The Reality of Hot tub ownership

[tubbin]

What the heck...I'm going to rain on this parade. I also have a Tundra and it's a great tub. No issues at all from a quality perspective, however, let me tell you the reality of tub ownership:
 
It's a blast for about one year. You will use it at least 2 times a week,.

Year Two: maybe once a week.  
 
Year Three: once a month, and you will seriously start to question the economics of it all ( yes it's a serious and noticeable energy drain in the winter... In my geographic it's $50/month ).


After that you will continue to listen to that big old heater at 5kw humm away with very, very  little use, but not want to pull the plug as you still use it once a month and you have to justify the 10 GRAND you paid for it!!!!
 
My neighbor has one, my sister has one and two coworkers have one....some have already pulled the plug. Some, like me still have that 10k complex that keeps that heater humming away all winter long...electricity prices aren't getting cheaper
 
Think about it... that thing has cost over 2K in energy consumption (Ohio to Michigan) to run before the warranty even runs out...

[hottubdan]

I have to tell you our customers tell us different.  Hot Spring owners typically use their tubs more than twice a week and not just in the 1st year.  And their energy costs are typically half of what you report.

I do understand you are reporting your reality and a reality shared by many hot tub owners.

I use mine almost daily.

I would like to hear from others on the forum.

[Steve]

I'm sure that's YOUR reality but you certainly don't speak for all of us...

[Gomboman]

tubbin, thank for the perspective. I might be the exception but we still use our spa almost every night--we are in our third year now.

I own a Hotspring Envoy so it may be more efficient to run than your model. Electricity is much more in Southern California than what you pay. I think we are up to $.30 per Kwh. That being said, it's been the best money we've ever spent as a family. We absolutely love our spa. We have friends who have spent much more on boats and RV's that sit in storage.

Good luck and I hope the excitement comes back for you soon......

[Calypso]

We have only had our tub for 7 weeks so our opinion is biased. We are in it at least 8 times a week. We have people in our hiking club that are in theirs everyday and their tub are from the late 90s. Imagine if they were in  todays tubs. One of them is in their tub every morning at 5 AM before work and he has had the tub for 10 years.

Maybe the novelty will wear off for our tub in 5 years.  

BTW we just got out of our second soak today.  

[benalexe]

very interesting perspective and one that I too fear. (even thought I did not pay for the tub)  Here is my take on it though.  I see myself year one leaving it open until Thanksgiving or the first snow just to experience it. Then winterizing it from December to April.   Come the sping and summer the novilaty will be back for us as it will be sitting empty for about half the year. It will also give my electricity a break.

We do not have a swimming pool so this is an alternative.  In addition the kids I think will use it a lot now at this stage of their life to use as a wadign pool and maybe when they get to be teenagers.  

I like to social aspect of the tub.

[Cola]

My reality

My wife does not like to go in - period.  Once every three months for her.  She is laying in bed right now (6:44 AM) with a sore knee and would rather sleep.  We get very little use because I don't like to soak by myself too often.  I have no intentions of getting rid of it but if we ever move - it will likely stay.

As for my water - it is crystal clear, clean, no odour - as good as it gets.  I use dichlor and would not go back to bromine.  It is not a party tub by any means.  Our tub is a Marquis Epic and although I would choose the same tub again if given the choice, for me, this is the last tub fow a long while.

This site is one of my seven tabs that is always open on IE, so I am basicly always online here.  I usually check the postings once a day.  I only tend to reply when somebody needs accurate electrical advice.  God knows there have been some odd questions here, Most of the advice is great, but some of the advice is completely off the wall.

My favorite is when a newbie (same on photography forums BTW) jumps in and starts to give expert advice after just figuring something out.  Talk about a change of topic.

Lets face it -

When anybody here is asked about a choice of several different tubs - they recommend theirs as if to defend their choice.  Why not just offer the pro's and cons.  Everybody has a different fit and price point.  As for off brand tubs, I know a guy who bought an off brand tub four years ago.  He just sold his house - tub stayed.  He said he never had a single issue and he paid half what I did.  He soaks every day - most relaxed guy I know and he has an extremely high pressure job.  He just bought a new Hydropool - "it has an automatic cleaning cycle" he said as he described it and he loves it.

The thing I love about this forum -
People like to trash talk something that they have no experience with - Like J.A. or Cal Spas - I am probably guilty of this myself.  We hear something from somebody we have never met and it becomes law.  I did look at a Cal and was not impressed and I do believe what I have read about J.A. so put me in jail.  (insert the Joker Sound here)

All in all though -

We make purchases every day that we realize we don't need.  Life goes on.  I believe that you get what you pay for - in most but not all cases.  Service from a good or great dealer is paramount (nine letter word - eh).  I bought what I feel is a great tub.  My dealer was an a--.  This forum if for people to come and find out what tubbing is all about - and a whole lot more.

People are afraid to say - " Hey I screwed up"

While tubbin is not using his tub, he (she) will have a lot more time to spend here.  I believe that tub owners are like boaters and that a lot of them just end up looking at their investment over time.

JMHO

Steve

[Spiderman]

We're going on two years now and we're still using it everyday.   Jumping in the tub has become a part of our lifestyle however.  We really feel bummed out if we miss a day.  My 5-year-old daughter gets down right PO'ed if she can't go in      

If you buy a hot tub for the purpose of throwing parties and think your friends are going to be over all the time in the tub, it just doesn't happen like that.  Hot tubs improve your overall well being; sleep better, live better, be better.  It's too bad for those who stop using it.  I wonder if the brand of tub they purchased has anything to do with it.

[benalexe]

My reality


As for my water - it is crystal clear, clean, no odour - as good as it gets.  I use dichlor and would not go back to bromine.  It is not a party tub by any means.  Our tub is a Marquis Epic and although I would choose the same tub again if given the choice, for me, this is the last tub fow a long while.


Steve

Excellent response the analogy about boaters.  Reality is some will use every day and some will not. It is like anything else luxury that you purchase.   Not to get off topic but quick question about your water that reamains crystal clear.    Do you go out to the tub once a week and shock and add dichlor and check the chemicals? Or is it once every few weeks?  Do yo have ozone? Do you use the tub more in the winter or summer?  My wife is not going to go in much eaither but the kids will. In addition, I think guests will.

[Cola]

I never shock.  I buy my dichlor at my local hardware store.  My tub does not have a 24 hour pump.  Default is two - 2 hour cleaning cycles per day - ozone runs during these cycles.  I put in about a tablespoon of dichlor every five days - again not much use here.  I also put in a tablespoon after we use it.  I like to go in with the chems almost at zero but I will add some if we have company coming over.  My PH stays quite stable.  The fact that we use it very little makes for less maintenance.

The tub runs year round.  I get the least use in Jan/Feb but this is one of the best times to use it.

BTW - I am actually looking at a small boat right now - probably something else to leave in the driveway.

Steve

[Brothersean]

Interesting topic!!!,

  I too thought long and hard about what tubbin reports.  I kind of feel bad for him/her.  That big investment!! My wife and I are into this thing  about 20 large so far because we decided to re-do the whole back yard to make our spa the focal point.

  That includes : spa, pad,  tree removal, electric hookup, MAJOR site prep,quad with dump cart  , wall block and process, ect. We still have a LOT to go!!

  We have owned our (shameless plug) Sundance Cameo for 6 weeks now and use it at least 2 to 3 times a day for 1 to 2 hours. (I am semi-retired) .(first electric bill...$33.00 more than previous month @ $.12/Kwh.)

Anyway.....great perspectives everyone!!!

  Spiderman....we realize the same benefits. Better everything!

  Very accurate boating analogy Cola!

  Nice topic hijack Bene  

  Don't hold back Steve!

  and...Nice shameless HS plug yourself HTDan .

[dax]

Approaching 11 months of ownership on our tub.  Although no longer using it every single night, I still use it at least 3 or 4 nights per week.  Yesterday, the wife and I were in it for over an hour early in the morning.  Don't get to do that much, but we enjoyed it.

[Zep]

"It's a blast for about one year.
You will use it at least 2 times a week,.
Year Two: maybe once a week.     
Year Three: once a month"

tubbin why do you think that is?
i tend to think it is "water issues"....but i'm not sure
one of my brother's in Cali only uses his once every couple of months.
it cant really be electrical costs
because people that dont use their tubs normally still have them plugged in

[tinybubbles]

This is an interesting thread.  Tubbin, I'm curious about how long you considered owning a spa before you purchased and the reasons that you bought a tub.  Did your wife want a spa or was it just you?  We've owned our spa for about 8 months.  We used it daily during cooler weather and twice a day on weekends.  We live in the south, so sometimes it's just too warm now to use it.  Any time there's crisp air, we jump in.  We wanted a spa and hardwoods in the house and debated which one to buy first.  We decided on a spa, so that after a long day installing floors we could hop in.  We started the floors this weekend and despite warm temperatures, we were in the spa at the end of the day.  It really helped our aching bodies.  The spa has not effected our power bill in any significant way, so that's a plus.  I have a sister that's owned a spa for about 5 years and they have not missed one single day soaking, unless they were out of town.  Situations like Tubbin's weighed heavily on our minds before purchasing a spa.  Fortunately, that hasn't been an issue for us yet.  I hope it never becomes one.  We really enjoy our spa and have not regretted the purchase for a single moment.

[hottubdan]

Interesting topic!!!,



  and...Nice shameless HS plug yourself HTDan .

 

Thank you.  I saw an opening and I went for it.