Wednesday 21 October 2015

Having a Hot Tub at Home.

I would love a hot tub, a few years ago I worked for a hot tub company as a PA and I decided that in the future I would like to own.....this is still not happened but I hope when we get into our new house we will have room for one in our new garden. Here is a great article about owning one, have a read.

There’s a reason that holiday homes with hot tubs tend to get more bookings than those without but what would it be like to have a hot tub in your own back yard? A survey published by Lloyds Insurance in 2010 suggested that one in ten homes in the UK now has a hot tub and while this seems like a fairly ambitious estimate, it is a figure that has been growing over the last decade. That said, as we all attempt to limit our home energy use as utility costs continue to rise, is there really a place in the home for these pleasure pools? Here are some facts and figures to help you decide if having a hot tub is a possibility for you.

The cost  

*Hot tubs are significantly cheaper and more practical to fit and maintain than a swimming pool, even more so if you decide to fit yours indoors. You can pick up a smaller tub to fit you and a few friends from around £3,000. Larger models and those with added extras such as mood lighting will cost you more, so you should always ask to test hot tubs wet to ensure you are happy with your chosen model before you buy. You’ll also need to consider how and where you’ll fit the tub you choose – if you plan to sink it into decking or a patio area that will incur a cost. If you do want it outside, you’ll also need to think about easy access, external bi-fold doors such as these are one option that will allow you to open up a patio area without losing too much heat from your home. Vufold has some nice wooden doors that fit the traditional spa aesthetic. You may incur extra costs if you choose a particularly large tub that requires lifting with a crane or similar in order to be fitted.
Once you’ve fitted the tub you’ll usually find it needs to be kept to temperature with the help of a secure thermal cover. Costs at this stage will include chemicals needed to sanitise the water as well as electricity for running the heating element. You can expect electricity to cost around £10-£50 per month depending on the size of your tub. While chemicals are fairly inexpensive you may find that you want to hire a professional cleaner to visit regularly and carry out maintenance for you. Maintenance is crucial to keeping hot tubs safe, so you won’t want to skip or skimp on cleaning.

Hot tub and health

If you visit a health spa you’d likely be surprised if there wasn't a hot tub on site. This piece of kit has definitely come to be associated with soothing and relaxing and hot tubs are said to ease joint pain, encourage muscle relaxation and aid sleep. However, along with potential health benefits hot tubs can pose health risks if not maintained and monitored correctly. Because the water in hot tubs is kept warm it’s easier for bacterial and bugs such as Legionella to grow. In addition to keeping your tub clean and sanitised, you’ll want to install extra safety precautions such as asking guests to shower before entering and using a secure thermal cover when your tub is not in use. The cover will help your tub maintain temperature, stop debris landing in the pool and reduce the risk of drowning when the tub is unattended.
Having a hot tub fitted may seem like an easy way to bring luxe living to your home but it is in reality quite a big commitment. It can be expensive to have a hot tub removed, which may put off potential buyers in the future if it’s not really their thing. You’ll need to carry out cleaning tasks of varying intensity every few days and be prepared to shoulder the cost of increased energy bills.

To put the increased costs in context, you might find a local gym nearby that has a tub and offers a monthly membership fee that is similar to the cost of running your own tub. Of course, if you were to choose to head to health club to get your hot tub fix you wouldn't be unwinding in your own back yard after a hard day of work and you might have to compete with strangers to secure a spot next to the jet spray! If you’re still undecided you may want to hire a hot tub to get an idea of how much value it would add for your life.

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