There are many Hot Tub questions to consider and resolve when one has decided to install a Hot Tub for example one of the very first ones is where will you locate the Jacuzzi Spa?

There of course various and many choices depending on your property.

Perhaps it might be indoors but this would be dependent on access.

Alternatively and usually the favourite is outside perhaps in a rear or front garden or what many people often prefer, on a terrace or a roof terrace if possible.

There are many possible locations to consider, but if it is going to be placed on a roof terrace then one of the most important ones is that the Spa is going to be placed on a weight bearing foundation that can support the weight of the Hot Tub with water and say 4/5 occupants.

It is extremely important that the base on where the Jacuzzi is to be situated is level and of a good texture and strength through out and there is no point if it is just strong at one end and weak in the middle.

One idea for a foundation or a base could be a concrete layer with a thickness of 15 centimeters this should be placed on to a base of hard core comprising of broken bricks and gravel which has been laid and compounded so that the concrete when poured has something to key too.

Sometimes it can be a good idea to add some strength to the base. Perhaps bars of reinforced steel - some people use concrete roof beams or small RSJ's Rolled Steel Joists.

When a Jacuzzi is going to be installed on wooden decking the same, kind of considerations have to be made. A guide for the total weight is approximately 100 lbs per square foot.

If a Jacuzzi is to be sunken in decking it is essential that consideration has to be given to access for servicing or routine maintenance.

I have seen many Hot Tub installations that look nice but are in fact impossible to access. There is no doubt that at some time in the future, access will be needed in exactly the same way that one needs to access the bonnet or hood of a car to change the filters or the battery.

If a Spa is located inside you need to be aware that as the Spa will run at a high temperature it is going to give off some moisture and this could, of course, accumulate on the floors, walls and ceilings in your property. To avoid and combat this area of the location of the Spa will need good ventilation so as to be able to reduce and help eliminate this.

If one does place a Hot Tub indoors, perhaps in a Gym, then obviously there will be a considerable amount of water inside the Jacuzzi. You most consider the implications if for what ever reason a leak occurred.

A child simply opening the drain valve by accident one evening could mean that you might wake up in water.

If it is going to be placed inside a property one has to have an effective drainage system in place and ensure that if there be any leaks that the water can drain away harmlessly.

For most Spa owners the favourite location remains the outside for many reasons.

The main reason is that The Jacuzzi can be used through out the year, that is for a full 365 days, perhaps to warm up on a winters evening or to cool off on a warm sultry day.

Obviously when a Hot Tub is placed outside it will be much more exposed to the elements and when using the Jacuzzi you will need to wear bath slippers or equivalent as you walk to the Jacuzzi to keep the water as clear as possible.

A cover which is insulated is very important irrespective of where the spa is placed. Not only is the cover essential for retaining heat it is a very useful safety feature as it can be locked to stop small children or pets falling in the Spa.

A premier quality American Jacuzzi style Hot Tub is a major investment in your lifestyle.

This is a substantial purchase which might rank third after other substantial purchases like a house or a flat and a motor car.

In order to ensure that your investment in a new life style provides many years of reliable service, it is of course essential that you have a regular schedule of simple but well planned maintenance. That way you will get the best value for your money. There are many simple routine actions that you will need to perform, some more often than others.

I have set out below a few ideas of routine maintenance that one might consider using as a planning guide for maintaining your very own Jacuzzi style Hot Tub.

Daily Water Maintenance

The routine key to daily maintenance is to keep the water in the Hot Tub in tip-top condition. There are three prime functions which are important for ensuring the water in your Jacuzzi is kept crystal clear.

The first action is to carry out a simple check on the sanitizer levels by using Jacuzzi test strips.

These test strips are relatively inexpensive and easily available but one must ensure that you use the correct ones for the chemicals that are being used. By using these strips which is very simple you will be able to see if you need to increase the bromine or the chlorine in the water depending of course on which sanitizer chemical you are using.

I personally prefer bromine as a sanitizer for a couple of reasons.

One of them which, for me, is the deciding factor is that Hot Tubs are used at a much hotter temperature than Swimming Pools and chlorine whilst ok for Swimming Pools quickly loses its effectiveness at a higher temperature.

The second one is that Bromine whilst derived from Chlorine is a much weaker chemical than chlorine but is an equally as good sanitizer.

Obviously one has to use the correct test strips you cannot for example use Bromine strips to check Chlorine or Chlorine strips to check Bromine.

You can also use more natural products such as Aqua Finesse a more natural water based additive where you add a cup full on a weekly basis but you will need to use some sanitizer for the plumbing and pipes like bromine. How ever you are able to use a smaller amount so the actual chemical use is reduced which is very popular for ethical reasons.

Then one needs to regularly check the ph balance of the water in your Jacuzzi. You need to have chemicals that can reduce or increase the ph level basically making the water have a higher acidic level or alkaline so that one can maintain the correct balance.

Then one needs to consider that where a hot tub is used regularly it will accumulate, perspiration, natural oils from the body and other material that could mark the water or tide line.

Normal routine maintenance should include checking for and cleaning any water line so as to make sure that it does not form a permanent stain.

Routine Weekly Maintenance

On a weekly basis, it is well worth considering adding some anti-foaming agent to your Jacuzzi water. Foaming in a Jacuzzi can be irritating when you are in the Jacuzzi.

Cleaning the filter - You should also remove and clean the Hot Tubs filter thoroughly making sure you remove any contamination using a hose pipe or a jet washer set on a low pressure so as not to damage the filter fabric.

Obviously regular cleaning of the filter is very important to ensure the Jacuzzi's long-term efficiency and the cleanliness of the water.

Finally you need to consider how hard the water is where you reside. If one lives in an area, with hard water, then one should add a chemical which is anti-scaling in order to reduce and stop the build-up of deposits of calcium on the floor and sides of one Jacuzzi. The calcium can build up and form a deposit on the sensors of the Jacuzzi that deal with water flow and temperature, which may create problems later.

Monthly Routine Maintenance

It is also a good idea to add a water sparkle agent which will help to keep your Jacuzzi looking bright and clear. This is not a critical issue in the maintenance of your Jacuzzi but of course, the pleasing visual appeal of crystal clear water adds considerably to the experience.

Routine Quarterly Maintenance

Obviously it depends on how many people use the Hot Tub and how often as to when you will need to fully drain, clean and inspect your Jacuzzi say every three to six months. When you drain the Jacuzzi, it is a very good idea to flush some cold water through the pipes after it has been drained to ensure that all the old and stale water has been drained away. When it is empty, one should give the Jacuzzi a good clean and wipe down.

If the Jacuzzi shell is made from Lucite® cast acrylic then these have always been the easiest to clean. These products have taken acrylic surfaces to the next level by incorporating Microban® antimicrobial product protection which inhibits the growth of bacteria.Microban® will not lose its effect over time simply because it is built in the Jacuzzi's surface.

Also at this same time, you should thoroughly clean the filter and at the same time inspect the filtration system. This time the filter should not just be hosed down but soaked over night in some special solution designed for cleaning filter.

Cover Maintenance

Clean the Cover both inside and outside. The vinyl cover should be wiped down using a very mild detergent.Allow the inside to dry out from time to time and wipe down.

The Cabinet Sides

Most modern Hot Tubs have maintenance free plastic sides and all they need is a wipe down with a damp cloth. Those with wooden sides should be treated with wood stain or be oiled as appropriate depending on the timber used.

What are the features that make having ones own Hot Tub so relaxing and attractive?

There are of course many and varied factors here are just a few of them:-

Water Features

Is it perhaps that gentle relaxing sound of the water fall as water flows into the Hot Tub?

LED Lighting

Or could it be those pleasant and inviting Led Lights that can be both inside and outside the Hot Tub with those enticing and attractive lighting effects?

Stainless Steel Jets

Then of course you can have those stainless steel hydro massage jets that help to gently soothe away the aches, pains and stress of modern day life.

Air Blower

In hot weather how nice it is to have an air blower that brings cooler air into the Jacuzzi?

Pleasant Feeling

Is it simply the feeling of that warm water that one submerges into when one immerses into a Jacuzzi?

Buoyancy Effect

Then there is the combination of that buoyancy and semi buoyancy effect. Which takes weight off the joints etc.

Then of course there is the venturi effect of the Air being introduced to the Water Jets there by making an even more powerful massage Jet.

Or is it simply that the combination of all of the above mean that you just feel revitalized when you use a Jacuzzi Hot Tub.

What are the very many advantages of using a Jacuzzi regularly?

Regular users say that it helps to keep ones weight down.

At the same time it can help to make ones body more fit and trim.

It can of course provides relief to stressed Joints and Muscles and helps to release tension.

It can be a great pick you up.

It can help you sleep better.

It helps reduce cramp in your legs and back.

I know of many people who do suffer badly from cramp in their sleep but they do not if they use a Jacuzzi.

How does a Jacuzzi provide these benefits ?

Well many of these reasons are contained within the physical qualities of water.

The viscosity of water will provide a gentle resistance and this combining with a mixture of jetted warm water combined with air jets will help one to be able to improve the condition of aches and pains and at the same time reducing the risk of further injury due to, possibly, loss of balance.

Stretching and exercising is much easier as the concept of pain is much reduced as a result of many inter related factors including the pleasant sounds that combine with the warm water provided by the Jacuzzi thereby making a very pleasurable experience.

Also the semi-buoyancy and buoyancy effect of the water allows one to adopt a much wider range of positions in the Jacuzzi as a result of the semi weightless effect of the water

The effect of hydrostatic pressure improves the lung and heart function, making some simple and gentle exercises a very beneficial way to maintain and strengthen heart and lung function. This hydrostatic pressure effect does help to improve and increase the flow of blood in the muscles

Floatron in Spain for Swimming pools & Hot Tubs

The idea behind the floatron concept is to simply combine solar electricity which is of course at low voltage to provide natural power with the process which creates no harmful by products during the ionization purification process.

What is ionization?

An ion is an atom or group of atoms that has lost or gained one or more electrons. An atom which has lost electrons acquires a positive charge and is known as a cation; an atom which has gained electrons has a negative charge and is called an anion. The process is called ionisation. Well I am sure we all know what that means.

The Floatron unit performs as a free-floating device with an advanced-alloy ultra pure ionizing electrode that suspends below the waterline. We have reports of many people using the Floatron even when they have a pool cover.

As sunlight is converted into electricity by the small light weight photovoltaic panel, the harmless low power current energizes an electrode, causing the release of mineral ions into the swimming pool's surrounding water.

During an oxidation reaction, organic molecules are changed and dissolved metals are made no longer soluble. Interesting is it not that these processes were used at least as long ago as the Romans who put silver and copper coins in their water barrels to keep the water fresh. In America back in the days of the Wild West the wagon trains would keep silver and copper coins in their drinking water barrels to help purify the water. Even in British Naval History as Lord Nelsons ships of the line also put coins into water barrels to keep drinking water fresh.

The ionized water, referred to as mineralized water, safely, naturally, and efficiently eliminates growth of micro-organisms.

Nearly all North American & UK clients who have purchased floatron have had covers on their pools their feedback has been very positive with floatron® working well with the majority of covers cover that float directly on the water. There are two main choices firstly to open the cover enough to float the unit, or cut a 3 inch (~7cm) "X" into the cover which allows the electrodes to remain in the water while the sunlight receptor is exposed to the sun.

Chlorine, tends to lose its potency within hours of its application, also during hot summer conditions it usually experiences a rapid and substantial loss of its performance due to evaporation.

Unlike chlorine, mineral ions produced by the floatron do not evaporate into the ether and in deed these Ions and the Floatron become more effective during hot summer conditions. It is an acknowledged fact that in warmer or hotter outdoor temperatures Ionization process is greatly enhanced.

The use of Floatron is not restricted to Swimming pools they can be used in Hot Tubs also.

Hot Tub Profile when choosing a Hot Tub Jacuzzi Spa

Why do modern Hot Tub and Jacuzzi style Spa manufacturers make masses of different models in various shapes, sizes, designs and specifications? It is because they can't make just one model that suits everyone. People are different shapes, sizes, heights and of course their individual lifestyles vary considerably. Before you go to the Spa dealer, take a few moments to think about why you want to buy a Hot Tub spa and what it is that you want from it.

Read these questions and answer them carefully, write down your answers so that you have a profile to take with you to the Spa dealer.

1. Will you use your spa just for enjoyment and spending quality time with your Family or do you want it for relaxation, hydrotherapy and to help with aches and pains?

2.For most of the time, how many people will use it?

3.Will you have guests round to use the spa and if you will, what is the maximum number you will have in your spa at one time?

4. How tall are the people who will use the spa, are there big differences in height between the tallest and shortest?

5. Will it used every day or just once or twice a week?

6. What times of the day or evening do you think you will use it?

7. How much can you spend on purchasing the spa and having it installed?

8. What is your budget for running your spa on a weekly basis when it has been installed?

9. How much time can you commit to looking after the Spa and keeping it maintained correctly?

10. How much space do you have available for the Spa?

11. Is there good clear access to get a spa to your chosen area?

12. Are you prepared to take some risk to save money by buying on the internet or would you prefer the security of having a local dealer who can support you at all times?

13. Is there free access to all sides of the spa at your intended location or will some sides be inaccessible, (next to a wall etc.)?

14. Is a crane required to install the Hot Tub?

15. Is the proposed location able to bear the required weight of the Hot Tub when filled with water and people.

Now you have answered these questions you are well on your way to having created a Spa Profile, which will assist you, and your dealer in making the correct choice of Spa for your specific needs.

Choosing a Hot Tub in Spain

The shape of modern Jacuzzi style Spas and Hot Tubs continues to evolve at quite a pace with manufacturers introducing more and more models in order to catch the peoples imagination with increasing Jets & Colours.

Some Hot Tubs are square say 2 metres by 2 metres and comparably shallow holding just over some 200 Gallons whilst others are exactly the same size but much deeper holding 300 Gallons.

Some hot Tubs are rectangular and indeed any shape is available that the Hot Tub manufactures believe will generate interest in the market place. For example there are octagonal and now deep round shapes. Also there are Swim Spas those that have a dedicated Swimming area with a special Hot Tub Massage area which are now becoming very popular.

The original Hot Tubs of years ago were circular and made out of wood like very large beer barrels and today some modern Hot Tubs are produced in that shape also. These round Hot Tubs provide a great deep Tub with plenty of Jets and a great Hydro massage effect. At the same time they are very good for friends and the family to get together and have a chat.

Some of the many other things to consider when choosing a Hot Tub are the combination of colours available not only for the shell but also to the cabinet. Some Hot Tub suppliers / manufacturers have quite a limited choice in colours but it is possible to get literally any colour in the shell of a modern Hot Tub.

Do you want a flag say the Spanish Flag perhaps or the British Flag perhaps the Irish Flag or the French Tri-Colour through the shell of your very own Hot Tub of course it is all possible today? Perhaps the colours of your favourite football team or indeed a real life example the racing colours of the Kawasaki Motor Bike racing colours.

Anything is possible today in the modern market place for the consumer to specify exactly the Hot Tub that they want.

Do you want to be able to specify the Jets in your Hot Tub and more than that there location? Yes you can choose the combination and the placing of the Jets in the latest modern Hot Tubs. This gives the consumer the chance to choose exactly what they want and have a Hot Tub custom built for them. No longer is one restricted to the standard ideas made by the manufacturers who are only interested in mass production.

Next time you are looking for a Jacuzzi style Spa - Hot Tub why don't you look out for the new round shapes and the very varied colours that are becoming available.