commercial spa vs. hotspring

[bearspa]

After months of reading this forum I have come to the conclusion that there is but one spa to buy for my rental in BigBear and that is Hotspring. My rental company just informed me that San Bernardino county may pass an amendment to the ordinance governing spa's at rental homes, requiring them to be commercial grade only, otherwise your spa will have to be locked up during rentals. This will off course cause an uproar in Big Bear. I would like to be prepared for this should it happen. Anyone have an idea if someone makes an inexpensive (relative) commercial spa around the same cost as a high end hotspring that doesn't look like your typical motel6 spa? Any chance that hotspring has any product classified as "commercial". What is defined by "commercial" in any case?

[East_TX_Spa]

A couple of years ago, HS did offer an inground spa, but it fizzled and is no longer offered.  If you contact the factory, they might have some leftover stock they would be happy to unload.  I believe Hydropool has an inground spa, but it's the only other one I can think of.

Holler at drewstar.  He is great at digging up information quickly.

Good luck!

Terminator

[drewstar]

A couple of years ago, HS did offer an inground spa, but it fizzled and is no longer offered.  If you contact the factory, they might have some leftover stock they would be happy to unload.  I believe Hydropool has an inground spa, but it's the only other one I can think of.

Holler at drewstar.  He is great at digging up information quickly.

Good luck!

Terminator

Actually I was on it.   Not too much, but was left with the impression that one should  check with you local state agency. They seem to set what makes a comercial spa and pool acceptable.  It  seems to vary from state to state.  Most of thei info I gleaned delt with Max depths, decking, sanitizing and plumbing and safety (hand rails, etc).
Check with you local goverment.  OR if this is a condo accosication, they can  write thier own rules. (if that's the case, make sure you are on the board that writes the rules.).


Or,  get teh hot tub installed ASAP and get "grandfathered in" once they set the new rule.

[Iceman]

Sundance has three in-ground models listed on their website, but I don't know if they qualify as commercial spas.

[Chas]

In most cases, a spa has to have certain features to be considered "commercial."

Steps going all the way to the floor in even increments. Many cities require a large flat area at the top of the steps: this means that you have to have a slab of deck exactly the right level to align with the top step. This deck area has to be four feet square in some areas - if the spa is above ground, this deck area must be in place and then of couse it must have hand rail and stiles all around, and the steps going UP to this deck must be equal to each other AND equal to the steps going down into the spa.

Marks at all depth changes: this would mean a line near the nose of each step, and a line near the nose of the bench seats.

All walking surfaces must be flat: hence the "motel 6" look of most commercial tubs. You cannot have any real scoop seats, loungers or other comfort-inducing angles.

Commercial skimmer with balancing valve to balance the flow between skimmer and bottom drain.

Bottom drain.

Light - protected by a dedicated GFI circuit, even if it's low voltage.

A handrail - some jurisdictions require this to go all the way to the bottom of the spa down the center of the steps, others will let you install a rail which sticks way out over the water but still allows the use of a cover at night.

Some cities require an emergency shutoff switch.

Fencing around the area with self-closing gates which have latches at five feet or more above the deck.

Proper signage - and this one makes me giggle: you have to post the emergency number to call. In all of Southern Cal, that number is "911" but I guess they figure somebody might not be able to remember it in a crisis. At a hotel I suppose there could be international visitors...

As a license pool and spa contractor, I have had to put in one or two of these things, and the regulations will change depending upon the mood of the inspector - which is more than frustrating.