Annualized filter costs for various mfg's?

[Gomboman]

I was wondering what the approximate annualized filter costs are for the larger spa manufacturers?  

I understand that Sundance now has disposable filters for the 05' line?  I could be wrong, but that doesn't sound like a good thing for the consumer.   It reminds me of the Inkjet manufacturers giving away the printer but charging heavy prices to replace your inkjet cartridges.  Hotspring claims you can clean their new filters in the dishwasher.  I'm not sure of the routine for Marquis, Caldera, D1, etc.  

Does anyone have a breakdown for these scenarios?  Is it something to consider before purchasing a new spa?

[Brewman]

I'm not quite sure I'd equate it with inkjet cartridges, which in some cases, cost MORE to replace than the printer.  But I see your point.
 I look at it this way:  You're spending anywhere from $6K on the low end to maybe $10K or better for a spa, plus another couple grand for the foundation and electrical.  
From then you spend a several hundred or more per year on power, and a few hundred for chemicals.  
I go thru $60 worth of Sundance microfilters per year.  
Let's call that $5 per month.  I figure my allocated expense for the pleated filters is maybe $3 per month, so a total of $8 per month for filters.  
Not a really big concern, in my opinion.  
Not sure how that compares to the other major spa makers.  Or how it compares to the new sundance filters, other than it eliminates buying filter cleaners.  
For those who don't like the disposable filter concept, it is possible to change to a permanent filter, and eliminate the slight extra cost for the toss outs.
I'd never let something like that steer me away from a spa I otherwise liked a lot.

Brewman

[nicker]

I guess it depends on what spa you have an how many filters.  For me I have two and I have purchased a extra two filters to rotate.  The cost of my filters aprox $50.00 CDN each.  I run one set of filters and at the end of the month take them out and swap them with my clean ones.  The dirty ones go in the solution and get cleaned and sit for a month and swap out again. I figure I should get a couple years maybe longer out of my four filters.     I like this method and am sticking with it.

I am not to sure of those disposible ones.  Couple reasons.  I think the cost of them will end up being much more then regular filters, and not sure if they break down but think of the extra garbage going to the dump.  Also a friend of mine got one with his new tub and it started to break apart and he had floating filter all over his tub.

[Chas]

I would like to hear from Sundance owners on this question:

Have you ever had the MicroFiliter go out in one sitting?

I had a customer come in trying to buy them from me. This happens off and on - the Sundance dealer is ten miles away and folks simply want to save the drive if they can.

But this one particular customer said that their teenager got into the tub with suntan lotion on and plugged up the two-day-old micro filter in a matter of minutes. They had to drain, clean, refill and then go buy another MicroFilter.

With a regular filter, a quick spritz with Instant Filter Cleaner, or a soak of a few hours in regular Filter Cleaner would have put the filter back into operation, perhaps without draining the tub. They drained it because the filter plugged up so fast that they assumed that if they replaced the filter the new one would plug up as any remaining lotion found it's way into it.

My question - does this happen often? Was this customer wrong - perhaps the filter was salvageable somehow, or was there more abuse than just the one teenager admitted to?? Obviously, an oiled-up person getting into any tub is going to make a mess, but would you have to run out and buy a filter?

[J._McD]

Too ambiguous to really measure.  Some of our customers throw out the pleated, cleanable filter because they don't want to clean them.  They are the exception.

I agree about the landfills but it certainly seems that we have become a throw away society looking for the easiest way our.

The real issue here is CLEAN water.  Filters to clean or filters to throw away.  By the time you consider the hassel of time and cleaning agents required and the frequency it is really a toss up.

As a seller, I am a little sensitive to the cost of a disposable filter, but 90% of our shoppers seem to like the idea of little to now maintenence.  But, I would look for some improvements here in the future.

If you are on well water, we would suggest using a pleated filter or a pre-fill filter on the initial fill to prolong the life of the 5 micron filter.

Did you notice the synthetic cabinet, no maintenence.  There are a lot of "synthetic" cabinets out there, but this one is "exceptional".  And, the concept they are dealing with is consumer friendly, minimal maintenance required.

[Chris_H]

Did you notice the synthetic cabinet, no maintenence.  There are a lot of "synthetic" cabinets out there, but this one is "exceptional".  And, the concept they are dealing with is consumer friendly, minimal maintenance required.

Did that come straight from Rand?

[nicker]

WOW , I can not believe that people would through out a pletted filter becuase they are to lazy to clean it.  That is basically what it boils down too.  LAZYNESS.  I mean really how much effort does it take,  hummmm lets see

1. take out old filters and rinse them off
2. place filters in bucket of containing cartridge cleaner (let site 12 hours)
3.  take filters out and rinse again
4. place filters out to dry

30 days later repeat.  WOW that was allot of work totalling about 5 entire minutes maybe I need to go have a nap.

Also the cartridge cleaner is under $10.00 cdn and I can use it for 6 months so for under $20.00 a year I can clean my filters 12 times.  

Its the society we live in I guess people are just getting lazy.  Do these people that can't spend the 15 minutes a week on their tubs have people come over to use the tub for them too

[J._McD]

Chas, I think this is an unusual situation and IMO could have been hosed off on the surface before pulling the oils deeper into the fiber element.  

Thank heavens it was only a $14 filter.  We had a similar situation who had five filters in their new spa and they had special filters, but they used the wrong stuff to clean them and had to toss out 5 really expensive filters.  

Boy, was he upset with the dealer, but I don't think it was the dealers fault and told him so.  The customer didn't know he couldn't do certain things with Bq and that was one of them.  But, he was still steaming even though we tried to stick up for the dealer.  He was still mumbling on his way out the door about $400.

"Money is Money" he said and they should have told him.  I suppose it's the same with suntan lotion.  Besides, teenagers change all the rules and there were probably more than one lathered up with lotions and oils.  I know you have been there before.

[Brewman]

As far as the micro question on the Sundance, we've never had one clog up before it was due for replacement.
But we've never had a situation come up that pushed the water quality.
I try and keep a spare microfilter on hand just in case.
Brewman

[fletch49]

WOW , I can not believe that people would through out a pletted filter becuase they are to lazy to clean it.  That is basically what it boils down too.  LAZYNESS.  I mean really how much effort does it take,  hummmm lets see

1. take out old filters and rinse them off
2. place filters in bucket of containing cartridge cleaner (let site 12 hours)
3.  take filters out and rinse again
4. place filters out to dry

30 days later repeat.  WOW that was allot of work totalling about 5 entire minutes maybe I need to go have a nap.

Also the cartridge cleaner is under $10.00 cdn and I can use it for 6 months so for under $20.00 a year I can clean my filters 12 times.  

Its the society we live in I guess people are just getting lazy.  Do these people that can't spend the 15 minutes a week on their tubs have people come over to use the tub for them too

Lazyness?  So a person is going to go to the trouble of buying a spa, doing weekly maintanance on the water and they are too lazy to rotate filters? I don't think so.

I buy disposable filters because they filter smaller particles, and because of that, I would say they do a better job then reusable filters.

[Soakin]

Lazyness?  So a person is going to go to the trouble of buying a spa, doing weekly maintanance on the water and they are too lazy to rotate filters? I don't think so.

I buy disposable filters because they filter smaller particles, and because of that, I would say they do a better job then reusable filters.

I had the impression that  Nicker was talking about J McD's post of people throwing out reusable pleated filters because they didn't want to clean them , not people who use the disposable filters that are designed for their spa.

By the way, isn't the word laziness?  I ought to know, my wife uses it to describe me all the time!

Look at that -- trying to make peace with one hand, stirring the pot with the other.  Kind of like rubbing your tummy and patting your head at the same time... or is it vice-versa?

[Gomboman]

Thanks for the replies.  It doesn't seem like a show stopper either way.  I was thinking it would be a huge advantage to clean them in the dishwasher instead of buying new ones a couple of times per year.

[Brewman]

Other than the "Should you or should you not clean your filters in the dishwasher" debate.  

 The place I buy my chemicals from cleans our filters for no charge.  So that saves me some money on filter cleaner.  See if your potential dealers offer that service.

Brewman

[tonyp]

I actually cleaned my tri-x filters in the dishwasher this time.  Came out cleaner than with filter cleaner.  No mess, no hose, no chemicals - how much easier can you get.

[tony]

My micro clean filters have always lasted four months.  I generally rinse off the micro clean monthly when I swap out my pleated filter with a cleaned one.  At the end of four months, they usually look ready for changing, but not really bad.  This winter was an exception.  It looked very dirty.  I swapped my pleated filter once after two months and did not rinse the micro clean.  Needless to say, my water was getting a little difficult to manage near the end.  Thank goodness for fresh water and clean filters.  I won't try that again.