Do you still like your hot tub?

[PeterPan]

My dh is thinking about buying me a hot tub for Christmas. 😁 If you have one and have had it a while, do you still use it? Are there negatives we should be aware of? I LOVE a hot tub when I get to use them, but I just don't know if that changes when you have access all the time.

Edited September 15, 2023 by PeterPan

[Granny_Weatherwax]

I love my hot tub. We have had it four years and I use it at least 4 times a week. Ours sits outside in our backyard.

We were gifted the hot tub from our neighbors when they sold their house and the new owners didn't want the hot tub. Our 'free' hot tub ended up costing us over $10,000 to have installed, however. The expense came because our town has strict rules for a hot tub pad (cement thickness, rebar for grounding, wiring regulations, etc). We tried to go under the radar (like most people) and just set it up but we remodeled our kitchen and when the city inspector came he saw the tub and tagged it. In order to keep it, we had to pour a new pad and hire an electrician. The hot tub was a $25,000 tub, though, so we are still under cost. We also had to file some paperwork with the local water district stating the hot tub was not tied directly to our water spigot and that we fill it with a hose.

I wish our inspector would have looked the other way when he saw it. It was just bad luck on our part as most people in our area did not have to go through what we did and most hot tubs are not up to code (or so the inspector says). 

As to the day to day, maintenance is easy. It does cost a bit to keep it running in the winter but I have opted to pay for it because there is nothing better than sitting in the hot tub while it is snowing.

 

[PeterPan]

51 minutes ago, Granny_Weatherwax said:

strict rules for a hot tub pad (cement thickness, rebar for grounding, wiring regulations, etc).

Ooo, good tip! I will talk with dh to see if the spot he was talking about putting it meets code.

51 minutes ago, Granny_Weatherwax said:

$25,000 tub,

WOWsers!! I had never looked into them, so this was a total surprise. Is yours big? I kinda saw some pricing on the papers he had on his desk, but it wasn't that high. There's some sort of end of season sale. I think this thing holds 6 people (or two the way I like to sprawl, haha) and has ozone, etc. He seemed to think it was in the normal category, not too swank and not too low either, enough features to make it work well. 

Well I'm glad to hear you still enjoy yours and it was worth it! We'll check about code in the area. I'm sure he'll understand all that. 

[PeterPan]

56 minutes ago, Granny_Weatherwax said:

As to the day to day, maintenance is easy. It does cost a bit to keep it running in the winter but I have opted to pay for it because there is nothing better than sitting in the hot tub while it is snowing.

So you run it through the winter? We have to spots where it would work and the one would be covered, meaning we could use it all winter. He wasn't sure why, haha, but I'm with you and LOVE a hot tub when it's cold out. Sheer bliss. I have so much stupid body pain and occasional stress, and a hot tub is the bomb. I just didn't know if he'd do this for me and then I'd somehow not use it, lol. That was why he told me rather than surprising me. 🙂

[Bootsie]

I love my hot tub; we live in a warm climate, so we do not get to use it in the snow often.  Our biggest issue is that after four years our cover has fallen apart (it was already taking on some moisture and then got hit by a hail storm), and we have had difficulty replacing the cover.  The covers are made by a third-party and what we thoguht would be a simple replacement has been a long, drawn out process.

[prairiewindmomma]

I do love my hot tub. I do run it through the winter. It came with our house, if I could pick for myself, I would have chosen an indoor jacuzzi or soaker tub with a heating element.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

 

1 hour ago, PeterPan said:

Ooo, good tip! I will talk with dh to see if the spot he was talking about putting it meets code.

WOWsers!! I had never looked into them, so this was a total surprise. Is yours big? I kinda saw some pricing on the papers he had on his desk, but it wasn't that high. There's some sort of end of season sale. I think this thing holds 6 people (or two the way I like to sprawl, haha) and has ozone, etc. He seemed to think it was in the normal category, not too swank and not too low either, enough features to make it work well. 

Well I'm glad to hear you still enjoy yours and it was worth it! We'll check about code in the area. I'm sure he'll understand all that. 

Yes, it's fairly big.  A lot like this but a bit bigger; I don't think it's manufactured anymore.  Plus it came with accessories like the stairs, exterior handle, brand new cover, the cover lifter, extra filters. It is a nice hot tub and nothing we would ever have bought for ourselves but when a gift came our way, we were not turning it down.

Edited September 15, 2023 by Granny_Weatherwax

[Ottakee]

I saw this thread this morning but was at work….and just thought of it again as I was getting out of my hot tub.

i have a jacuzzi j315 which is their mid line 2-3 seater.   I wanted small.  I have mine in the back “work area” of my attached garage.   I have a fan in the window for ventilation but never had an issue.

I love my hot tub.   I love that I can walk outside and be dry to get in and out.  No need to shovel a path in the winter.   I also love the privacy as I can hot tub “all natural “ without worry of anyone seeing.   Yea, I would love to sit in in with the snow gently falling…..but not enough to balance off the extra wear and tear on the cover, the shoveling it off, and the lack of privacy.

Mine costs about $10-20/month in electricity at most.  Part of that is because it is sheltered and smaller.   I keep it at 93-95° in the summer so it is cool and refreshing and then increase the temp as it gets colder. Currently at 98° and my winter temp is 101-102°.

It is easy to maintain…..especially since I am almost always the only one using it….so no lotions and detergent from swim suits.   The soap left in swim suits is a pain and makes for lots of foam.   Best to have anyone using the hot tub in a swimsuit rinse the suit well in a vinegar cycle before using the hot tub.

i add 1 tap of chlorine after each use and then once a week I add 1 1/2 T shock and 1 oz of enzymes.  Rinse the filter I get 2-4 weeks.   I check ph and alkalinity and adjust as needed but it rarely needs much.

draining and refilling is usually ever 3-4 months depending on usage.

i wear slides out to the hot tub and back to the house so I don’t track any dirt into the hot tub.

 

[PeterPan]

49 minutes ago, Ottakee said:

Mine costs about $10-20/month in electricity at most.  Part of that is because it is sheltered and smaller.   I keep it at 93-95° in the summer so it is cool and refreshing and then increase the temp as it gets colder. Currently at 98° and my winter temp is 101-102°.

 

That's brilliant!!

51 minutes ago, Ottakee said:

The soap left in swim suits is a pain and makes for lots of foam.   Best to have anyone using the hot tub in a swimsuit rinse the suit well in a vinegar cycle before using the hot tub.

i add 1 tap of chlorine after each use and then once a week I add 1 1/2 T shock and 1 oz of enzymes.  Rinse the filter I get 2-4 weeks.   I check ph and alkalinity and adjust as needed but it rarely needs much.

draining and refilling is usually ever 3-4 months depending on usage.

i wear slides out to the hot tub and back to the house so I don’t track any dirt into the hot tub.

Thanks for all the tips!!!

[Corbster98]

We use our hot tub much of the year as we live in the Interior of Alaska and we have winter for so long!
 

It was quite the investment, not just with the cost of the tub, but also having the electrical lines run for it as well as having our porch reinforced underneath for the weight of the tub. Keeping chemicals balanced and filters/ chlorine changed out is regular maintenance, along with added costs. You also need to change out the water, clean the tub, fill and rebalance chemicals every few months. 
 

For us it is worth it as we keep it running all year, even using it in our well below zero temperatures. So worth it for us! Bonus when we can see the Northern Lights while soaking 🙂 

[Corbster98]

Oops 

Edited September 16, 2023 by Corbster98

[Ottakee]

Don’t forget to add the costs of the electric line needed for the hot tub…dedicated 220 with shut off in your consideration.  That ran me about $1000 and I had a 220 line not too far away.