Amanda

Most jet replacements in a spa with multiple jets in that area range from 8 to 15 bucks. How much does it cost for this kind of repair with the moto-jet? Being one of the more frequent repairs... how often if frequent?

Simple yes or no is hard for me but, I'd have to say no. It's true cost may differ a few bucks a month for operation but how can any of the companies prove it? Ask for documentation on this and you will see what I mean. Some companies can provide this but I'd make sure it was a test documented by someone/ some company with their reputation on the line. You may want to think of what will be needed for future service concerns. After warranties have worn out through the years... what exactly would you have to do yourself or pay someone to do to help fix it as the spa ages? I've heard this can be costly or time consuming with certain types of insulation (full foam). Cost of operation may differ a few bucks but the service factor can vary by hundreds. Some manufacturers used to use full foam and have changed for this very reason... to service the customers better in the future while keeping cost of operation down. Just a little something to think about. It's a good question and you'll get many answers no-doubt! Good luck to you!

Hi. My name is Amanda and I'm a costco-holic too. It sounds like the costco deal is a great one! Full of glitz, jets, microstuff, radios... WOW! I'm glad to hear that there are many happy Costco owners that have had their spa for up to 3 or so months. I would love to hear from everyone to see how your experience is for the next few years or so. I LOVE Costco! I go there once a month and stock up and feel like my family could overcome any emergency because I have a years supply of just about everything you could think of! They really do have amazing deals on many many items! Their return policy is truely amazing! Purchasing a spa is a very big deal and many people are absolutely right to get the most bang for the buck. One of the things I've noticed about people researching for a spa is the questions and concerns are pretty common across the board. Price, therapy, electrical requirements, spa placement, spa delivery and set up, warranty issues, price, easy access for future maintenance, spa chemistry, customer support, price, service concerns, basic operation guidance, operation costs.... you get the picture. Did I mention PRICE? I could go on and on about how much someone really needs to know in order to feel comfortable when making the decision to get a spa and to really understand exactly what they are getting into. I can completely understand the desire to get the best deal when faced with paying out thousands of dollars for something you've wanted for such a long time. And all of that stuff that comes on the spa sounds like loads of fun. I am a bit concerned though. I found myself reading over 50 posts so far of important questions that aren't being answered. Really important questions that you all should know from the beggining... don't you agree? I can sense that everyone is happy with the price (a major concern) but uneasy about what happens there-after. I wish I could answer a lot of these questions for you but many of them can be answered only by the company (Hydra spa?) that will help you with concern to the spa you have purchased (or are thinking of purchasing) from Costco. The reason why I post in here is to be as helpful as possible and I see a lot of folks regarding this spa specifically that are struggling to get the information that should be readily available to you all right from the get go. Eagerly anticipating your new spa shouldn't be a scramble for help. Yes, a local dealer of X-Y-Z spa may be considerably more money up front (maybe not after everything issaid and done) but may be worth it. Everyone of these questions should be answered without you even having to ask for the information. All costs should be explained up front regarding not just the initial cost of the spa at Costco... ask about cost of operaton, delivery, hardcover, chemicals, and definately specifics about Warranty and process for future concerns as there may be significant cost involved there. Maybe even a little guidance on how to transport the spa to your home from the professionals that you purchased it from instead of the harrowing trial and error of past purchasers. Ok... maybe I rambled a bit but I'm interested to get feed back on this. I truely wish the best for all of you and hope that you get your answers and will have the support needed in the future at your fingertips. I'll answer what I can: 1) Electrical is required (not sure 220 or 110). Usually a GFCI (ground fault circuit interupter) is provided by the electrician as it's not to code to have spa built with one anymore (I think). This can be provided by an electritian. It's good to get an estimate prior to installation to be best prepared. Most of the time they'll do the work after the spa has been set in place unless long trenches are needed to lay the wire to the area designated. 2) Chemical care is very important! A local pool or spa company can give you water test but I've heard that some salespeople can be a bit stand-offish about it if the spa was purchased elsewhere. A reputable person will give you the guidance needed to get going and be there to support you. If you find someone like that... you may want to consider getting your next spa from them. 3) Order a manual right away... and unlike other manuals.... yes, you may want to read it. You want to protect your investment with proper care! 4) Delivery of your spa may possibly be done by a local delivery company(insured preferrably). If damage occurs during delivery who will be responsible? I hope not you! 5) If your thinking about getting a spa (from anywhere!)... have everything specified on the order form. If you have one and don't have this information, request it right away. You will want to know the fine print! 6) The return policy is awsome! And it's true you can get a bunch of guys to do just about anything for a six pack, some pizza and a night in the spa! (good times... good times) But there are other costs involved.... electric connect and disconnect, renting equipment for delivery, crane fees if one was used. Check out how much it will really cost you to have a cost-co spa... not just your pocket book is important. Piece of mind and future support is a cost in my book. Let me know if this helps.

Spa chemistry can be challenging for a new spa owner to say the least. Most start up kits will give you the basics and leave the sanitizing up to the individual to choose since there are so many ways to take care of your water. That being said.... PLEASE start using a sanitizer as soon as possible! That ring around your spa can be a host for bacteria! Check out the questions in the chemistry section to see what can happen if you are not using enough sanitizer. (chlorine, bromine, Nature 2, Baqua spa, and tons of others are mentioned throughout.) I'd check with your local dealer to see what they recommend for your spa. Once you have found someone that knows what they are talking about with spa chemistry, I'd stick with them. Changing companies for chemical care will lead to more confusion. Best of luck to you.

Sorry to hear of your jet problem. Most jets are one whole unit so the entire unit would need to be replaced. One year seems pretty fast to me. Double check your chemistry, and take out all of the jets to see the condition of them. If it is just a few then they may be defective.... if it's all of them either the jets are made poorly or you may have a chemical issue. You should get help from your local dealer and if you don't it would be good information for the rest of the folks in this forum to share your experience for future spa purchasers to know. Jets to a spa are like tires to a car. Over time they will wear out. I would make sure you have a maintenance system set up for your jets to take them out and make sure they are cleaned once a year. Keeping them free from debri will help keep them working smoothly for longer time. If you need to replace that many, you may want to check all of the jets before taking them in. There may be more that you are unaware of as they are hangin on the last threads. If you have a large quantity, you may be able to get a discount of some sort or they may be still within the warranty. Best of luck!

I'm sorry that is happening . Nature 2 is one of my favorite ways to take care of spa water. I've found that it helps with high usage (more than 2 people 2-3 times a week, 20 minutes) to put a tsp of Chlorine/ 250 gallons in the water 1x/wk instead of the recommended tsp/ 250 gallons when spa H2o is hazy. More often than not the rash is associated with bacterial infection in the skin. You are much more susceptable to an infection when sitting in hot water since your pores open more with the heat. You can have 5 people using your spa and only one person be affected so it's difficult to diagnose. You can get a lotion from the doctor to help recover faster from the infection. Please clean your spa thouroughly and pay attention to the seams in your hardcover, you may want to consider getting a new filter or cleaning that one very well. Superchlorination gets rid of any festering bacteria. If you use your spa a lot, you may find using chlorine alone to be more helpful. And the ph can be the cause of the eyes burning. Testing weekly is definately recommended when learning how to use chemicals in a new spa. Everybody is a little different in the way you use your spa so your chemical care should reflect this. Best of luck and hope you get rid of all those no-see-ums!

Nature 2 is my recommended choice for existing spas. If you have an ozonater, it's a great combination. The only time I've heard of chalenges with this system is when the spa is overused or directions weren't followed. Zodiac Pool Care, Inc. is the company that manufactures this and you can visit their website and print off a "recipe" on how to use this system. I'm not familiar with it when in regards to pools but it has been great for many people I've recommended it to in the last 4 years. The companies phone number is 800-937-7873 and the website is www.zodiacpoolcare.com . Hope this helps!!!

Dr. Spa.... You are awsome! Your input on the ozonater was great! Thank you! In my opinion, the ozonater is a great addition for an inexpensive add-on or free throw-in. It definately reduces the need for as much chemicals (by using O3) but it is not cure-all by any means. Maintenance is still required: water changes 3-4 times a year, balancing alkalinity (TA) and Ph, Calcium (in some areas) and a few other things. I would check with the company you are looking to purchase from and get all the details of exactly what is required to maintain the water from set-up to a water change including any maintenance required for the ozonater itself. Some CD (corona discharge) ozonaters require replacing a micro chip fairly often and some UV bulbs do not last very long. There are definately good quality ozone systems available... bulbs that last 5-7 years and CD's that do not need chip replacement very often. You may want to check into what they are offering especially if it is free or included in the spa.

Hello Dina! Your question is a good one regarding prices. I'm not very familiar with the specifics on D1 but I do know that spa pricing can be hard to understand. From one state to another and one region to another pricing can vary a bit. A lot of it depends on how much a dealer is paying for the spa from the manufacturer, how hungry they are (if they are desperate for a sale to stay in business) and what kind of business they run(support and such). Some companies will give you the best price after you stand on your head and click your heals three times and some are giving you the best price that they can offer right from the beginning. If you really research you may possibly find one at a different price but please keep in mind that wherever you purchase the spa from... they will be the people that do the service issues if and when they arrise. For a hypothetical example: If you purchase a spa from Mazatlan that is for $3.00 (better deal) instead of the spa from your backyard for $10,000.00 you may want to look into the service cost to fix it if something goes wrong. Best of luck to you in your research.

I agree that there are "hard hitters" to sell spas amidst all the cotton candy and elephant ears. Of course not everybody will "club a baby seal to make a better deal" or pull the ol' "Lemme call my manager to approve this amazing deal for you only as long as you get it right now" kind-of thing. As with everything, there are good salepeople (professionals there to help you learn what is needed to make the right decision for your personal support before and AFTER the sale) and there are high pressure sales people (previously quoted as those "salespeople") . Many folks fall prey to the flashy give-aways, fast talkers, and encredible amount of information to absorb that is almost impossible for the average person new to the spa industry. Take heart though... it is simple to overcome being taken advantage of. Any reputable company will give you an oportunity to take the time that is needed to make a comfortable decision. If you find a spa that is interesting to you during this fast paced season... ask for a price hold of some sort and get as much information as you can. If a representative welcomes your research and can offer a reasonable amount down ($100.00) then it's a sign that they may be good to work with. Avoid the booths that want to "slam it home". Not everyone is out there to get you, but there are definately some that would take advantage of you and not even think twice about it. Take your time. Most of the time folks have waited a long time to get a spa... don't let anyone pressure you into getting one that very day for the best deal. Hold the price and narrow it down through researching all of the components that the spa and the company can offer you.