B
The
Wooden Hot Tub vs. the Acrylic Spa.
Although acrylic spas are by far more prevalent
today than wooden hot tubs, it was the wooden hot tub that began the experience
of social bathing in North America. Whether to purchase an acrylic spa
or a wooden hot tub depends mostly on personal preference and each individual
situation. There are reasons for and against each choice.
Because of the lower cost of Cedar, (even with the quality of the grade
of wood that we use to make our wooden hot tubs), they are generally less
expensive than acrylic spas. Another price difference is the cost of shipping
since our wooden hot tubs cost less to ship as compared to the larger
acrylic spas.
The reason that hot tubs cost so much less to ship is because they are
shipped knockdown and no special tools or skills are required for their
assembly. Their disassembled nature also results in one of the biggest
advantages of hot tubs over spas. They can be carried through any doorway,
stairs or other narrow access. With a spa, you have a large one piece
shell which can be difficult to move into its final location and certainly
not into a basement or down a set of stairs.
The vertical walls and greater depth of the wooden tub surround the bather
with more water than would be found in a spa, so there is a greater effect
of buoyancy in the hot tub. In addition, there is typically more leg room
and taller bathers enjoy the water up to their chest (not their belly
button) especially when the temperature dips into the minus degrees in
our Canadian winters. There's the rustic look of a traditional wooden
hot tub. From an aesthetic point of view, nothing matches the appearance
of a wooden tub.
Do Wooden Hot Tubs leak?
This is one of the two most common misconceptions about wooden hot tubs.
Indeed unlined wooden hot tubs will leak for the first few days after
assembly, but the amount of leaked water can be compared to the amount
spilled from an afternoon's romp in a tub filled with the neighborhood
kids.
If you have had no leaks and your tub starts to leak suddenly, there are
basically only two reasons why a natural (unlined) wooden hot tub would
leak. Without a doubt the most common reason is overuse of halogen (chlorine
or bromine) sanitizers, which can attack the wood, causing leaks.
This problem can be avoided simply by being diligent enough not
to exceed safe levels of halogens in the water or by purchasing
an electronic Water Purifier, which eliminates the need for
halogen sanitizers.
If a tub holds water perfectly for months or years and then
begins leaking inexplicably, this is usually indicative of
over-homogenization. And, if the problem is identified early
enough, the damage can be halted and repaired with
little cost or time. Much less common than leaks due to halogens
are leaks in a hot tub due to improper assembly. This is
indicated by a tub that never seems to seal at all. Our
instruction manuals offer an easy and detailed description of
the proper assembly procedure.
Aren't natural wooden tubs (and even spas)
unsanitary?
This is the other most common misconception with regard to wooden hot
tubs. In fact, wooden hot tubs are no less sanitary than acrylic spas.
Improperly sanitized, both the wooden tub and acrylic spa can represent
a health hazard, but there is no proof that the natural wood, treated
properly, is more likely to harbor organisms as compared to the acrylic.
The important point to remember is that, regardless of the
material from which your tub or spa is made, proper sanitization
is the key.
Why would I want the Convertible, vinyl
lined tub?
The Convertible Hot Tub is a wooden hot tub with a vinyl liner. The tub
starts out as a natural wooden hot tub, hence the name Convertible. You
convert the tub from natural to vinyl lined.
Unlike the natural wooden hot tub which has slatted benches, the
Convertible Hot Tub is equipped with solid benches over which a
soft, flexible, 30 mil vinyl liner is fitted. Between the wood
and the liner is 1/4" of closed cell foam.
Much of the decision of whether or not to purchase the
Convertible is personal preference, but there are some clear
advantages and disadvantages as compared to our natural
(unlined) wooden hot tubs.
Ironically, some of the same features of the Convertible that
can be perceived by one person as an advantage are seen by
others as a disadvantage. You may save maintenance costs by
eliminating water under the benches in the Convertible, but you
sacrifice some leg room as well as a certain amount of the
effect of buoyancy. The Convertible is obviously more expensive,
and the assembly is slightly more involved.
And, since the liner covers the entire inside of the tub as well
as overlapping the top 3 or 4 inches on the outside, a true
purist may feel that aesthetics are being sacrificed for the
convenience of the liner.
What are the therapeutic benefits of Hot Tubs?
Whirlpool water therapy is both physical and mental. A number of
musculo-skeletal ailments and injuries are treated with
whirlpool therapy, from arthritis to sports injuries.
The whirlpool improves circulation, and a properly designed and
operating system will have jets powerful enough to have a
massaging effect for the "garden variety sore muscles"
from which we all suffer from time to time.
Those sore muscles often come from the stress of daily life, and
therein lies the added effect of hot water bathing. As you relax
in the whirlpool, you're working on the root cause of your
problem - stress.
How easy are they to install?
We use a ball and socket joint on each stave which makes assembly of the
tub very easy. This is the same joint we use when building a cedar strip
canoe (only larger). The instruction manual is written with the do-it-yourself
installer in mind and no special tools or skills are required.
The bottom of the tub is supplied in two pieces, and all the holes for
jets, suction fittings, etc. are pre drilled for you. In a wooden tub
you even have the opportunity to customize the locations of the jets around
the circumference of the tub or add additional jets the next time you
empty and clean your tub.
With the help of a friend, even a novice installer can assemble
a wooden tub system in one day.
How much do they cost to operate?
The cost of operating a Hot Tub or Spa varies widely depending
on the size of the tub, the climate, the configuration of the
installation, the degree to which the system is insulated, and
the price of gas or electricity.
Most important is the use of some form of a heat cap, or good
cover as well as insulation of some form over the piping. This can reduce
operating costs in Northern climates by more than 90%! Here are some figures
for our 6' Hot Tub which holds 600 gallons. Most spas hold only 200 to
400 gallons so adjust accordingly. . .
Un insulated wooden tub
70 degrees (Fahrenheit) surrounding air temperature
6X4 standard hot tub system (Gas or Electric - 600 Gallons)
Then, heat rise is described as:
8 degrees per hour with the 11KW electric heater or option 60,000 BTU
Gas Heater, or 24 degrees F per hour with the optional 150,000 BTU gas
heater.
During the warmer months, a hot tub in Canada (with covers but no pipe
insulation) can be expected to lose about 4 degrees over a 24 hour period.
Based on the heat rise time for the gas and electric heaters, each 1 degree
heat rise in a 6X4 tub requires 6,375 BTU's of gas heat or 4,692 BTU's
of electric heat. Although the electric heat may appear to be more efficient,
this added efficiency can be offset by the higher price of electricity
versus Natural Gas.
Electricity is priced in Kilowatt Hours (KWH), and 1 KWH of electricity
equals 3,412 BTU's.
Propane gas is priced in lbs. or cu .ft. (1 lb. of propane equals 8.4
cu .ft.), and 1 lb. of propane equals 21,600 BTU's.
Natural gas is priced in cu .ft., and 1 cu .ft. of Natural gas equals
1,075 BTU's.
The unit figures therefore, to raise the 600 Gallons of water in a 6X4
hot tub 1 degree Fahrenheit, are . . .
0.295 lbs. of propane or . . .
5.93 cu .ft. of natural gas or . . .
1.375 KWH of electricity
If we multiply out for our 4 degrees per day heat loss example we get....1.18
lbs. of propane . . . or . . . 23.72 cu .ft. of natural gas . . . or .
. . 5.5 Kilowatt-hours of electricity. You must then take your total expected
expenditure in lbs., cu .ft., or KWH and multiply by your local cost (e.g.
$ per lb. of propane, $ per cu .ft. of natural gas, or $ per KWH of electricity)
to get your operating cost.
If your tub is less or more than 600 Gallons you must take that into account.
Of course, because of all the unpredictable variables, the figures above
represent only the roughest estimate. Your actual costs may vary.
What Accessories and Options can I purchase?
There are a number of options and accessories that should be considered
along with our hot tub and spa systems.
Larger Pumps, Extra Jets
All hot tub systems start with a 1 HP pump and four massage jets as standard,
and for our smaller models, this is more than adequate. At 95 Gallons
Per Minute (with zero head), our 1 HP pump outputs as much water as any
other 1 HP pump.
When you start to consider our larger model hot tubs,
a larger pump and additional jets are suggested. All systems can be equipped
with either the 1.5 HP option which includes an additional two massage
jets (for a total of six) or the 2 HP option which comes equipped with
a total of eight massage jets. More jets can be placed in your vessel,
but with eight jets capable of 25 Gallons Per minute, there is hardly
a need to do so.
Gas Heater Option
The standard electric heater on your spa or hot tub's equipment pack can
also be substituted with either a Propane or Natural Gas Heater. Two sizes
are available - the 60,000 BTU model closely matches the output of the
electric heater and a 150,000 BTU model offers almost triple the heat
rise capabilities.
Covers
There are two different types of covers that you should put on your hot
tub. One is an inexpensive floating blanket that rests right on the water.
The other is a top cover which fits over the top of the tub. These two
covers and the layer of air between them virtually eliminate surface energy
losses and will pay for themselves in a short time, even on indoor installations.
Low Voltage Light
The Low Voltage Light for hot tubs features subdued lighting inside the
tub or spa. The light is supplied with a separate spa side switch and
a set of six colored lenses to suit the bather's particular mood. Colored
lenses can be changed from inside the tub without any need to drain the
water.
Electronic Water Purifier
The Electronic Water Purifier is a device which eliminates the need to
use halogen (chlorine or bromine) sanitizers. With a natural wooden hot
tub, its use is almost a necessity, since natural wood can be irreparably
damaged by halogens, unless they are used very carefully. The Water Purifier
uses copper and silver ions to sanitize the water. Its electrodes mount
into one of your water lines and its control box is wired to come on with
the pump. See the section "Ionizers vs. Ozonaters" below for
more information on non chemical forms of sanitization.
Ionizers vs. Ozonaters
Much has been said within the hot tub and spa industry about non chemical
forms of sanitization, but the public at large remains in the dark about
such subjects. We will attempt to offer our opinions and experiences here
as a way to shed light on the subject.
There are mainly two types of devices used to treat hot tub and spa water
without the use of halogens (chlorine or bromine). They are referred to
as "ionizers" and "ozonaters", and their names reflect
the action by which they
accomplish their task of killing bacteria, viruses, fungi and algae.
Our electronic Water Purifier is an ionizer. It places copper and silver
ions into the water which kill organisms. These ions are odorless and
tasteless, and there are even potable (drinking) water standards established
for this method of sanitization. Furthermore, the ions are stable in solution
and provide a residual level, which is so important for safe, healthy
water.
In contrast the ozonater uses ozone as a sanitizer. Ozone is unstable,
so at best this device only reduces (rather than eliminates) the need
for having halogen sanitizers as a residual. Some people find the odor
of ozone as offensive as chlorine, and hazardous levels have been established
for ozone as an air pollutant.
There are two methods for generating ozone - by a corona discharge (electrical
arc) or by ultraviolet light. The latter type units sell for one third
to one quarter the price of the corona discharge units, and it is quite
likely that any units of this type are not worthwhile to purchase.
Ozone and Chlorine are both active "oxidizers" and this is their
main advantage. After you kill those annoying organisms that swim off
your skin when you dip into the tub, it can be useful to "burn up"
their little bodies (as well as your dead skin cells), and this is the
purpose of an oxidizer.
Although the ionizer is effective as a sanitizer, it does not provide
the oxidizing action that you get with ozone and chlorine.
The oxidizer may only be necessary in small amounts once or twice a week
in order to maintain crystal clear water, and there is never a reason
to share your dip with this chemical, since it is only added occasionally
as a shocking agent and does not remain in the water.
With many countries in the civilized world contemplating bans on halogen
sanitizers, and considering their less than gentle effect on the environment,
the purchase of an electronic Water Purifier for your tub or spa begins
to look even more attractive.
Chlorine vs. Bromine
OK, so you've decided that you don't want to spend the extra money on
a electronic Water Purifier, and you're going to do it the old fashioned
way - with halogens. You go down to the pool store and are bombarded
with feeders, pills, two part systems, one part systems, chlorine, bromine
and on and on. Once again we will attempt to offer our opinions and experiences
here as a way to shed light on the subject.
Before we talk about how you get the stuff into the water, let's talk
about the differences between chlorine and bromine. Both are halogens,
although the use of bromine in leisure pools and hot tubs is much more
recent than chlorine.
The fact that both bromamines and chloramines are carcinogenic is reason
enough to consider eliminating halogens with a Water Purifier. If you
must use halogens, granulated chlorine added manually is still the best
method. This way, you have complete control over the process.
Chlorine (as well as bromine) can also be introduced into the tub using
an "erosion feeder," and there are two types of these. The in-line
erosion feeder is mounted into the water line and puts halogens into the
water as the pump is run.
Another type of erosion feeder is referred to as a "floating feeder"
and we highly recommend against the use of these. In fact, because floating
feeders leach halogens into the water constantly, regardless of the demand
for them, it specifically states in our wooden hot tub warranty that use
of such a device voids our warranty.
Regardless of which halogen you use and regardless of the method you employ
to get it into the water, daily testing will be required to verify that
the halogen levels are neither too high nor inadequate.
Ten Year Warranty
We sell our hot tubs with a limited ten year warranty, a copy of which
is available upon request.
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