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What to know if you are thinking about buying a spa

Water and people. It’s been a winning combination since our ancestors crawled out of the primordial soup. There’s just something about immersing yourself in water that heals the soul. And when that water is hot and full of bubbles, that’s when the magic really happens. Hot tubs can be used for relaxation, for pain relief, for connection with loved ones and for entertainment. That’s why hot tub owners are usually the first to tell you how pleased they are with their investment. In fact, 72% of hot tub owners use their tub 2 to three times a week.

Choosing, one, however, can be a daunting prospect. What is the right size? Indoor or outdoor? Portable or in-ground? What features are necessary and what are just bells and whistles? How will you maintain it? Here is a handy guide that will hopefully set you on the right path to finding your perfect spa.

What do you want out of your spa?

People have widely varying reasons for purchasing a spa, so it important to determine what your wishes and goals are before you start looking

Family time/Entertainment

Whether it’s a romantic hour in the tub with your partner, giggles and splashing with your kids, or a long relaxing talk with visiting friends, nothing beats a hot tub for bringing people together. If you plan on using your hot tub to entertain, choose a tub with 6-8 seats. You can increase the fun with lights, cup holders and sound packages.

Hydrotherapy

Hot tubs were invented by a father trying to ease the pain of his disabled son. Now, hot tubs are the number one choice for people who are looking to relax. Since it’s invention, hot tubs have made huge strides. Hot water and hydrotherapy jets provide relief from sore muscles, joint pain, arthritis, and sports injuries. The heat promotes blood flow and reduces blood pressure. The jets soothe sore muscles and reduce inflammation around joints, all while decreasing lactic acid and releasing endorphins for pain relief.

If hydrotherapy is your main goal, or if you are an athlete looking to recover from your workouts, you’re going to want a tub that features no less than seven jets per seat. You also may want to consider a model with at least one lounger as the massage is much more extensive in lounge seats.

Fitness

Not only can your spa help you recover from a workout – it can be the workout. With optional accessories like training bands and rowing machines, your hot tub can turn into an aerobic and strength training workout machine. Aided by the buoyancy of and heat of the water, you’d be amazed at what your body can accomplish.

If fitness is your goals, the obvious choice is a swim spa, but with the proper accessories, you can turn even a small 2-3 person tub into your personal gym.

How will I know which one is for me?

How many people will there be?

The number of seats in the spa is one of your first decisions. Are you just planning on using the pa for personal therapy or are you looking to have the party spa? Most spas seat 6-7 people, but there are spas for one, two or as many as ten people. If you just plan on spending time in it with your partner, less seats will give you more room for a therapy lounge.

How many jets should I look for?

Most hot tubs have about seven jets per seat. These jets can be used to help manage pain or discomfort especially for those with joint pain from arthritis or sports and lower back pain, which can be a result of long hours in office chairs and drivers seats. Hot tubs can improve certain symptoms of diabetes, namely plasma glucose and glycosylate hemogoblin. The more jets you have per seat, the more extensive your hydromassage. However, the size of the jets and the power of the water behind them matter, too. Often you will see larger jets in areas where deep tissue massages concentrate and smaller jets on extremities, which are more sensitive. A test soak is a great way to ascertain whether the hydromassage you are getting is the one you are dreaming of

What size should I get?

Most spa models range from 7 X 7 to 9 X 7. Most are square, some even with molded seats, but round tubs are also very popular. Smaller hot tubs seat one to two people and hold about 100 gallons. Your typical 7 X 7 spa will hold about five hundred gallons and will fit four to six people, depending on the seating arrangement. The largest tubs and swim spas can hold 500 to 1000 gallons.

Most spas are about three feet deep. If you are exceptionally tall or exceptionally short, a wet test is crucial to make sure you will be completely immersed and not overwhelmed.

You’ll want to take into consideration where you plan to install the spa before deciding on the size of your tub, especially if you plan on inserting the tub into an existing deck. If your tub is free standing, you will need to leave space on the sides for access and for the cover, if you plan on installing a cover lifter (which you should definitely do as lifting the cover by hand is sometimes difficult and tedious.) If you plan to install the spa within a deck or patio, you will want to check with your local municipality, as permits can be required.

Show me the Money

Hot tub prices can vary widely, and it’s sometimes hard to tell why one tub is priced higher than another. One of the biggest factors in this is where you purchase.

A big-box store or membership warehouse may have a great looking tub for a temptingly low price, but your post-purchase experience will almost certainly not include the dealer support and an extended warranty. The quality is often deceptive, as inferior materials and equipment is commonly used. More importantly, it’s more difficult to try out a filled and running spa in the middle of a warehouse store - assuming they even offer wet tests at all.

Dealer-supported tubs will often run 30 to 50% more than chain store models, but for that you will often get better installation, thicker and stronger shells, better plumbing connections, tighter seals and sturdier frames, which will dramatically lower the energy cost of running your spa and save you expensive repairs down the road. One of the key advantages of buying a spa from an authorized dealer is, surprisingly enough, your sales associate. They can help you understand the various features and point out important issues you may not have thought of. Not only that, your dealer will often provide you warranty service by technicians trained by the manufacturer in all of the nuances of their designs.

On average, a 2 to 3 person model will usually run between $3000 to $5000. A 5 to 7 person tub will run $5000 to $12,000, and an 8 to 10 person spa will be about $9000 to $20,000. In-ground tubs will probably be a bit more expensive, from $6000 to $20,000.

Along with differences in quality and materials, the extra features and options built into the tub can strongly factor in the cost of the tub. It is strongly recommended you ask the salesperson what those features are so that you can find out what will be most important to you.

Energy efficiency

The average hot tub will cost between $25 and $100 per month to run. The most important factors that affect energy costs are how often you will use the spa and what type of insulation is built into it. Budget hot tubs have a high tendency to remove insulation as a cost-cutting measure, so it’s important to understand that even if you end up spending $1500 or more for a model with better insulation, you’ll actually still be saving money in the long run.

Warranty

Hot tubs are like cars; they depend on mechanical parts that will eventually wear down. That’s why it’s important to choose a spa with a good warranty. Most big-box store hot tubs have a warranty lasting one year or less. Many Dealer-supported tubs have a warranty of up to ten years. A long-term warranty can save you thousands of dollars on your total costs of operation.

Special features

Water Purification Systems

Once you have bought your hot tub and have it running in your home, the most important thing you will have to maintain is the water you filled it with. Spas can be a breeding ground for bacteria, fungi, and viruses such as E. coli, Mycobacteria and pseudomonas aeruginosa. It is vitally important to your health that they are not allowed to grow and multiply in your spa. That is why most people use a system of chemicals to put a stop to them before they become a problem.

However, the hot tub industry has made some remarkable breakthroughs in sanitation systems that not only do a much better job, but also require much less effort to maintain.

###Salt Systems

Saltwater sanitation systems have exploded in popularity recently. They automatically sanitize the water, which makes your maintenance nearly effort-free. You simply add a small amount of salt when you fill up your hot tub with water. From that point on, a computerized system will regularly convert that salt into an active sanitizer. As a result, you always have a very small amount of sanitizer in the water at any given time, which takes care of bacteria issues before they have time to develop into a problem.

Beyond the ease of use, there are added benefits that come along with the use of saltwater systems:

Saltwater generators run between $175 and $1300, depending on the quality of the system. The salt itself will be roughly $16 per pound, which will generally cover between 100 and 125 gallons of water.

###Ozone systems

Ozone is a gas that is generated from the oxygen that we breathe. Ozone carries an electrical charge; it zaps bacteria on contact, instantly killing it.

The conversion of oxygen to ozone is done by a device called an ozone generator, which is installed inside the hot tub. The ozone generator is activated whenever the pumps in the hot tub are turned on to filter or heat your water.

Ozone systems are not meant to be a primary sanitation system; they are more like a sidekick. In addition to killing bacteria, ozone pulls double-duty by breaking apart waste materials that are dissolved in the water, such as deodorant, cologne, saliva, detergent, shampoo, lotion, urine and sweat. A good ozone generator can reduce the use of chemicals by up to 25%.

Filtration System

Filters are one of the most important components of your spa. It can’t be said enough: the better your water is filtered, the more you will enjoy your spa.

Whenever one of your pumps turn on, they draw water through the filters. Filters get the bacteria and biological waste out of the water, which prevent them from causing issues further down the road. The amount and type of material your filter is made of will determine it’s effectiveness. Here are the most common types of filters:

Hydrotherapy jets

As mentioned earlier, jets vary in size and features, each affecting the type of massage you get. Also important is the power of the water behind it, which is why wet tests are a great idea before buying a spa. Many spas have lots of shiny jets and lights, but if the jet doesn’t have flow behind it, you might be disappointed.

Here are the most common types:

Often, spas can be customized to have the specific jets that you need, and many times it is possible to replace your jetface and upgrade your spa with the newest jet types. Jets do break on occasion and can be replaced for $12 to $40 each.

The Spa Cover

Covers are a crucial part of your spa system, as they keep out debris while the spa is unused and seal in the heat, saving you in energy costs. Cover quality can vary widely.

Most covers are made with fiberglass with industrial-grade styrofoam insulation, and covered with vinyl. They are usually available in a wide range of colors to match your spa skirt or your deck. Many include mildew resistant undersides. Many spa dealers will include the cover in the cost of the spa, but some do not, so be sure to ask them. Some may offer an upgraded cover with thicker insulation or higher quality materials.

There are also custom covers that can be ordered to match your patio furniture or are built to withstand harsh climates. Covers generally run $150 to $500, depending on the size and quality, though high-end custom covers can run higher than that. Take care of your cover using a specialized vinyl protector and your cover can last for years.

Cover lifters

Spa covers are very heavy, averaging between 50 and 80 pounds, and their large size makes them difficult to handle. It is not uncommon to have to replace a cover because it was damaged by the ground. Cover lifters make it easy to remove your cover by putting it on a frame, which will suspend the cover by the side of the spa. They commonly deploy levers or hydraulic shocks to assist you as well, making it very easy to open or close your hot tub.

Lighting and sound

This is the really fun stuff, and the most common accessories people ask for. They are sometimes known as entertainment packages and can often be operated by remote while sitting in the tub.

###Lighting

Is there anything more soothing than water and light combined? Hot tubs manufacturers have made major breakthroughs with LED lighting. Some hot tub manufactures offer bright, colorful, hue-changing light technology. Some offer lights around the skirt or safety lighting with the spa. You’ll probably pay anywhere from $150 to $175 per feature and about $30 per bulb when it needs to be replace.

###Sound Systems

Stereo components in spas used to be based on car stereos, and were a lot more expensive. Now, most spas take advantage of your digital and streaming music collection through your mobile devices and USB. Speakers are waterproof and some systems include waterproof subwoofers. For best results, look for systems that offer Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capability. Your average sound system will cost anywhere from $200 to $500

Exteriors

###The Cabinet

Hot tub cabinets or skirts make up the exterior of the spa and can have a very big impact on the look of your backyard. They can sometimes be customized to match your landscape or existing decking. They used to be made almost exclusively of wood, but breakthroughs have been made in natural looking wood finishes and even layered stone.

Most of the best quality skirts are made from reinforced, treated wood, which resists mildew, mold and wood rot, supports the weight of the tub and adds to the beauty of the spa. Cabinets are generally included in the cost of the spa and replacement cabinets will run between $700 to $2000.

###The Spa Shell

The shell is the main interior surface of the spa, usually made of fiberglass-reinforced acrylic. They come in a variety of colors and textures, from solid acrylic or marble/granite to even metallic. Granite or speckled patterns tend to show the dirt the least. Customized shells can be purchased and can range from $1800 to $3900

Aromatherapy

We’ve come a long way from spas that offered only the sweet smell of chlorine to bathers. Hot tub fragrances can create an oasis of calm, with scents such as forest, tranquility, cherry blossom, eucalyptus, jasmine and coconut, among others. You can turn your hot tub experience into the day spa experience whether with automated scent systems or with bottled fragrances designed strictly for spas, which prevent excess foam and unbalanced spa chemistry.

What’s trending?

Spa manufactures are coming up with new features every day. Here are some of the more exciting recent developments:

Child Safety Features

Of course, every effort should be made to make sure that no young children play in or around the hot tub without adult supervision. In fact, the Red Cross discourages hot tub use by children under 5 years due to their bodies inability to cope with high temperatures. The Association of Pool & Spa Professionals advises parents who have children old enough to use a hot tub to limit their time to 5 minutes. Spa manufactures have responded with jump seats that can be purchased to prevent full immersion and shallow seats built into the spa. Measures have been taken to prevent drain entrapment for some time now. Covers are usually lockable, which can prevent tragic accidents.

Automated water treatment systems

If you want to make sure that your tub is sparkling clean every time you open it up, the best way to achieve that is to invest in an automated water treatment system. These systems monitor your water chemistry, your filtration and your sanitation system. The best systems are fully automated, using meters and feed pumps to dispense liquid chemicals. They can monitor water levels, too. As a result, your water will always be lean, soft and silky, and free from odor. Often, the only maintenance you will deal with is refilling the sanitizers weekly and changing your filter once a year.

Remote control/automation

There’s an app for everything these days, and your spa is no exception. Many major manufacturers offer apps which allow you to control the functionality of your spa remotely from your phone. This allows you to keep track of the temperature of your spa, which means that you can time it to be perfectly hot the moment you get home. You can also control the lights, the pumps, the blower and the filtration cycles. They can also be integrated with your home automations system. Available on both Android and Apple, many tubs can be accessed using a mobile app on 3G or 4G or wi-fi network.

Energy Savings

Some of the biggest breakthroughs have been in the area of energy efficiency, and for good reason. It used to be expensive to heat your hot tub, and not so great for the environment. Many spa companies offer features designed to run your spa with the bare minimum of energy use. Look for:

Warranties

As mentioned previously, warranties can vary widely and depend upon the spa manufacturer and the dealer. Some manufacturers offer 2 years on certain parts and some can offer up to a 20 year limited warranty. Usually, you will pay more for the longer warranties up front, but save on the back end. Read the warranty carefully and make sure you aren’t being offered a warranty that excludes the most expensive parts, like heaters or pumps. Some warranties are voided if certain chemicals are used.

Some warranties come with specific service level agreements. You’ll want to take a look at any required service intervals and whether or not the dealer offers in-house technicians or a third party contractor, which can be less reliable and less likely to know about your particular spa.

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