Hot tubs
 

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[Closed] Hot tubs

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We've been thinking about getting one since we had one at a holiday cottage we were in at Easter. Just looking for a bit of advice from owners:
Do you use them regularly or does the novelty ware off,?
Do they take much maintenance / time to look after?
Would you buy another one after owning one?
Thanks.


 
Posted : 25/08/2018 12:01 am
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Just been given one, second hand. Tomorrow's tasks include activating it 🙂

We've had a fair few holidays in Iceland and have always looked forwards to the hot tub. One of the reasons we bought our current home is because of the privacy the garden offers. thus enabling us to take advantage of a tub.

I'll watch this thread with interest.


 
Posted : 25/08/2018 12:25 am
 sbob
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Just been given one, second hand.

Second hand mucky sex pond?

Nice.


 
Posted : 25/08/2018 12:38 am
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We have one. Use it almost everyday. Chlorine in it once a day, perhaps ph up or down stuff once a week. Run the filter under a tap once a week, depending on thr amount of mucky sex you have in it.  Good times!


 
Posted : 25/08/2018 6:05 am
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I’ve got one, it’s a sal****er one so doesn’t need chlorine as it makes its own. Doesn’t need much looking after really and is used pretty much every other day


 
Posted : 25/08/2018 7:52 am
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One here too. I'm a bit picky with chemicals and check regularly, found that chlorine was a bit harsh for my delicate builder skin so switched to bromine.

I've recently stripped mine down fully, sides off the works, it's 3 years old in November, big dose of shock chlorine, emptied then vacced out every jet and nozzle, jet washed and cleaned it all down. Refilled, re chlorinated then emptied again. Did all this as i was replacing the two wet ends on my main pumps as they had started to leak.

Mine costs roughly anything between a quid to 3 quid a day to run depending on temp time of year and use.

A word of warning though, the industry is full of car/upvc/estate agent type salesman so do your research before you buy as some just sell and then cut you loose.

It's a definite luxury as basically you've got a kettle on permanently in your garden, look for balboa operating systems as across the industry they are usually considered the best, plus good acrylic shells such as lucite.

Guy I bought mine off is a proper geek who did chemical lessons etc after buying it.


 
Posted : 25/08/2018 8:11 am
 rone
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Had one 2.5 years . Love it.

I would say it's a winter thing for us though. We still go in it on average  2/3 times a week.

Great after a ride.

My advice would be don't purchase one based on putting friends in it as you will perhaps buy a big hot tub with lower power for the money.

We went for a 2 lounger / one seat at the same price as a six seater and it's more powerful.

We don't mind having friends around and we have a garage shower but we find they are grubbier than us and tend to leave foam and stuff behind!

Hygiene wise we use tablets inside a little unit that floats in the water. Very easy to do and simpler than chlorine.

We change our water 2/3 times a year and it's always pretty clean to be honest. If you shower before it will generally be immaculate.

Make sure you have a nice place to site it and get a cover that is attached to the tub on an arm so it articulates rather than having to lift it off.

Ours had a few quirks in the heat but I've dealt with them myself.

The jet power is were it's at rather than the amount of seats. There is a shop in our local village that sells them and they are good quality rather than £1999 for everything interest free.


 
Posted : 25/08/2018 8:20 am
 rone
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Cost around £1.5 a day on average.

I bet this year the heater hasn't been on that much. Will check at some point.

Would like a swimming one but money jumps up!


 
Posted : 25/08/2018 8:26 am
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Use ours most days. Especially good on a winter night watching satellites and shooting stars.

its our second one. First one we had for 7 years and left it when we moved house.

once you get into the rhythm of use and chlorine it takes no time to do.

Go in clean so no mtb mud, make up, sun cream etc, and don't wash your cozzies. All that stuff gets washed off in the tub and makes the water cloudy.

Get some acrylic glasses for when you want wine or beer (they don't break).

cost about a tenner a week to run in reality.

ours was from Three Counties Hot Tubs in Hereford. Good service. Also been impressed with the guys at Welsh Hot Tubs near Aberystwyth.


 
Posted : 25/08/2018 8:27 am
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My wife bought a blow up tub last year for about £500. Used it until autumn then packed it up. Kept in in a Decathlon base tent on the patio when in use.  Down side with packing away, is I caught one of the folds whilst in storage, so had a couple of tiny holes to fix superglue and silicone).  We went with an Intex tub as the skin is much thicker than many of the bestway ones, and you can sit on the sides.

This year I've built a permanent enclosure - missus wanted no light taking off the garden, so it's a pergola, with two sides glazed with polycarbonate, and a polycarbonate roof. The back wall is the garage, and I've left the front open, but used 'cream' shower curtains so it can be closed up in bad weather.  As others say, it costs about £1 a day to heat and run, and we pop a cap of chlorine in most days, as well as PH increaser (for my area) and also de-foamer and clarifier. I have 4 filters on rotation, and usually swap them after 1 use (the pump will stop if the filter get's mucky). I then pop the filters in the washing machine on a hot was every couple of weeks. Keeping the chlorine topped up is the key, and don't forget the test strips. The chlorine and clarifier keep the water crystal clear. If it starts getting cloudy, then you've not been on top of it.

We use it 4-5 times a week - it's good in an evening as it helps ease muscles and really helps sleep. We are likely to now use it year round with the pergola as it's weather proof


 
Posted : 25/08/2018 3:45 pm
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PS Cosmetics etc do cause the water to go cloudy and foamy - as said above, go in clean. Anyone coming round, we just say make sure you've taken off makeup etc.


 
Posted : 25/08/2018 3:47 pm
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They do sound good, but a whole lot of faff for stuff that may not get used that often...plus, are they now not the standard 'swingers' secret signal? If so, does anyone get strangers knocking on their doors with a swimming costume at the ready?


 
Posted : 25/08/2018 4:23 pm
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That's why we bought a blow up one - a fraction of the price, and if we didn't like it, well it's not '000s.  My wife uses it much more than me as she likes the heat (40c) but it's great for aches and pains - take this into account. Helps my knackered back.  Keep on top of the chemicals and it's easy to look after. Chemical costs are probably £30-£40 for  whole year.


 
Posted : 25/08/2018 4:48 pm
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I don't know about 'swingers signals' but the water get's hammered if someone goes in with make-up or other skin stuff on. And don't mention 5 teens using it for a few hours. Water change time, blurgh - it goes grey and cloudy. So less of the other 'mucky stuff' 🙂


 
Posted : 25/08/2018 4:55 pm
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We have a blow up one but struggling with keeping the water clean.

It gets slimmy.


 
Posted : 25/08/2018 5:25 pm
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As in slimey? What chems do you use?


 
Posted : 25/08/2018 5:39 pm
 rone
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Never had any swinger offers unfortunately. All bit too sensible round our tub.


 
Posted : 25/08/2018 6:09 pm
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Would like a wood-fired tub. There was one on wheels in Denmark - the idea was you hitched it to your car and drove it onto the impossibly long white beach for hot tub fun by the waters-edge.

The chlorine in normal ones puts me a bit.


 
Posted : 25/08/2018 7:54 pm
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“Swingers signals”.....

“ ‘cream’ shower curtains so it can be closed up in bad weather”

guffaw.


 
Posted : 25/08/2018 8:26 pm

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