Are you thinking about enhancing your backyard with a hot tub or spa? With so many hot tub or spa options out there where does someone start? It can be an overwhelming process. To help you get through this process we put together this guide. It details the things you should consider when buying a hot tub or spa.

What will be the purpose of the hot tub or spa?

The first thing to consider is the main uses of the hot tub or spa. Hot tubs can be used for relaxation, hydrotherapy, fitness and other various uses. Once you have decided on what the primary use of your spa will be, you can set a budget. You can expect your budget to be anywhere from $2,000 – $15,000 depending on the type.

How many people will be using the spa?

Size is important to consider when buying a spa or hot tub. It's important to know how many people will be using the spa. This will help determine how many seats will be in the hot tub as well as how the seating will be laid out. The number of seats you choose will have an impact on how large the shape of the spa will be. This will also affect the location of your spa.

Where will the spa be located?

The proper location of your spa or hot tub is important, because it needs a flat and sturdy surface. Most manufacturers recommend placing your spa on a cement foundation. You may also want to think about other factors like privacy and accessibility. The location can also affect the overall look of your backyard.

What is the material?

Hot tubs and spas come in different types of materials. They can come in acrylic, fiberglass, vinyl, and even wood. The most common hot tub material is acrylic and fiberglass, which provides for longer durability as well as easy cleaning. Acrylic also offers the ability to have contoured seating. This means that you can have seating that will fit the body shape of an adult. It is important to decide which material will work best for your needs.

Do I want any features and accessories?

Today spas and hot tubs come with many extra features and amenities. Some are made to increase the enjoyment of your spa experience, while others can help reduce your worries. Some features can be controlling the temperature easily, or having an automatic shut off. When considering features and amenities it is important to understand howthey will affect the overall price.

What kind of maintenance is required?

Spa maintenance is something that must be done on a regular basis. Maintenance includes sanitizing the water, changing and testing the water regularly, as well as regular cleaning. Regular maintenance can improve the quality of your spa experience as well as extend the life of your spa. It’s important to understand that maintenance costs should be considered when deciding on buying a spa.

Conclusion

As you can see there are some really important factors to think about before buying a spa. It is easy for someone to be overwhelmed when buying a spa. Hopefully this guide has provided the basic knowledge that you will need to know when you are buying a hot tub or spa.

A spa or hot tub can provide much needed hydrotherapy for those looking to relax. With the proper care you can enjoy the benefits of a hot tub or spa for a very long time. To ensure that your spa or hot tub works properly, regular maintenance is important. Let’s take at some of the basic maintenance tips for your spa or hot tub.

Change the water regularly

You want to do this because over time salt from perspiration and other non-organic contaminants will increase which will cause cloudiness or other problems. You will also see your sanitizer start to lose its efficiency because of the higher workload. At the very least the water should be changed every 3 months.

Flush the Spa Plumbing

With every water change flush the inner plumbing of your spa as well. Over time the inside plumbing system of your spa gets coated with oily film, contaminants, and grime. Unchecked, these problems can cause major damage to your spa.

Test the water regularly

Keeping a proper water balance is truly one of the keys to having a beautiful spa or hot tub. Utilizing a simple test strip will make this task really easy. The water should be tested for total alkalinity, calcium hardness, pH, and chlorine or bromine. Make any adjustments by adding the proper chemicals based on the test results. You will want to repeat this process at least once a week.

Use a sanitizer system

Having a good sanitizing system is crucial in hot tub or spa maintenance. Many people use chlorine or bromine, but in recent years mineral sanitizers have become very popular. No matter which method you choose it’s important that you follow the manufacturer directions to get the best results.

Regular cleaning

Various debris can buildup and collect at the bottom of a spa or hot tub. It is important to remove these things immediately. Because of the small water volume, a minimal amount of debris can lower the efficiency of the spa circulation system. An easy way to do remove this debris is to utilize a spa vacuum or spa wand.

Conclusion

It’s important to conduct all necessary daily, weekly, and monthly upkeep on your spas or hot tubs. Although spa maintenance can be a challenge following these easy maintenance tips will give your spa a longer lifespan. This will ensure you’ll be able to relax in the comfort of your spa or hot tub for years to come.

The weather has changed and it’s time to say goodbye to the warm days of summer. It’s time to winterize your inground pool. For the inexperienced this may be a challenge, but with the right tools and knowledge anyone can have a swimming pool ready for the winter in no time.

Why Winterize My Pool?

Winterizing a pool has a couple of benefits. The first is to protect the pool from damage. Freeze damage is common during the winter and occurs from the expansion of ice within the swimming pool system. The damage can be very expensive to repair so it’s best to protect the swimming pool system before this happens.

Another benefit for winterizing a swimming pool is that it helps keep it as clean as possible for the next season. Taking the time to close a swimming pool can save a lot of work when it comes to opening your swimming pool in the spring.

Getting Started

It’s a good idea to have a checklist of the items that are needed for closing a swimming pool. Here is an example of the kinds of products used for closing a swimming pool.

• Water testing kit
• Winterizing Chemicals
• Air Compressor or Shop VAC
• Winterizing plugs
• Skim Insure
• Winter Cover
• Water tubes

STEP 1: Balancing

The first step is to make sure the water is properly balanced. Without proper water chemistry staining can occur. Also improper pH may be very destructive and corrosive to the pool and its equipment. Testing the water can be easily done by utilizing a water testing kit.

STEP 2: Cleaning the Pool

Next make sure that the pool is completely clean. This means scrubbing the walls of any dirt and debris as well as making sure that the swimming pool bottom has been vacuumed. Any dirt and debris left in the water can cause staining so it is important to be thorough in the cleaning process.

STEP 3: Adding Winterizing Chemicals

When the pool is completely cleaned, add the winterizing chemicals. To add the chemicals follow the specific manufacturer’s instructions. Remember to circulate the pool water after adding chemicals for at least 1 – 2 hours. This will ensure that they will be distributed evenly.

STEP 4: Removing Pool Accessories

In the next step remove all the major pool accessories. This includes all skimmer baskets, eyeball return fittings, cleaners, solar blankets, and ladders from the pool. When these items are removed, store them in a safe place for the winter.

STEP 5: Winterizing Pool Lines

The next step is to winterize the plumbing lines within the pool system. Utilizing a shop vacuum or an air compressor you’ll want to blow air from the skimmer, through the equipment and back to the pool. Air should now be coming out of the skimmer lines, return jet lines, and the vacuum line.

While air is being blown through the lines, plug the returns using the winterization plugs. For the skimmer, use a Skim Insure to plug the skimmer line. When using a Skim Insure there will be no need to drain the swimming pool.

STEP 6: Removing Pool Equipment

Now it’s time to remove the pool equipment. Remove the drain plugs from the pump, filter, heater or pool heat pump and chlorinator to allow water to drain out. Make sure all water is drained from these items as any water left in them can freeze and crack. The results can be costly damage to the swimming pool equipment.

To further protect the equipment, store them in a safe place like a basement. For larger the larger items like the heater use specialized heater winter cover.

STEP 7: Using a Winter Cover

The swimming pool as well as the equipment should now be ready for the winter. All that is left is to secure the winter cover. Carefully place the winter cover in position over the swimming pool. It is important to make sure there are no holes or gaps where leaves or debris may enter the pool.

Once the cover is in place it is time to secure it. Using water tubes or aqua blocks to secure the cover to the deck will keep the winter cover in place during high winds. When using water tubes make sure to fill them 2/3 full. With aqua blocks only fill to the designated fill line. The swimming pool is now ready for the winter months.

All Done

Winterizing a swimming pool is a task that anyone can do. With the right tools it can be accomplished in no time. So protect your investment and keep your pool safe this winter.

Your spa or hot tub is an investment and even with the right care it can’t last forever. Sometimes replacing a component can be intimidating but thanks to HydroQuip replacing a component like the control system is easy.

HydroQuip has developed the “SLIDE” Series Solid State Control System to help get your spa or hot tub back into working order. This control system is capable of operating up to 2 pumps or 1 pump and blower. With this system you’ll be able to retrofit practically any spa or hot tub ever made.

Features

The “SLIDE” Series control system comes with a feature that allows the heater to slide from top to bottom. This means you can mount the heater where you need it. It doesn’t matter if it’s the bottom, back, or even remote, this control system is versatile enough for any position.

Another great feature is the Visual Diagnostics System or “VDS”. VDS is a user friendly system to aid in the diagnosis of equipment related issues. Indicator lights inform you of wiring or equipment problems which make it easy enough for anyone to troubleshoot.

Having the “SLIDE” Series Control System will also give you the benefits of HydroQuip’s Lighted Smart Cord. The revolutionary Smart Cords light up when energized. This will indicate when components like the pump, blower, or ozonator have power. This will give you another visual aid to make sure your components are operating properly.

Included in the “SLIDE” Series installation kit are Lighted Smart Cords for the pump, blower, and ozone. There is also a spa side control, thermo-well housing, tailpieces with gaskets, and a spa side adapter plate.

Learn More

The HydroQuip “SLIDE” Series Control System was developed with great features all in a compact and economical design. With this control system you’ll have everything you’ll need to retrofit an old spa or hot tub control system.

If you ‘d like to learn more about the HydroQuip “SLIDE” Series Solid State Universal Control System you can also visit our “SLIDE” Series Control System product page. To learn more about other HydroQuip products please visit our Hydro Quip spa products page.

It’s that time of year again. The weather is cooling down and the leaves are changing their colors. The summer has passed us and fall is here. For many pool owners this means it’s time to close their pools for the winter.

Getting Started

To help you out with this task we put together this how to guide to help you close an above ground pool. Let’s take a look at some of the products we’ll need to do this.

• Water balancing kit
• Pool chemicals
• Winterizing plugs (Double check to make sure you have the right size for your pool)
• Skim In-sure
• Winterball Winterizing Chemical
• Air Pillow
• Winter Cover
• Cover Seal

STEP 1: Water Balancing The first step to closing our pool will be to balance our water. We do this by using our water balancing test kit along with our water balancing pool chemicals. It is important to keep your water balanced as it will help protect the pool from corrosion or scale buildup. Once we have our water properly balanced we can move onto cleaning our pool. STEP 2: Cleaning Your Pool We want to start off by cleaning our pool. We’ll scrub any dirt and debris off the sides of the liner and then vacuum anything on the bottom of the pool. It's important that we get our pool as clean as possible. If we leave any dirt or debris in our pool, staining can occur. STEP 3: Protecting the Skimmer The first thing we’ll need to do is to winterize the skimmer. We will be using a Skim In-sure. The Skim In-Sure will absorb any expansive force from the freezing ice preventing any cracks or damage to our skimmer. Thanks to the Skim In-Sure we will not need to drain the water. This will save us time and money next spring when we are ready to re-open the pool.
	STEP 4: Remove and Plug Eyeball Return Fittings At this point we’ll also want to remove and plug the eyeball return valves with our winterizing plugs. You may need to use a plastic key to remove the eyeball return fittings. Once removed we can then thread a winterizing plug into the niche where the eyeball return fittings were. We’ll want to repeat this process for all the return fittings. STEP 5: Removing Fixtures We can now remove any other fixtures like lights or pool ladders from the pool. We’ll want to use winterizing plugs for any of the niches under the water line. It would also be a good idea to store these fixtures in a safe place like a garage or cellar. STEP 6: Removing Filter and Pump The first thing you’ll want to do when removing the filter and pump is to drain these items of any water. Simply remove the drain plugs on both the filter and filter pump and let the water completely drain. When the filter and filter pump are completely drained we can remove any hoses then store the filter and pump in a safe place away from the elements.
STEP 7: Adding Winterizing Chemicals With everything removed from the pool we can now add our winterizing products. We will be using a winterizing product by SmartPool called the Winterball. Using the Winterball is great because we can just puncture it in the appropriate spots and drop it into the pool. The Winterball will slowly release its chemicals into the pool all winter long, meaning that you won't have to worry about the chemical levels during the winter. STEP 8: Installing an Air Pillow Before we install our air pillow we will want to inflate it about ¾ full of air using a shop vacuum and place it in the pool. The air pillow will sit in the middle of the pool and we'll need to tie the ends to the sides of the pool using string. We want to tie the string tight enough so that the air pillow will not move during cover installation. Don't worry if the air pillow is not centered. We just want the pillow in the general center area so that it will sit beneath the cover. Having the air pillow under the cover will help absorb pressure from freezing water to help protect your pool walls. It will also help keep excess water off of the cover. Now that the air pillow is in place we can put on our winter cover.
	STEP 9: Adding the Pool Cover We will want to start from one end of the pool and while holding one end of the cover walk to the opposite end of the pool. Once the cover is in position we can secure it to the pool using a cable and winch. Just loop the cable over and under through the grommets on the winter cover. We will then want to place both ends through the cinch and tighten until it is secure. STEP 10: Cover Seal Now that the winch is in place we can now use our cover seal to ensure that the cover will not get blown around due to strong winter winds. We simply wrap the cover seal around the edge of the cover. The cover seal will create an air tight seal around our cover and pool. We are now ready for the winter.

Congratulations

You are all done! With the right preparation and the right tools anyone can close their above ground swimming pool. If you have any questions or would like to learn more about any of the products featured in this “how to” guide please feel free to contact us. You can also go ahead and leave a comment below. We’d love to hear from you.

In the world of infrared heaters there are two types of heaters Ceramic heaters and Carbon heaters. Each type of heater has its benefits and to help you decide which heater is right for you we put together this comparison chart. Keep in mind that both types of heaters provide the same infrared waves that can provide you with numerous health benefits.

Ceramic

Carbon

Are you looking for a way to relieve stress and improve health all from the comfort of your own home? Well thanks to Golden Sun Saunas you can get all the health benefits that come along with owning a sauna.

Health Benefits of the Golden Sun Sauna

One of the best health benefits is that the Golden Sun Sauna can increase the circulation in the body, which will help improve overall body function. The Golden Sun Sauna uses infrared waves which provide soothing relief from aches, pains, and tension.

Another great benefit of using a Golden Sun Sauna is that you’ll receive healthy radiant skin. Time spent in a sauna is guaranteed to make you perspire. This is a good thing as the perspiration that occurs will help remove harmful toxins deep in your pores, while increased blood circulation brings fresh nutrients to the surface. The removal of these harmful toxins from your skin helps relieve eczema, acne, and other skin disorders.

The Golden Sun Sauna can also be beneficial as an effective weight loss tool. Spending just 30 minutes in a Golden Sun Sauna can burn up to 600 calories. These calories are burned in the perspiration process. Thanks to Golden Sun you now have an alternative weight loss tool.

Finally the Golden Sun Sauna is perfect as a way to relieve stress and the perfect way to relax. By immersing yourself in up to 141° F of soothing heat you’ll feel instant relaxation. Your stress and tension will just melt away. You can even take your relaxation to the next level thanks to a built-in sound system as well as interior reading lights.

The Golden Sun Saunas are super easy to assemble. This means that you can have a sauna in virtually any room in your home. Thanks to their Solid Hemlock Wood and tongue & groove construction these saunas will last for a long time.

As you can see owning a Golden Sun Sauna can reap many great benefits. If you’d like to learn more about our line of saunas please check out our sauna product page. As always if you have any questions or comments please let us know.

Everyone knows that pool maintenance is not the easiest thing to do. However, did you know that your standard swimming pool filter is not enough to keep metals like iron and cooper that come from your water source out of your swimming pool?

Well now is the time to get with the program to get your swimming pool and spa metal-free with METALTRAP by Hydro Pure Technologies. Now everyone can protect their swimming pool and spa from brown and green stains, which are commonly linked with water source containing metals like iron and copper.

METALTRAP works by utilizing new filtration media materials that does not just treat the water but they chemically react to physically trap metals by removing them permanently. METALTRAP’s patent-pending technology is specifically designed to remove iron and copper from your water source.

Why is everyone hooked on METALTRAP?

• It removes most metals from your water source
• It helps with the sulfur found in well water
• It greatly reduces the chance of staining

There are three sizes available:

• METALTRAP 10: 10,000 gallons
• METALTRAP 25: 25,000 gallons
• METALTRAP 50: 50,000 gallons

Are you looking for a way for your swimming pool equipment to save time, money, and energy? Well then Jandy has the answer for you. Jandy has revolutionized the future of plumbing your swimming pool equipment with the Versa Plumb system.

Jandy has calculated the positioning of the inlet and outlet ports on the Versa Plumb equipment to maximize the hydraulic efficiency while minimizing the equipment space and plumbing requirements. The Versa Plumb equipment was created with all the plumbing connection points aligned vertically and horizontally. This allows for a simple connection to your equipment using Jandy’s Sweep Elbow connector.

By improving the hydraulic system efficiency, the Versa Plumb can noticeably reduce your swimming pool operating costs by reducing the necessary filtration time and lowering of the electrical load on your circulation pump.

• Heater, 3-Port Cell and Pump ports align with a Jandy Sweep Elbow
• Minimizes space requirements
• Union connections for ease of installation and service
• Improves hydraulic efficiency

• Heat Pump, 3-Port Cell & Filter ports align perfectly
• Pump & Filter ports align with a Jandy Sweep Elbow
• Great for small equipment areas
• Improves hydraulic efficiency