SHELL

The part that contains the water the actual Hot Tub is referred to as the Shell. A good acrylic shell like one from Lucite or Quarite both top quality North American manufacturers who have been around for a long while. Something like 30 to 40 years so they know their onions, as I would say.

A layer of ABS with proper hand laid glassfibre to provide added strength and rigidity to the shell Some times a cheaper way of production is to use a fiberglass backing or a high-density polyurethane foam or sometimes combination of the two in my view that is an outdated mode of construction and less green for the planet than the system using ABS. The layer of ABS is stronger and a better and more modern way to build. I have heard it say that some makers claim that they use the foam to keep the noise in the pumps down well all I can think is that it is a badly designed Tub in the first place if it makes so much noise that it needs sound proofing.

CABINET

This was traditionally made of real wood, but now more and more a weather resistant plastic is used . The latest cabinets are attractive and maintenance free. The cabinet contains all the major components of the Hot Tub such as pumps, plumbing ,motors and heaters, etc.,. This is what earns the Jacuzzi the term as being “portable” the in ground spas are of course not portable but on al those cases they have a separate pump house away from the Jacuzzi.

PUMPS

Various pumps are used perhaps a separate circulation pump depending on the design of the Hot Tub. Pumps are designed to push a high volume of water into the Jets of the hot tub, creating various hydrotherapy massage streams. The number of motors and pumps is in direct relation to the actual size of the Hot Tub the number of jets and the degree of therapy delivered. Some careful consideration and calculations are required in order to be able to assess the water volumes and the required. Modern Hot Tubs will use a manifold plumbing system in order to ensure efficiency in the plumbing and at the same time keep the operating noise to a minimum.

So we have a shell some pipe work what else do we need .

JETS

Some Jets would be a good idea to introduce the water into the Hot Tub and here I would suggest not those that simple bullet hole type that are un adjustable and are merely copied from decades ago but those that are fully adjustable. I would not buy a Hot Tub if the majority of the jets were unadjustable.

SUMMARY

As with most things in life you tend to get what you pay for so it pays to buy quality from an established manufacturer who has been around for decades rather than a cheap import.

The Author Jacuzzi John (JJ) markets luxury Hot Tubs in Spain and for further information please go to his web site at Marbella Hot Tubs