Hot Tub Q & A

Q. What's the difference between a hot tub and a jacuzzi?
A. Hot Tub is a generic term. Numerous companies supply them. However, Jacuzzi is a brand name. Jacuzzi has been making hot tubs in California since 1968. These days, they are just one of many good brands on offer.

Q. Does sitting in a spa really reduce stress and blood pressure?
A. Many leading medical authorities believe so. They also consider that a spa or hot tub is useful in healing sports injuries, arthritis and after orthopaedic surgery. But many of us simply find that it is a delightfully sensuous luxury.

Q. Can electricity and water really co-exist safely?
A. They do in your washing machine and your steam iron. You must have a qualified electrician make the watertight connection to your mains supply, but a competent person can then connect the hot tub to this using an RCD. Always consult your BISHTA registered installer about this first.

Q. How often should I change the water?
A. It depends on how frequently you use your hot tub. Your BISHTA supplier will advise you on the best practice for your particular model, but BISHTA standards recommend as a broad rule of thumb that you should change the water about every 12 weeks.

Q. Must the hot tub be connected to the main water supply?
A. No. Most people just use a hosepipe to top it up.

Q. Could I buy a chemical-free hot tub?
A. Like swimming pools, all hot tubs need disinfectant chemicals to maintain a safe bathing environment. Be very careful about claims that you can run a hot tub without chemicals. So far, nobody has come up with anything as effective as chlorine, bromine or other halogens for killing bacteria in water.

Q. What about maintenance?
A. Your BISHTA expert can tell you all you need to know about water maintenance, purification and filtration.

Q. Can I put the hot tub anywhere in my garden?
A. Yes – so long as it is flat, and has a solid base. You could also site it indoors, if you had a big enough area like a conservatory or wet room.

Q. What about adjustable jets? And can you remove them for servicing?
A. Yes. And Yes.

Q & A Courtesy of BISHTA