Posted by
Dan Ried on Tue, Feb 07, 2012 @ 01:59 PM
When shopping around for a new hot tub, it's important to keep size in mind for many reasons. Mainly you want to make sure the hot tub will fit you and your site. I'll explain why these things are important to remember when buying and researching your big purchase.
Most people don't screw up on the first part. It's easy enough to figure out how much room you have on site. Just break out the measuring tape on your patio, concrete pad, or deck and you're good to go. One thing people do tend to overlook is height. A 6 person hot tub, can reach to over 40 inches in height. You gotta just make sure you have room. Easy enough right? Well, thats only the half of it.
The spa has to fit you too! One issue people run in to is the whole 6 person hot tub, 4 person hot tub, etc. naming conventions. Try to ignore these conventions as much as you can. They are mainly used as marketing tactics to make you think you can fit more or less people in to a particular model or category size. You cant go wrong with corner to corner measurements. Make sure you get those. Don't listen to some guy say you can fit 6 people in a 5 by 7 hot tub. It just doesn't happen.
If you want to fit 6 people comfortably, you gottta go at least 7ft x 7ft. Also try to get measurements of the foot well. Some models have plenty of room on the seats and benches, but then you look at the foot well and say no way! Think about it, theres 12 feet to fit in there!
Get a nice 6 person hot tub with plenty of foot and leg room, make sure you've got enough space on site to place the hot tub, and measure measure measure!!!
Check out this example of a 6 person hot tub with sitting room, leg room, 6 person in size, and plenty of bang for your buck!
Posted by
Dan Ried on Tue, Jan 17, 2012 @ 02:22 PM
If you're in the market for a portable spa it's important to learn the differences between the types of spas being sold today.
First of all, I want to clear up a few misconceptions. Almost all spas manufactured within the past 10 years are fully portable. There is no external plumbing, nor is there any permanent fixture attaching the spa to your house, deck or patio. All spas are now considered portable spas. The only thing you need to connect is the electrical.
I cant tell you how many times I've heard potential hot tub buyers say this: "What do I do when I sell my house? I'll just have to get another spa." This is completely false. All spas are portable. It doesnt have to be a soft tub or a very small spa to be portable. Even giant 19 foot swim spas can be moved and reinstalled in a new location.
This is of course if you are smart about it. If you're selling your house, and you have a nice spa that you want to keep. Get it removed from the property before you have it appraised or start showing it. Most of the time, if buyers see the hot tub on the property, they will try to negotiate it in to the deal. Hide it. Better yet, move the PORTABLE SPA to your friends house he wont mind. If you leave it installed at your house, kiss the thing good bye.
Learn more about the best way to move a portable spa and which spas need heavy equipment to move and which ones don't.
Posted by
Dan Ried on Mon, Dec 19, 2011 @ 11:23 AM
Hot tub lighting has come a long way since the idea was conceived back in the 90's. Back then, actual light bulbs in waterproof casings were installed to light up spas at night. Usually only displaying one color, and prone to electrical issues and water leaks, this lighting option was a hard seal to consumers. Since the introduction of the LED bulb at around the turn of the millennium, hot tubs have "taken on a new light" completely.
Most high quality hot tubs manufactured in recent years come with a full array of hot tub lights arranged in a perimeter accent fashion, and controlled by high-tech LED light processors. Hot tubs these days can have up to 70 points of LED lights drilled directly in to the hot tub acrylic, lighting up the spa at night with a magnificent array of color and mood.
So who really needs Christmas lights? Well, I suppose if you have a tree you do. Even still, when you're outside this December during the holidays soaking in your hot tub, catching snow flakes on your head, and singing christmas carols, set those LED hot tub lights to green and red and feel that christmas spirit from head to toe with full body hrydrotherapy.
Important troubleshooting tip:
Ironically, hot tub lights do actually operate similar to LED hot tub lights in some ways. Like the lights on your tree, hot tub lights are daisy chained together; meaning when one bulb goes out, every light past that bulb down the line will go out. Unlike Christmas lights however, hot tub lights are made with highly durable LED bulbs. The chances of the LED bulb going bad are slim.
So, it's Christmas eve, you set your spa lights to green and red, and you're ready for a nice soak with your spiked egg nog, but only half your spa lights up. What now? There is only one thing you should remember in this situation. Don't panic. Remember the Christmas lights. Set down the egg nog, get your power drill, remove the adjacent panel to the bulb that's out, and assure it is connected properly. Then VOILA! You're everything is lit up, especially you and your guests depending on how much you spiked the egg nog.
Get more troubleshooting tips on hot tub lights for the holiday season.
Have you thought about what to surprise your spouse with for Christmas this year? Why not splurge on a luxury item that both of you can enjoy without braking the bank and have the added bonus of increasing the value of your home at the same time. A hot tub spa is a feature that helps create a relaxing and fun ambiance plus it can be used all year long.
Just about everything goes on sale during the Holidays but most people don't think about big ticket items like hot tubs for sale. It's the time of the year when you can get the most bang for your buck. In fact, if you've been wanting to buy a hot tub but avoid going into debt you can actually purchase a spa factory direct and save as much as 70% off retail.
Another fact that many don't realize is that since hot tubs & spas are seen as a purchase that will help with your health, they can be considered a tax write off.
Since relaxing in a hot tub is something that every member of the family can enjoy, it is a great way for the whole family to get together and bond. Children love it since they see it as a place to have fun and parents love it since they see it as a place for therapy and relaxation.
Check out hot tubs for sale during the holidays
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a new hot tub? Do you immediately think of how exspensive it is? Or that you would have to save up for many years and get one by the time you retire?
There has been phenomenal growth in the home spa and hot tub industry. Millions of homeowners are discovering the health benefits of home spas and the industry has produced many manufacturing innovations that make home spas and hot tubs more affordable, more portable and easier to install. More manufacturers for hot tub spas have popped up adding to the competition and therefore making prices more competitive.
The biggest luxury trends currently are hot tub entertainment systems, spa TVs and DVD combinations, plus fiber optic hot tub lighting and LED lighting. One of the biggest keys to getting a brand new hot tub at an affordable cost is knowing what you need to get the maximum benefit for you and your family for the minimal cost. Be realistic about what features you would actually use and get your money's worth from. Another big key is to buy during a sale or special.
Click here to see hot tub prices under $3000
In recent years the sales of inground pools has declined. This is due in large part to the cost and also to the fact that people in general are being more conservative with their money, especially during the current recession. Yet at the same time more and more people are being health conscious and trying to live a better lifestyle by eating better, exercising regularly and adding a variety of elements to their active routine. A great alternative to investing $25k plus in an inground pool is to purchase a swim spa.
Swimming is a great element to include into your routine. The benefits to your health and body through aquatic fitness are numerous, not to mention safer, especially if you've suffered any kind of injury or debilitating condition such as arthritis. In a swim spa you can work out in a spa that was designed specifically for the purpose of endless swimming and has attachments for rowing and other resistance exercises.
If you live in a neighborhood that has a community pool and find that it works out well and is convenient to swim there that's great. The main downside to community pools is that they close for the winter unless you live in a warm climate year-round. Also most people prefer to enjoy a swim in the privacy of their own home without having to use public facilities for changing, showering, etc.
Swim spas are an amazing double function product. You can get an immense workout with the swim spa jets and then unwind using the massage jets. An advantage of swim spas over pools is that they take up less space, cost significantly less than an inground pool and you get the benefits of a pool and hot tub in one, plus it also increases the value of your home.
Check out amazing deals on home swim spas
There are several things to take into consideration when looking at a hot tub and comparing features and ammenities. One of the first things is to take note of the types of jets you'll want and the amount of jets that you would realistically be happy with in your spa. A couple of popular examples of jet types are the Volcano jet: which is a large jet that's positioned at the bottom of the tub and aimed upward for a water effect that's similar to a volcano erupting, and the Power massage jet: a large jet that rotates a large stream of water through 7 nozzles, producing a powerful massage experience over a large area, generally used for the lower back. As for the rest of the jets some of them shoot straight out, while others swirl or pulsate.
Some might look at many different hot tub models and think "the more jets the better" in order to experience the different streams of water blasing from every direction possible while others might find that a multitud of jets is irrelevant and prefer to just sit and soak in the quiet heated water without much water movement. The difference in price for a hot tub model with fewer jets could actually be thousands of dollars. So if you're on a set budget or just looking to save you can elect to give up some of the fancy jets in favor of more common ones, or less quantity.
Another feature that many consider a must have is the built in stereo system. The tub uses a marine radio/ipod docking station with water proof speakers and a remote controller on the top side of the tub. This option can add quite a bit to the price of the hot tub but those that make this splurge consider it well worth it.
Built-in LED colored lighting is considered the most popular feature and one that truly enhances the hot tubbing experience. Try using the hot tub at night and you'll find they provide a great deal of light which makes the tub much easier to use. It also helps when messing around outside the tub with music, drinks, towels, chemicals, etc. Some hot tub brands come standard with built-in colored lighting while others charge for it as an optional feature. Be sure to check out the features section of the website where you are shopping around or ask a sales rep if looking in person.
Check out some of the best hot tub pricing on the internet.
Posted by
Dan Ried on Fri, Nov 11, 2011 @ 03:56 PM
Your spa was just delivered. You coordinated your electrician to install the GFCI breaker and run the cables. Everything goes great until you set the GFCI and right away...nothing. What happened?
When you get "nothing", that normally means your hot tub GFCI trips as soon as you set it. Even more concerning is the fact that your troubleshooting leads you to believe your spa is the root of the issue. Once you disconnect the spa, the GFCI no longer trips. It has to be the spa then right? Great, time to call customer service....not so fast. This is a common issue so no need to panic. Even though I'm sure your electrician is blaming the circuitry of the spa, most of the time it is infact the electrician that is to blame.
When running 220v to a GFCI breaker at 50 amps, you have to be sure the load neutrals are isloated from the grounds in the GFCI. If they are wired together, the spa pack will trip the breaker immediately. Always be sre to wire the ground properly.
Most manufacturers include wiring diagrams in your spa owner's manual like the one pictured above. Always be sure to refer to these diagrams when wiring to your GFCI breaker. Hot tubs and spas are sometimes wired differently then other home and garden products. So, while your electrician may protest, be sure to hand hime the GFCI wiring diagrams that come with your hot tub instructions to ensure hot water, hydrotherapy bubbles, and smoothe saling from the start.
Check out samples of hot tub wiring diagrams for reference.
After you've spent time shopping around and searching for the right spa, you've finally chosen the hot tub model that's right for your household. The next phase in your adventure is choosing the right hot tub color.
These days spa colors are available in a variety of surface colors and textures, each with a stylish, contemporary appearance. 
Lucite acrylic spa surfaces allow you to realize your visions in deep, breathtaking color. Choose from a wide range of finishes to fit any decor—from stunning, textured granite to smooth, elegant marble styles. Lucite cast acrylic has color that runs true to the core of the material. With proper care, your hot tub will be as rich and lustrous years from now as it is today.
Each Inter-Spas acrylic spa color is infused with Microban, a unique antimicrobial agent. Construction starts with vac-formed sheets of Lucite cast acrylic strengthened by several layers of fiberglass composite, applied by hand. No spray foam, no plastic backing or fillers, Inter-Spas uses only the highest quality materials and the most up-to-date technology when building hot tub shells.
Check out the most popular spa colors.
When shopping for a Hot Tub or considering a Swim Spa you want to make sure you're getting the best deal while not sacrificing quality at the same time. First of all what everyone needs to be aware of when considering a spa is that there are four main types of hot tubs: inflatable/plastic spas, standard above-ground acrylic spas, wooden hot tubs and in-ground spas.
Each type of spa has different features and benefits, but the most popular type by far is the standard above-ground acrylic spa. The reason for this is that they are available for the best hot tub price, easier to repair and service, there are many styles and colors to choose from, there are several customizable features that can be built into them, and they add value to your home.
The standard above-ground acrylic spas are made of an acrylic or OAS (olefin acrylonitrile-styrene) shell with a fiberglass or foam understructure and a wood or synthetic cabinet. Although considered portable, they are difficult to move and require a firm surface, such as a concrete pad, for proper installation. Some models also require a special (240v) electrical outlet. The price range for most hot tub spas of this type is $3000 - $10000.
Most websites offering hot tubs buy them from a manufacturing company and ask for their own private label. This means that if you were to buy from any of them, you would in essence be paying a middle-man markup.
Check out Inter-Spas best hot tub price guarantee.