Learned something new today--now need suggestions on tubs with ABS pans

[Kaisermust]

Well, living in upstate NY we get quite a few little critters (field mice) in our cellar in the winter, trying to escape mother nature's cold.  I'm sure with my nice warm hot tub they will seek refuge there as well so we wanted a spa with an ABS pan, a sealed bottom, or 90%+ sealed bottom.  Had decided on Caldera and called the factory today.  Tech support person says none of their spas--Caldera, Hot Springs or Hot Spot have the bottom enclosed.  Just "a sheet of thin plastic stapled to the bottom frame of the tub."  What a disappointment.  So now we're seriously re-thinking what we want to buy.  Suggestions please on 3/4 person tub with a lounger with straight back, another seat with armrests and wrist and back jets.  To be used 90% of time by two people but want a variety of seats we can use.  Who makes spas enclosed on the bottom??? Or have others retro-fitted their spa bottom to keep unwanted vermin out before laying it down on the deck? 

[Spatech_tuo]

Well, living in upstate NY we get quite a few little critters (field mice) in our cellar in the winter, trying to escape mother nature's cold.  I'm sure with my nice warm hot tub they will seek refuge there as well so we wanted a spa with an ABS pan, a sealed bottom, or 90%+ sealed bottom.  Had decided on Caldera and called the factory today.  Tech support person says none of their spas--Caldera, Hot Springs or Hot Spot have the bottom enclosed.  Just "a sheet of thin plastic stapled to the bottom frame of the tub."  What a disappointment.  So now we're seriously re-thinking what we want to buy.  Suggestions please on 3/4 person tub with a lounger with straight back, another seat with armrests and wrist and back jets.  To be used 90% of time by two people but want a variety of seats we can use.  Who makes spas enclosed on the bottom??? Or have others retro-fitted their spa bottom to keep unwanted vermin out before laying it down on the deck? 

Their tech support said they don't have enclosed bottoms or that they don't use a base pan? All premium spas are enlcosed at the bottom whether its a ABS pan or some other method. Not all use an ABS bottom pan but the Caldera should have abs flat sheet stapled to the bottom while the Hot Springs will have a hard resin sprayed to the bottom that critters can't get through. Call the dealers and ask them and maybe have them show you then you're there. I can't see you needing to retrofit anything.

[Dr. Spa™ Ret.]

Someone please splane to me. If the spa is sitting on a concrete pad, hows these meeces getting in through the "bottom"?

Through the sides, and bottom edges/corners I can understand. But 4000 pounds of weight, sitting flat on concrete....? I thought Mighty Mouse was make believe :-)

[ndabunka]

Well, living in upstate NY we get quite a few little critters (field mice) in our cellar in the winter, trying to escape mother nature's cold.  I'm sure with my nice warm hot tub they will seek refuge there as well so we wanted a spa with an ABS pan, a sealed bottom, or 90%+ sealed bottom.  Had decided on Caldera and called the factory today.  Tech support person says none of their spas--Caldera, Hot Springs or Hot Spot have the bottom enclosed.  Just "a sheet of thin plastic stapled to the bottom frame of the tub."  What a disappointment.  So now we're seriously re-thinking what we want to buy.  Suggestions please on 3/4 person tub with a lounger with straight back, another seat with armrests and wrist and back jets.  To be used 90% of time by two people but want a variety of seats we can use.  Who makes spas enclosed on the bottom??? Or have others retro-fitted their spa bottom to keep unwanted vermin out before laying it down on the deck? 

Jacuzzi & Sundance are made by Sundance and all have ABS pans on their bottoms

[d00nut]

Well, living in upstate NY we get quite a few little critters (field mice) in our cellar in the winter, trying to escape mother nature's cold.  I'm sure with my nice warm hot tub they will seek refuge there as well so we wanted a spa with an ABS pan, a sealed bottom, or 90%+ sealed bottom.  Had decided on Caldera and called the factory today.  Tech support person says none of their spas--Caldera, Hot Springs or Hot Spot have the bottom enclosed.  Just "a sheet of thin plastic stapled to the bottom frame of the tub."  What a disappointment.  So now we're seriously re-thinking what we want to buy.  Suggestions please on 3/4 person tub with a lounger with straight back, another seat with armrests and wrist and back jets.  To be used 90% of time by two people but want a variety of seats we can use.  Who makes spas enclosed on the bottom??? Or have others retro-fitted their spa bottom to keep unwanted vermin out before laying it down on the deck? 

Certain Hot Spots and Caldera's have a sheet of plastic stapled to the bottom, most will have the sprayed on resin.  They resin is just as critter-proof as the ABS pan.  The Limelight line made by Watkins also has the ABS pan as well.  I would not be worried about critters getting up into the bottom of a Hot Spring, I've seen it happen zero times.  Just make sure the equipment is sealed off to unwanted guests.

-D-

[Kaisermust]

To clarify, the Caldera factory tech said the Caldera Kauai (the one I'm interested in) only has a sheet of poly film "stapled to the underside."  So I guess this model has no sprayed on resin.  He didn't differentiate and tell me other models in their line had the sprayed on resin, just told me none of their spas (Caldera, HS & Hot Spot) have anything more than a sheet of plastic which we all know critters can chew through easily.  He made it seem rather flimsy at best and did nothing to allay my fears about mice getting into the bottom of the tub.  My tub will be setting on my elevated deck and the decking boards are spaced a pencil width apart.  Small field mice can squeeze into tiny spaces and in the winter I don't want them finding a cozy home in my hot tub, rather than my cellar where we can set traps.  DOOnut you stated <<Just make sure the equipment is sealed off to unwanted guests>> so what exactly do you mean by that?  My husband has had trouble with mice chewing through the insulation and electrical wires in the engine compartment of his truck when he leaves it parked outside in the winter.  And his engine is only warm for an hour or so after he shuts it off.  I can imagine the mice would find my nice warm spa bottom a field day  and night (no pun intended).  Or am I being over-paranoid about this??  For those of you who have spas in cold winter climates have you discovered (I guess only if you've had to have your spa repaired) any signs of critter habitat in your spa?
 

[Spatech_tuo]

The bottom of that Caldera should be hard abs sheet, not a film (again, ask dealer). Mice aren't going to chew through ABS sheet or an ABS pan.

[Dr. Spa™ Ret.]

To clarify, the Caldera factory tech said the Caldera Kauai (the one I'm interested in) only has a sheet of poly film "stapled to the underside."   just told me none of their spas have anything more than a sheet of plastic which we all know critters can chew through easily.
 

I think you're making an incorrect assumption here. This is not a plastic sheet like a bag they put your groceries in or a plastic drop cloth, but a VERY THICK AND HEAVY "sheet" of plastic. Think of something more like plastic mat board. Mice aren't going to chew through it. You probably should go look at the underside of one of these spas to see exactly what it is.

To give you some reference, technically, a spa shell is made from a "sheet of plastic".

[passmaster16]

My Caldera Palatino was delivered last week and it did have a piece of heavy black poly plastic stapled to the bottom..certainly not spray resin.  I just figured this would protect the wood base.  Mine sits on a gravel base so it was never a concern to me.