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Frequently Asked Questions
Whether you already have a hot tub, swim spa, or swimming pool, or you’re considering purchasing one, you may have questions. This list of frequently asked questions about hot tubs is meant to assist you with clear and simple solutions. If the answer to your question is not below, please feel free to get in touch with our store. Our team of hot tub experts would be more than happy to assist you.
When selecting the best possible space for your hot tub, it is important to ensure the following: The ground on which it sits at must be level, solid and smooth enough to support the overall weight of the tub, as well as the water and extra accessories. It is important to also consider convenience, appearance and proximity to necessities such as water and power. Potential hazards such as overhead power lines and large trees should also be noted and avoided.
Make sure to select a site that gets good drainage and is not surrounded by puddles and/or mud. On top of that, assure your area does not block access to your septic tank, sewage lines and any other utilities connected to your household.
Taking care of your hot tub during the cold winter season can be tough. If you don’t want to deal with it, you can winterize your spa. Not sure how? Strong Spa will walk you through the process in this video.
Jets work to stimulate blood flow to tired muscles. It is not necessarily the case that more jets are better. Jet positioning is far more important than how many jets you have because it’s the positioning that decides where the water stream lands, preferably, on your muscles and not your skeleton. Look for jets to work in pairs, massaging muscles each side of the spine.
Hydrotherapy is simply using heat, massage, and buoyancy to help alleviate the symptoms of conditions like arthritis and muscle pain. Warm water dilates blood vessels and can increase blood flow to sore or damaged tissues, which can help tired or overworked muscles recover. Beachcomber’s patented FlexJets relax tense muscles gently massage away the stresses of the day. This massage can also improves circulation and accelerates the body’s natural healing process.
LEEP tubs have the Internal Eco-Pak system built inside the hot tub cavity. Hybrid tubs have Energy Saver Management System in a Cab-Forward Engineered Pack underneath our tiered steps which make for easy access to the system. LEEP tubs do not have our Hush Pump System as part of the standard features whereas our HYBRID hot tubs do.
One pump can be enough to give you the therapeutic experience you want. Remember not all hot tubs are created equal; many manufacturers have very different interpretations on horse power, numbers of jets etc. All of these factors will impact or have some relationship to what experience you will achieve in your spa.
More frequently asked questions
One of the great services that the retail Beachcomber store offers is computer water analysis. They can quickly and accurately test a sample of your water. They can give you a simple ‘recipe’ sheet on what to add to ensure clear, clean water. Depending on the water care system you are running, follow the directions on the labels. Beachcomber Water Care offers a number of different systems, including the Care Free system. Care Free is an easy to use, once a week program with shocking as needed depending on usage. Always follow the directions on our water care product labels, they are governed and carefully worded to give you the correct information on usage.
The spa water is sanitized using either Chlorine or Bromine but the clarity of the water relies on the water passing through the built-in filtration system. Depending on the manufacturer this can be achieved in two ways;
Timed Filtration – A system can be designed so that the large jet pump is programmed to run on its low speed setting for a predetermined length of time, pulling water into the filter and removing particles. The limitations to a system such as this is are that the jet pump has to run for a minimum period of 4 hours, twice a day, which can be noisy and not very energy efficient. Also, because the jet pump is filtering and pushing the water through the heater there are a number of restrictions to the water flow that slow the flow of water to the jets when high speed is engaged. This method is used mainly to save money because if you don’t have to install a circulation pump you save money but remember a spa without a circulation pump is a lesser product.
Continuous 24/7 Filtration – a dedicated small circulation pump to perform water filtration. This small pump uses very little energy, is quiet and ensures your spa water is always crystal clear. A bonus of this system is that the now dedicated 2-speed jet pump is available to be plumbed directly to the jets to give the maximum flow of water.
For your convenience we also carry filter savers and offer filter cleaning services.
Once you neutralize the water with Beachcomber’s Neutralizer product you can drain onto the grass-away from your tub, or per your municipal guidelines. Follow the directions on the label, and add directly to the water. Always read and follow the dosage instructions on Beachcomber water care products.
The Pros of using urethane foam:
It is used primarily to insulate the hot tub against the environment therefore reducing operating costs.
Secondly it can be used as a substitute to structural support where there is little or no frame structure. Imagine a large block of foam with everything trapped inside.
The Cons of using urethane foam:
Urethane spray foam used for insulating hot tubs is a two part chemical product that when mixed, results in an expanding foam component. It is used under strict safety codes because of the unhealthy ‘off gassing’ fumes.
The resulting foam expands into the cavities of the hot tub solidifying as it cures sealing all ventilating apertures. We all have to breathe, so does your hot tub. Preventing air circulation inside the cavity of the hot tub creates the perfect condition for possible future mold growth.
Once the hot tub has been foam filled it is extremely difficult to service the tub particularly if you experience a water leak in the complex plumbing underneath the tub. A simple plumbing defect can take hours to trace and repair. Tracing the leak becomes more difficult than the actual repair.
The biggest problem occurs after the repair has been completed and you have taken out the wet foam to reach the leak area? What do you use to replace the insulation you have removed? Usually this is done with an expensive canned substitute of the foam which inevitable does not have the same insulation properties of the originally installed foam – in other words it is being replaced with a substitute that may possibly affect the insulation qualities of the hot tub. There is also the problem of discarding the saturated foam which must be packed separately and isolated from normal garbage.
Any water contamination from the internal plumbing deteriorates the foam creating a sludge that is prone to mold growth and if the foam has been used as a structural substitute, this can possibly weaken the spa.
Our tests show that the insulation benifits of partially removing some insulation from one side of the hot tub are outweighed by replacing the insulation with electronic equipment and two electric motors, each one generating surplus heat. In fact the two motors generate so much heat that we evacuate the surplus heat and pipe it to the air intakes of the spa jets, thus supplying warm air automatically when the jet pumps are engaged.
Practical to use; anyone can handle it safely. Sold in most hardware stores this amazing material is readily available.
Can be removed and replaced without instruction, just use a common sense approach when handling this material.
Roxul is fire retardant. Even when held to a naked flame it will not ignite.
Environmentally prudent; disposal, if required, can be the same as with any house hold garbage.
Water repellent. If a leak occurs in the tub it cannot damage the ROXUL. Being water repellent, moisture will pass right through the Roxul leaving it completely dry.
Deterrent against rodents because it is an inert material made from lava rock that cannot be eaten or affected by animals.
Recyclable; there is no need to throw it away. Just store it in a dry enviroment for future use.
Roxul has an R Value equal to or better than traditional insulation materials including low density open cell urethane foam.
Roxul is used in many commercial and residential buildings costing millions of dollars. Does it make sense to use such an amazing material in a product costing much less, OF COURSE IT DOES, that is why we led the way by using ROXUL as an insulating system in all H2O Spas.
How much is your house worth? hundreds of thousands of dollars? Most houses are now built using ROXUL Insulation, it makes sense to use it as an insulator in your hot tub.
Helps reduce equipment noise. ROXUL is renowned for its ability to capture noise and is used extensively as a noise barrier.
Location, location, location Always make sure that your hot tub is located as close to the house as possible. It has to be convenient especially when using the hot tub during our Saskatchewan winters. If you intend using your hot tub frequently, then close to the house makes sense; protection from the weather while accessing the hot tub is essential.
It is very easy to maintain your hot tub.
The first task is to make sure your spa is visually clean. That means that you have cleaned the acrylic surface. This can be achieved by simply wiping the acrylic surface with a clean cloth and no detergents or cleaning liquids other than those designed specifically for the purpose. The acrylic surface will not withstand abuse with harsh chemicals or toxic cleaners.
Do not use any chemicals on the cabinet, acrylic surface or on the equipment.
Most hot tubs are made from acrylic, fiberglass and plastic. These materials have been chosen for their longevity and ability to look new even after years of use.
We have measured the cost of using your hot tub under normal use conditions. How you use your spa can greatly influence the cost of operation and obviously some people will use their tub more or less often, in which case, the average may not apply to them. Our research along with the feedback of our customers’, suggests that an average monthly Hydro cost should run between $15 and $30 depending on your location.
Yes, here is the reason why. If the cover is not properly fitted onto the spa when not in use, the heat will escape and cool the water. When this happens the electronic controller will call for heat from the heater until the required temperature is reached. The call for heat will continue indefinitely until the temperature is maintained. If you lose heat from the cover it will cost you money. So, make sure the cover is always properly fitted.
The simple rule for leak detection is water loss. If you observe a reduction in the water level of your spa you should refill the tub to your desired level and check again at the same time the next day. If the same loss occurs call us and explain the circumstances.
Another indicator is that you see evidence of water stain on the pad underneath the hot tub. If it is persistent and maybe worsens, again, call us.
Do not attempt to repair the spa even if you locate the leak; the spa is made from specialty parts and is best left to the service technician. Read the warranty claim document to make sure the repair is covered under warranty. If the warranty has expired we can still repair it for a reasonable fee.