FAQs

You buy a hot tub to enjoy, not to maintain it. Maintenance levels can vary greatly, depending on the type of water management system, the quality of the skirting (exterior sides) and cover, and the quality of the electrical components and pumps.

A high quality water management system will run 24 hours a day on a circulation pump. This ensures continuous filtration, especially when you are in the spa. It will also utilize an ozonator. This creates ozone, an unstable molecule that destroys bacteria and lowers the need for chemicals in your spa. The best systems will mix this ozone with the water within the plumbing system, returning clear, clean water to your spa. If the ozone is injected directly into the spa, it does not mix well with the water, lowering the effectiveness-plus these systems shut off when you enter the spa, just when you want them to be on! Having a high quality water management system will save the most time in spa maintenance.

The skirting and cover quality will affect how much time you spend keeping your spa looking good in your backyard. Most reputable spas will come with a vinyl coated cover that will withstand UV, rain, and dirt. They need to be cleaned every few months and can be treated with cleaners and protectants just like the vinyl in your car. The skirting of spas was traditionally made of wood. The trouble with wood is that it looks great when it is new, but it is horrible to maintain. It is fragile and needs to be re-stained every 4-6 months. New synthetic materials make this job easy as most can be cleaned with a hose and require little or no other maintenance. New advances in materials are allowing spa manufacturers to offer several solutions to match your backyard.

Quality electrical components are important in spas, just as they are in any other household product. If it breaks right away, you are spending time trying to schedule service instead of enjoying the spa experience. Check the track record of the company you are doing business with and request referrals from your local dealer. Make sure that the customers that have had the product for a long time are still satisfied. Don’t be fooled by stories about Horsepower, number of jets or pumps, etc. What is important is that the product satisfies your needs for years to come.

This is a question that every potential hot tub owner should ask. Otherwise you could be saddled with a huge electric bill after getting a “great deal” on a hot tub. Most high quality hot tubs should not cost more than $25 per month to operate, but the monthly costs can vary $50 or more, so ask the question! Most manufacturers will offer energy guides to show you what the approximate cost will be. If they don’t – BEWARE. Energy costs will also vary by time of year, as you will use more electricity to keep your hot tub warm in the winter than in the summer. The key variables that will add cost to your purchase price, but save you money over the lifetime of the product are: insulation, filtration, and heating.

The insulation of the product (or lack thereof) has a huge impact on your electricity bill. Full-foam insulation (where the entire cavity under the spa is filled with foam) is by far the most insulating option. Many companies will only partially fill the cavity, or even leave it open and only insulate the panels on the side of the spa. The story you will get from these companies is that leaks are difficult to fix if you have full foam. That’s true, it is more difficult. So would you rather have a well-insulated spa designed not to leak, or a poorly insulated spa designed for leaks?

Your spa uses electricity to turn on pumps and filter the water. The most efficient process for this is the 24 hour circulation pump. This pump uses a fraction of the energy of a big jet pump, and keeps your water cleaner. Bather load will also affect how often you need to filter, increasing or decreasing your energy consumption.

The heater in your spa will also make a big impact on your energy bill. Heaters that only have one setting will always heat at the same rate. Heaters that can operate at several different wattage levels will only expend as much energy as needed to heat the water, instead of always giving full power. Also, fast-flow narrow heaters are more efficient than heaters found in slow flow wider tube heaters. The thin flow of water over the heating element will heat the water faster and more efficiently than a thicker flow of water flowing more slowly. Ask your dealer about these components in your spa.

Warranties vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Request a copy of the warranty for any hot tub you are interested in purchasing. The key components to look for in the warranty are the hot tub shell (typically at least 5 years against leaks/failure), the plumbing (typically at least 3 years), and electrical components (typically at least 5 years). These are the main areas you should be concerned about, but read all of the fine print. Typically, there is no service charge for warranty items unless you are a certain distance from your dealer. Also, do not just count on the warranty. If your dealer is no longer in business when you need warranty service, or if the dealer had bad service reputation, you will have a harder time getting your hot tub fixed. Remember, you are buying the retail company, the manufacturer, and the hot tub when you make a purchase. Do your homework and make sure you are happy with all of them.

Almost every retail hot tub store will have financing options for you. These terms will vary from dealer to dealer and at different times  based on the financing programs available to the company at the time. For more information on this, contact your dealer. Financing is subject to credit approval.