2. Make sure you wet-test it first.<\/strong> All of the dealers will let you sit in the tub without water and see what it feels like. While this can give you a general idea, you really need to sit in it with water and with the jets operating. You may find that the seats are not comfortable when water is present, or that you float out of some of the seats, or that the jets are too strong or too weak or not positioned well. All reputable dealers are happy to let you try them out. Ideally, they will invite you back when the store is closed so that you can relax and compare a few. (This was our son’s favorite part of the process.)<\/p>\n 3. Realistically judge how many people will use the tub.<\/strong> Many companies will try to sell you the largest, and most expensive spa they have. But realistically, 90% of the time there will be only one or two people in it. Decide based on your needs but underestimate your needs a bit. We chose a 6-person spa, but it is actually a little cozy with 6 people in it. This is not a problem, because in the 10 years we’ve had it this only happened one time. Typically it is just HomeOwnerMan and WifeGirl in it, and occasionally SonBoy.<\/p>\n 4. Make sure it has a good foundation to sit on.<\/strong> \u00a0We were rebuilding our deck when we got the spa, so I designed the deck around the specs of the hot tub. \u00a0We made a portion of the deck so that the tub sat on a poured concrete slab and the rim of it sat flush with the deck. \u00a0That way, you don’t have to climb into the tub, but rather descend into the tub. \u00a0The biggest benefit of this, though, was the concrete slab. \u00a0Spas hold between one and two tons of water, so there is a lot of weight to consider. \u00a0If it goes on a deck, you typically have to reinforce the structure to carry the load. \u00a0And even with the reinforcement, the deck can shift or sag over time. \u00a0This puts stress on the spa shell, which is molded plastic or fiberglass, and can cause it to crack over time. \u00a0With the slab (which we poured with structural rebar in it), the spa has had a stable, level surface on which to sit. \u00a0Our shell is in as good shape as when it was new.<\/p>\n 5. Get an ozonator.<\/strong>\u00a0 An ozonator is a device which creates ozone (yes the same stuff we nearly depleted in the 1970s with hairspray and deodorant). \u00a0Ozone is effective at killing bacteria and viruses in water, and can greatly reduce the amount of chemicals you need in your spa. \u00a0When we bought our tubs, ozonators were basically long UV lights that had a life expectancy of only 200 hours or so. \u00a0Then they were ineffective. \u00a0So we opted to not buy one, and figured we’d pay a little extra for chemicals but each time we had to replace the UV bulb we would spend a lot of money. \u00a0Soon corona-discharge ozonators came out\u00a0and\u00a0were a clear advance in ozonators. \u00a0We bought and installed one ourselves for about $179, and we have never had problems with it since. \u00a0It produces a constant supply of ozone bubbles which keeps the water clean, crisp, and fresh.<\/p>\n 6. When it comes to chemicals, use the “K.I.S.S.” method.\u00a0<\/strong> We were told that there were a lot of harsh chemicals out there and that we wanted something easy on the skin. \u00a0We researched it a lot, and decided on Baqua-Spa, a system of several chemicals that centered around biguanide. \u00a0The Baqua-spa system was not cheap and required a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering along with a Meteorology degree and some Theology thrown in to get it just right. \u00a0The water was never clear. \u00a0Foam was frequently a problem. \u00a0pH was hard to regulate. \u00a0We spoke to others who used it, and they told us we were using too much, so we cut way back. \u00a0This helped, but still the water was never crystal clear from the moment we added the first bit of Baqua-spa.<\/p>\n Another friend, who incidentally told us about the ozonator, recommended chlorine. \u00a0He told us that he used about 3 teaspoons of chlorine when he started his tub with new water, and then one teaspoon each time they were finished using the tub. \u00a0That’s it. \u00a0We started doing this, and the water is crystal clear for months. \u00a0We used to change the water every 2-3 months; \u00a0now we change it twice a year, and even then it is clear. \u00a0Chlorine is cheap and easy. \u00a0Keep it simple, stupid.<\/p>\n 7. Buy good filters.\u00a0<\/strong> We spent the extra money on low maintenance ceramic filters. \u00a0These last many years (we replaced ours for the first time after 8 years). \u00a0But the real value in them is that they can be put into your dishwasher and cleaned on a no heat cycle using no detergent. \u00a0We stop the cycle once or twice to re-position the four filters which ensures thorough cleaning, but they require no other maintenance. \u00a0We have spoken to spa owners who must hose off their filters weekly or monthly and replace them yearly. \u00a0We clean them once every 2 months or so effortlessly in the dishwasher.<\/p>\n 8. Get your water tested.<\/strong> This sort of goes along with #6, but each time you start up your spa after cleaning. \u00a0put your initial chemicals in, let it circulate and heat over night, and then take a sample of the water to a reputable local pool\/spa dealer. \u00a0They may charge you a nominal fee for testing, but they can immediately tell you if your pH is off or if any of the other readings is out of whack. \u00a0We used to buy test kits, but they are not very accurate, go bad quickly, and are expensive. \u00a0And if you own a kit you tend to mess with the water too much. \u00a0Remember – K.I.S.S.<\/p>\n 9. Buy a small sump pump for emptying. \u00a0<\/strong>This was good advice that our dealer gave us. \u00a0For \u00a0about $75 at your home center you can buy a pump that will empty your spa in less than a half hour. \u00a0This greatly cuts down cleaning time. \u00a0Want to empty it even faster, run the sump pump and set up a second hose as a syphon, provided your tub is a little above ground level or you live on a hill. \u00a0It really works and will amaze the kids.<\/p>\n 10. No abrasives, and hardly any soap when cleaning. \u00a0<\/strong>All you really need is a teflon-safe scrub pad and some warm water. \u00a0For stubborn stains at the water line, a little dot of Softscrub might help.<\/p>\n 11. \u00a0A few other things.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Buy a good lid, and yes, buy good lifters.<\/span> \u00a0Our lid is in need of replacement, and the lifters are starting to show wear. \u00a0But they are 10 years old.<\/p>\n No glass in the tub.<\/span> \u00a0If you are drinking beer, drink from a can or cup. \u00a0If you are a wine drinker, a plastic cup will have to do. \u00a0If you are a scotch drinker, have your scotch after you get out of the tub.<\/p>\n Drink lots of water while in the tub. \u00a0Yes, you sweat while you are in it.<\/p>\n Avoid body lotions and perfume.<\/span> \u00a0They gum up the works and are frankly unpleasant to be around. \u00a0Make that friend of yours shower before she gets in, or you will have a slick of that garbage she wears on every surface of the tub and you’ll have to empty it prematurely.<\/p>\n Don’t buy the gimmicks.\u00a0<\/span> They put everything from sound systems to fountains in them, mostly aimed at driving up the price. \u00a0You don’t need ’em.<\/p>\n Enjoy some time to yourself.<\/span> Go sit in the hot tub when the sun is coming up and everyone else is still asleep. \u00a0It is a great way to start the day.<\/p>\n Enjoy the time with your family.<\/span> \u00a0We’ve found that we have our most deep conversations while relaxing in the spa. \u00a0That is worth its weight in gold.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I got a call this weekend from BigHeadMan, a superhero friend of mine since first grade. We took cape flying class together, and he always excelled at more of the intellectual parts of being a superhero, as well as being a hellava good guy. Anyway, he is re-doing his deck and asked for my opinion … Continue reading “Leisure Time: What I’ve learned about hot tubs”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-105","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-knowledgebase","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/homeownerman.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/homeownerman.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/homeownerman.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/homeownerman.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/homeownerman.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=105"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"http:\/\/homeownerman.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":116,"href":"http:\/\/homeownerman.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105\/revisions\/116"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/homeownerman.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=105"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/homeownerman.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=105"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/homeownerman.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=105"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"CAM00962-001\"](\"http:\/\/homeownerman.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/CAM00962-001.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n