Myths about Spas

[Guest Swimfan]

Interesting article that might help someone:

Exposing the myths about spas

Don't waver on quality installation, design when considering hot tubs

James and Morris Carey

Associated Press

Oct. 25, 2003 12:00 AM

There are interesting misconceptions concerning hot tubs. First, they aren't "most comfortable" during the summer or other hot times.

Spas are water-related recreation devices - except they run at high temperatures, about 99 to 104 degrees. This makes them most functional on colder days.

Although a swimming pool is ideal for cooling and getting exercise, a spa is for warming up the musculature and getting a massage. The jet system in most high-end spas is capable of massaging deep into the tissue, reducing muscle aches and joint soreness.

A spa is a lot less expensive than a swimming pool, but don't be surprised when you end up paying from $8,000 to $13,000 for a good one. The key to a good spa is the number of different stations (seats, positions, etc.) it has and how many pumps are included. Less expensive models have only one pump. Upper-end spas have as many as three for churning water.

Another misconception: "A bench (bed, couch, etc.) in a spa is great for relaxing." Wrong. Some spa companies would like you to believe that you can lie down in water and not float to the top. When you lie down in water, you do, indeed, float. But when you float in a spa you can't enjoy the massage as much. Floating in the water takes you away from the real action - contact with the water jets. Look for a spa with lots of seating and no bench.

Each seat in a good spa has a different jet configuration, and, therefore, a different massage. The most important thing that you will be looking for once you own a spa is variety of massage. One station may be set up for neck and full spine, whereas another might be designed for hips and legs or feet or calves. Look at where the jets are and study how you will be massaged. Also, look for innovations in jet configuration. Some jets pulsate, and others rotate.

You will need 220-volt power if you expect to get a quality unit. Most spa companies perform their own installation, so be careful. Make them get a permit. With a spa you are dealing with electricity and water in the same container. You don't want an amateur putting it all together and leaving out an important part - like a ground wire.

Be sure to get a good cover. Better covers create an airtight seal and save on your energy bill. The top should have a lock on all corners to keep children out.

Also look into a high-quality cover lift. Quality covers are heavy and, thus, getting them off the spa is hard work. If you aren't powerful, a cover lift is essential.

Be sure that your spa is placed on a level surface. We poured a concrete slab for ours. When it comes to construction there is nothing like a solid base.

[Guest Jim Arjuna]

This is a good way to start a thread. Let's see if it can not be ruined by a bunch of angry posts. PLEASE!

Another misconception: "A bench (bed, couch, etc.) in a spa is great for relaxing." Wrong. Some spa companies would like you to believe that you can lie down in water and not float to the top. When you lie down in water, you do, indeed, float. But when you float in a spa you can't enjoy the massage as much. Floating in the water takes you away from the real action - contact with the water jets. Look for a spa with lots of seating and no bench."

My comments; If you design the lounge like a chair with your legs out in front, you don't float much. A good lounger is the best way to have back of legs message that I know of. Our lounge spas outsell the non-lounge 10 to 1 at least after the wet tests. Everybody seems to like the lounger therapy.

Keep the back more vertical, elevate the legs, and limit the depth of the water and it is anti flotation as you can get.

There are some people who will float in a high seat with no lounge. I have seen that.

"The key to a good spa is the number of different stations (seats, positions, etc.) it has and how many pumps are included. Less expensive models have only one pump. Upper-end spas have as many as three for churning water."

My comments: I like to have a variety of seating depths and different jet patterns.

There is more to it than the number of pumps. It is the quality of the equipment and the output in water flow that determins the level of power to the water jets.

If you have one 6.7 HP pump and a 1.5 HP air and turbo air, it has the felt jet pressure of two 4 HP water pumps from some competitors. Becasue of how the pump is plumbed and how we use the air pressure to increase the intensity and broaden the spray of the water jets. It is 8.2 full continuous HP in the water, with one jet pump and one air blower.

We also have models with 3 water pumps (2-6.7 and 1-3HP), 48 frame circulation pump, and full air injection and turbo air. It requires a 60 to 70 AMP service to run.

Another thing that makes for better therapy is to limit or eliminate bullet jets on the back of the seats. The larger rotating, pulsating massage jets are far superior to small nozzles spraying straight out.

You can find spas with a couple of 2 HP water pumps, no air and you can't run all the seats with full pressure at the same time becaues of water diverters. That spa has only a total of 4 HP with two pumps and the spa is split into zones, while it has up to 30 or more bullet jets. They sell this spa for over $8K in most places, but it is so limited by my standards. A shopper needs to do research!

[Guest Lablover2004]

very interesting thread.

[Guest Guest_Roger_*]

Make sure you wet test any tub you purchase. Some may prefer the feel of 2 HP and no air. You may want a diverter valve to soften the feel. There's no way to tell if 2 HP is right for you because a cruddy job plumbing 6.7 HP can feel worse than a great job plumbing 2 HP. The wet test is so very important to determine this for you because no one else can tell you what you like. There was some great information in your post's jim, you lost it a bit there at the end but at least you didn't put a brand in there.

It's good to know what you prefer in a tub Jim, it may be different than any of us but it may also help someone to make up there mind in there view of how it should perform and feel.

[Guest mjs]

I think it would be useful if every poster on this forum were to identify themselves by one of the following categories:

1. Salesperson

2. Distributor

3. Manufacturer

4. Consumer- new

5. Consumer - experienced

6. Other (explain).

Because no matter how you look at it; 90% of what is discussed here is OPINION, and another 2% is technical that most people don't understand.

//mjs - Consumer

[Guest Trigger]

I am an experienced consumer who's owned a few tubs and I prefer a tub that has some open seating. Open seating is great when guests come over and want to socialize in the tub. Open seating also allows some ability to twist and turn and get postioned over a certain nozzle for those occasional quirky muscle pains that may not get a good massage.

I also look for a tub that has cool off seats. If you are using the hot tub in cold climates, a cool off seat is a must, imho.

I think too many people get hung up on HP and it can get very misleading. The #1 purpose of the pumps are to provide a quality experience. The best way to tell is to sit in a tub and take a wet test.

[Guest Jim Arjuna]

Great responses;

In our spas we use the jet pumps exactly according to the manufacturer's instructions for the motor temperature range and for the pressure and flow rate of any specific pump. We have from 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.7 HP available in different models.

If you are not familiar with equipment, you may want to find out the differences in pumps, motor frame sizes, temperature rating of the motors, and power draw, just so you know what you are buying. The same goes for control systems.

The lastest thing in some of the more expensive spas is to not tell the horsepower.

Some will tell you flow rates for the pump with no back pressure, not the acutal flow rate with plumbing to the jets. I don't understand that thinking other than to confuse shoppers.

Some use Peak Brake HP (B.S.HP) Brake HP, some use Continuous HP. We specify the continuous.

If you are not aware of equipment, you can pay too much for some rather lame equipment. $8300 for a spa with two 48 frame 2 HP pumps and 1.5 inch plumbing, is way over priced, in my opinion. This is especially true if both or one is set up to only run one speed. One speed pumps cost less, but have the same HP rating as a two speed.

It doesn't matter what size the pump is, it need to be used to get the best or optimum performance and matched to the jets for proper back pressure and flow rates. That way the pump lasts longer, it is putting out the water flow as it was originally designed to do.

The prices of the spas should be relative to the construction and equipment costs.

I also like to have a lot of models to choose from. If you have a lot of people using a hot tub, it is a great idea to have open seating , with a large foot well.

If you strictly want the spa for therapy, you may find that therapy seats with some confinement of the spray to be better.

The only way to really know is to get in and try it.

Cool down seats are a good idea, so are large flat areas on the top of acrylic aroung the perimeter of the spa. There is nothing more uncomforable then a rounded piece of hard plastic to set on, Sort of like sitting on a piece of hard pipe. The tangent point of the circle is a high pounds per square inch pressure point.

In summer you will want to sit up on the edge and get a real cool down. It feels good too!