Austinite

I don't have a hot tub, but a close friend with a bad back swears by his! I've been in the hot tub several times and it is very nice, however here it's just too hot most of the year here in Texas and I'm also not very tall and there's not a single seat in his tub where I can sit all the way back and keep my head above water. I ended up kind of floating above the jets in the seats lol. Check with your doctor, my friend was able to not pay sales tax due to having a prescription for the hot tub. Definitely worth checking out!

craftiladi

Wow Gorgeous view, I would be out there every chance I got. Huge thanks for all the great responses as we also are considering this purchase. Has anyone ever had the ones that are like a big rubber round tub, I think they are called plug n play. But here in the desert, that type of material probably wouldn't last long. But would love to hear from anyone that has or had one as they are very affordable & tempting.

Peckish

We've had a hot tub for years. First one was older and smaller, second one is larger. My biggest complaint about the larger one is I cannot lift the cover by myself. I have to have my husband or one of my sons help me, or I don't sit in it at all. Make sure you can lift the cover, or get a lift for it.
In the winter, hubby likes it cooler while I prefer warmer temps. Summertime we let it cool down quite a bit which is nice since we don't have AC.

topazann

I’ve had a Wayfair hot tub for about two years now. If you just take a few hours once every three/four months to drain it and clean it (and the filters) you’ll be fine. I clean my empty tub with a very mild vinegar water solution and a soft towel. Then fill her up and maintain the chems (not hard) and you’ll be fine. Expect about a $25-35 increase in your energy bill (about a dollar a day) and buy the chemicals in bulk to save money. But it is like a living pet: you have to be responsible and take care of it or it will probably become a bad pet that you don’t want to keep around. You cannot turn it off and forget about it (especially if you live somewhere where the temperature dips below freezing-it will kill a turned off hot tub).

Up North

If and that is If we empty clorine keeps ours clear and doing well/

craftiladi

Huge thank-you for the great advise

my-ty

We use our hot tub year round. We purchased a hot tub that can handle our winter temperatures and our length of winter. Here are some things to consider when looking for a hot tub:

• sit in the tub (Check are the seats, water depth, layout comfortable for you. Make sure you and your hubby each have a seat that you love and that it isn't the same seat!)
• decide on the bells and whistles you need - don't pay for things you don't want or wont use.
• size of tub (How many people? Will you be hosting parties or will in be one or two people at a time?)
• fabulous isolated cover is a must (Heat loss will be through the cover and sides, not the bottom. Remember heat rises, so you want the great isolation on the cover to keep the heat it. Isolation on the sides protect against winds and loss of heat through the sides. The heater is located at the bottom of the tub, and is enough to protect the bottom. It's like an igloo, the walls/roof keep the warmth of the people inside the igloo and nobody worries about what's on the ground).
• strength of cover (we chose a cover that not only supports the weight of the snow but allows us to stand on it to shovel the snow off)
• tub location (have you a prepared location or does it need to be created? proximity to the house, will you need roof shelter or wind breaks or can this be added later? Tubs are extremely heavy - most existing decks are not designed to support this weight. Safety for pets and children, how are you protecting them?)

Things we have learned:

• Calculate the cost of replacing water vs. adding chemicals. Many times it is cheaper and faster to just empty and refill the hot tub!
• Soaps and body lotions cause problems with water quality. We rinse our bathing suits in tap water and only launder them periodically. If you use lots of lotions or oils, a quick shower before using the hot tub makes a difference.
• We replace our water as late in the fall as possible because replacing water in the middle of winter would be challenging.
• At some time we will add a temperature sensor monitor, because frozen pipes would be a major expense. A small portable heater will work if the hot tub heater breaks (just place it under the tub). This is important if you have to wait several days for service or parts.

Hope this helps.

craftiladi

my-ty...huge help, thank-you