure that the seats fit you comfortably. Don’t hesitate to sit in dry units as you shop various dealers. After all, few people would consider buying a pair of shoes without trying them on first, and you shouldn’t buy a spa without test soaking, either. Accommodating dealers provide a private area in their stores where customers can don swimsuits and sample a soak. Some dealers even schedule appointments when the store is closed.
Skirting the Issue
Along with the hot tub/spa shell, another visible part of the unit is the skirt (or the cabinet) that encloses the shell and all of the plumbing and equipment. For years, manufacturers offered only redwood, mahogany or cedar skirts, which look beautiful when new, but require annual refinishing to maintain their luster.
Recently, some manufacturers have begun using simulated wood cabinets made of polymers. An embossed wood grain and warm coloring give some of these skirts a natural appearance. Best of all, the polymer material is maintenance-free, and it often comes with a manufacturer’s warranty.
A few manufacturers are eliminating wood skirts entirely and using the same acrylic material that is used for the hot tub/spa shell to create the cabinet. This can give a more uniformed look to your hot tub/spa installation, and it is a nice option if you don’t like the look of wood.
Choosing the right hot tub/spa shell and skirt is important because that is what you will be looking at whenever you are not using it.
Jet Setters
True hot tub/spa enjoyment comes from the jets. The jets have the power to transform this huge water basin into a therapeutic oasis. Long gone are the days when hot tubs had just a few whirlpool jets
to swirl the water around the tub; today’s jets are engineered for total body relaxation and aquatic therapy.
As a new hot tub buyer, don’t be wooed by the number of jets a particular model boasts. Rather, pay attention to the types of jets that are included and where they are placed. One jet that provides you the lower back pain relief you are seeking is worth more than 40 jets that hit you in the wrong places. Once again, you’ll want to wet test a hot tub to make sure that the jet placement is comfortable for your body and that it provides the results you want.
Most hot tubs are equipped with an air blower (or aerator) that enables you to dial-in the amount of air that you want to introduce into the water that is coming out of the jets. The air creates a more intense jet action, so be sure to experiment with the blower options when testing out the units—especially if you think the jet action is too weak or too strong.
Some jet types to look for include neck jets, stationary jets, cluster jets, oscillating or rotating jets,
directional jets and handheld jets. With the right combination, you will be so pampered that you will never want to use a common jetted bathtub again.
Pumped Up
One of the widespread misnomers about hot tub/spa pumps is that bigger is better. The fact is that an oversized pump can wreak havoc on the hot tub or spa’s plumbing system; it can also waste energy. Manufacturers size their units to make sure that a pump isn’t working too hard or causing strain on the system.
If you do buy a hot tub/spa based on its pump size, be sure that you understand how the pump is rated. Pumps are marketed primarily on their startup horsepower, rather than on their continuous operating horsepower. Make sure that you are comparing apples to apples when you go shopping.
You’ll also want to note the number of pumps that your spa has and what tasks each pump is being asked to do. For example, some units have a two-speed pump—the low speed is used for mild jet action and for circulating the water during the filtration cycles, and the high speed is for greater hydrotherapy. Some spas, on the other hand, use a 24-hour circulation pump that routes the water through the filter and the heater, thereby allowing the main pump to focus on the single task of providing jet action.
Another feature that you will want to look for is quiet operation. If you are buying a hot tub/spa so that you can have relaxing conversations with someone while enjoying a soak, you will need a pump that operates as quietly as possible.
Heat of the Moment
An important piece of hot tub equipment is the heater. Since the heating elements come in contact with the water, they can cause the water to become corrosive. You can prolong your heater’s life by keeping your hot tub water properly balanced.
Several hot tub manufacturers have addressed the problem of heater failure by switching to heaters that don’t allow water to touch the heating elements. Instead, the heating elements are wrapped around stainless steel tubes, through which the water flows. These heaters can increase the cost of the hot tub, but they tend to last longer than traditional heaters.
Filter Process
Most hot tubs/spas use cartridge filters to screen particles out of the water and to keep it sparkling clear. Cartridge filters are cylindrical and contain pleated fabric that is supported by a core and two end caps. Some spas require one large cartridge filter, while others may require up to three smaller ones.
Not all cartridge filters are created equal, however; some contain more filtering material than others. Here again, bigger is not always better. A cartridge filter needs to be sized with the entire circulation system in mind to ensure that proper filtration occurs. Typically, the square footage of filter media is matched with the gallon-per-minute flow of the pumps. If there is too much pump for the filter media, unfiltered water can be forced back into the spa. If there isn’t enough pump for the filter media, the jet action can be reduced. Manufacturer guidelines will tell you which size filter is right for your spa.
Also, cartridge filters need to be hosed off about once every three or four weeks, so you will want to make sure that the hot tub or spa’s filter bay is located in a convenient place for easy maintenance. Some experts suggest replacing cartridge filters annually to guarantee proper filtration, though filters can last longer, depending on spa usage.
Clean Bill of Health
There is no trick to maintaining a healthy hot tub or spa. All that is required is testing and the addition of a few hot tub/spa chemicals to balance the water’s pH and to maintain the proper levels of sanitizer, typically bromine.
To help you cut down on how much sanitizer you need to add to your hot tub or spa, most units are designed to accommodate ozonators. An ozonator is a piece of equipment that introduces ozone into the water. Ozone is an effective sanitizer, but it has a short life span, which is why it is able to reduce chemical use but not eliminate it totally.
There are two types of ozonators: UV and corona discharge. A UV unit creates ozone with a special light bulb, which needs to be replaced after one to three years. A corona discharge unit has a special cell that produces ozone. Though corona discharge ozonators do not have any bulbs that need replacing, they cost more.
Under Control
Not so long ago, hot tub/spa controls were more difficult to program than a VCR. Today’s controls are less confusing, and there is a variety of options on the market. Some controls will require you to program the time and duration of your filtration cycles, while others have this information preprogrammed. In addition, spa controls enable you to set the water temperature, turn lights on and off, power up the pumps and blower, see whether the ozonator is operating and lock the controls so that no one can change the temperature or operate the pump while you are away.
When shopping, check out the controls to see if their operation makes sense to you. Make sure that the controls are accessible from within the spa. You won’t want to get out of the spa on a snowy night just to fire up the jets. For convenience, many manufacturers include dual controls with their units: a main control panel on one side of the spa and an auxiliary panel inside of the spa that operates the pumps and light.
Another nice feature some controls offer is a “power on” indicator light that is visible from a distance. If you live in a wintry climate, this can be a real advantage when the temperature is below zero. Some manufacturers also offer handheld remote controls and control panels that you can install in your home, making spa management more convenient. And, be on the lookout for computerized monitoring systems that enable you to check on your hot tub or spa via the Internet—a great feature if your unit is located at a vacation home that you visit only on weekends.
Energy Savers
Rolling blackouts. Gasoline price hikes. Alaskan oil exploration. There’s no doubt that energy conservation is foremost in the minds of many consumers these days.
How much a hot tub/spa will cost to operate depends on the model that you select, the temperature that you want to maintain, how often you plan to use the hot tub/spa and the cost of energy where you live.
Meanwhile, the best way to conserve energy is to buy a spa that is well insulated. Also, make sure that your spa includes an insulated cover that forms a tight seal over it.
Other energy-saving tips include reducing the temperature and limiting the filtration cycles.
Bells and Whistles
- Now that you know more about hot tubs and spas than Hugh Hefner, you might as well let your imagination soar with a look at some of the bells and whistles that you may encounter when you start to shop. Be on the lookout for:
- LED underwater lights that change colors
- Fiber-optic accent lights around the hot tub
- CD/stereo systems with
waterproof speakers
- Waterfalls and misters
- Built-in cup holders and ice buckets
- Integrated aromatherapy systems
- Built-in TV screens
A new hot tub or spa is a big investment. Armed with this information, you can be sure that you are totally prepared to shop around and make the right purchasing decision. | 
