A hot tub is a pure indulgence. It encourages you to take time for yourself and to enjoy quality moments with your family and friends. Besides being trendy, there are many more reasons why you should invest in a spa for your backyard.
When looking for the right hot tub for your family, there are a few things and features to consider. Let’s check them out in more detail.
Consider the Best Shape for Your Needs
The shape of the hot tub you choose will depend on your available space and on the number of people that will most commonly use it. When buying a family spa, it’s recommended to look for one that will allow more points of entry, as is the spacious rectangular hot tub. Even if you are a smaller family now, but you have plans to expand your family in the future, you will want to go for maximum accommodation.
Your kids will also find a larger spa to be more convenient, as they will be able to invite friends to spa parties. Throwing a hot tub party s always a great idea. The rectangular hot tub is the largest hot tub model and you can find rectangular spas for 6, 8, and even 12 people, as it is longer on the sides.
If you don’t need a hot tub that’s so big, go for a square model. This spa shape is also available in a variety of sizes, and you can also choose the configuration of the seating. You can also choose a round hot tub, which is normally smaller than other versions. A round hot tub is meant to maximize the space you have available. It will fit one or two people with a generous seating room and can be used as a hydrotherapy spa. When it comes to round spas, you can also find inflatable ones, which can be easily fitted in backyards.
The Available Space for Installation
The closer you install your hot tub to your home, the lower your installation costs will be. The electric wires that run from your home out to the electrical panel of your hot tub are pretty expensive, which is why the closer – the better. Not to mention the labour involved in digging a trench across or under who knows what, to bury those electrical cables.
If you plan to install it on the ground, and if you live in a colder climate, remember that every spring the ground thaws out. So, if you have your hot tub sitting on the ground, once the ground starts to melt in the spring, it will shift the weight of the water in your tub. This might create major stress, and if the shell cracks, chances are you will have big problems. You will either have to dig a hole (at least 4 feet/120cm deep down) in order to get below the frost line and pour a concrete slab that deep, or put it on a deck and then make sure that the deck can support all that extra weight.
The Number of Jets
The number of jets you want your hot tub to have should depend on the number of people that will be using the tub, as well as the parts of your body that you want to be massaged. As you start getting into 30, 40, 50, 100 or more jets, you’ll need a second, and maybe third water or air pump. Bear this in mind when buying. Also, make sure that all the jets are working on both air and water.
What is the difference between air jets and hydro jets, you ask? As their names suggest, the main difference between the two types of jets is that one is air and the other is water. Hence, the first one works by blowing air into the water from the bottom of the spa thus creating a gentle massaging effect, while the second one shoots air and warm water out from the jets. Hydro jets shoot water at much higher pressures which can be used to target specific aching joints or muscles.
The Level of Hot Tub Insulation
Proper insulation can be a major factor in reducing your electricity bills. Ensure that the entire inner side of the shell is sprayed with foam insulation that’s at least 33mm thick (standard). If it is 100mm, even better. A thermal blanket is another good insulating factor. It is attached to the back of the skirting panels, inside the unit itself. Typically, it looks like a rectangular piece of foam with thick tin foil over it that is screwed right to the back of your skirting on the inside of the tub.
This will help keep the cold out while reflecting the heat coming off the pumps back into the open space surrounding the tub’s inside. This, in turn, helps to control the temperature in your hot tub so your heating system isn’t working as hard to keep your water temperature exactly how you like it, and this also contributes to a lower monthly electricity bill.
The Overall Buying Cost
You have to decide on a budget before you start looking for a hot tub model. Do not let sales representatives get into your head because they usually work on commission and they make their money by adding tons of extras that you might not even need. Also, don’t be afraid to negotiate the price because there is always a little wiggle room when it comes to the final buying price. There are huge mark-ups on hot tubs, mostly when you start adding some extra features.