Helpful Tips for Hot Tub Shoppers
Shopping for a home spa can be difficult and time consuming, especially if you're unaware of the functions and features associated with a high quality system. There are specific features and designs you should look for when shopping for a hot tub or home spa, in order to ensure you purchase the best type of hot tub at the most reasonable price possible.
A few points you should keep in mind when shopping for home spas and hot tubs:
- Personal preference is perhaps the chief consideration. Find a spa that fits your artistic, architectural, decorative and (of course) soaking needs.
- The price range for fiberglass spas is a little higher than for wooden hot tubs. Concrete and Gunite spas usually cost more than fiberglass.
- Acrylic and gel coat spas may be less natural-looking but offer a greater choice of designs shapes, sizes and colors. Gel coat spas are slightly less expensive than acrylic ones, but usually need to be resurfaced every 5 years.
- Create a budget before you begin shopping in order to ensure you don't spend more than you can afford.
- When using a hot tub, bathers sit upright on a wooden bench, but spas usually have molded seats. Some home spas have molded lounges for reclining.
- Consider portability as a factor. Many hot tubs are placed on a deck or patio and can be relocated when you move. However portable home spas are generally the easiest to move.
- Heat loss is also an important consideration. Wood is a better insulator than molded fiberglass, concrete or Gunite. Studies have shown that a hot tub with an insulating cover will drop only about 10-degrees Fahrenheit (6 Celsius) in 24 hours. A partially above-ground fiberglass spa comes with urethane foam insulation. Concrete and Gunite spas are prone to heat loss due to the heat-absorbing properties of these materials.
- Most pool maintenance companies will tell you fiberglass spas with acrylic or gel coat linings are easier to maintain than wooden hot tubs and concrete or Gunite spas. Their non-porous surface makes cleaning a simple process and leakage is not a concern.
Following these tips will ensure you're happy with your purchase so you can relax and enjoy your new spa.
