Three Things You Need To Know Before Buying A Hot Tub

Industrial & Manufacturing Articles

Soaking in a backyard hot tub is a great way to relieve stress after a long day at work. However, before making a purchase, you need to take some important factors into account to ensure that owning a new hot tub does not become more work than pleasure. These factors include the price of the hot tub, the location of the hot tub, and the maintenance involved in keeping the hot tub in working order.

The Price Must Be Right

There are many hot tubs with various features and specifications available on the market today. However, reaching outside of your budget to purchase a specific unit could be a huge mistake.

The features that a specific hot tub model contains typically determine its price. For example, here are some common, yet optional hot tub features:

• High-powered jets
  • For those that like to sit right in front of the hot tub's jets, these are a must.
• Covers with lift-assist
  • Some hot tub covers need to be removed by hand and then set aside on the ground or proper up against a wall.
  • Lift-assisted covers have mechanical parts the lift the cover for you, much like a car with a convertible top.
• Audio system
  • This allows for the hot tub occupants to play their own music from CDs or MP3 players.

If these features do not catch your attention, then you will be able to save a considerable amount of money by purchasing a hot tub with more basic features. Some hot tub manufacturers also allow you to customize your future hot tub, ensuring that you don't have to pay for anything that you don't want to have in your tub.

Location Is Everything

While you may already have a location in mind for your new tub, keep in mind that several factors must be taken into account before a permanent location can be selected. These factors include:

• Sunlight
  • You can save some money on heating the tub by placing the tub in a location where lots of daily sunlight can be absorbed into the water through the walls and cover of the unit.
• Overhead power lines
  • While this mostly applies to swimming pools, some cities and counties state that hot tubs are not allowed to sit directly underneath an overhead power or telephone line.
• Trees and shrubbery
  • Avoid leafy, overhanging trees and shrubs that are especially talented at spreading their leaves all over the lawn. This will help to keep your water clean while the cover is open, and reduce the load on the hot tub's filtration system.

Meticulous Maintenance

While your new hot tub will have its own on-board filtration system, you will still need to perform some regular maintenance in order to ensure that your water quality never diminishes. This maintenance includes:

• pH testing
  • Your water's pH balance should typically rest between 7.4 and 7.8 on the pH scale.
  • There are numerous pH testing kits available at any pool supply store.
• Water changes
  • Regardless of your testing schedule, a portion of your hot tub's water will need to be changed every few months to reduce algae buildup and flush out any unwanted bacteria.
• Filter replacement
  • Make sure to keep your hot tub owner's manual after making your purchase. This booklet will contain all the information you need to know about changing your water filter in order to keep your hot tub's water crystal clear.

Making A Purchase

Once you have weighed all of the factors outlined above, you will be able to make an informed purchase on a brand new hot tub. This way, you can be sure that your new tub will be purely a source of joy, rather than a financial and laborious headache. 

Share

11 September 2014