Are hot tubs worth it?

[eclipse]

I am planning to get one. Do you use it regularly? Also I heard that they need regular cleaning, is that true?

[janina]

Hot tubs can definitely be worth it if you're looking for a way to relax, soothe muscles, and maybe add a social spot to your home. Whether you end up using it regularly might depend on your lifestyle and how much you enjoy kicking back in warm, bubbly water.

One thing to consider is that hot tubs do require consistent maintenance to keep them clean and functioning well. This includes regularly checking and balancing the water chemistry, cleaning the filters, and ensuring the water is changed periodically.

If you live in a place with colder weather, you might find yourself using it more often in the colder months. It's pretty great to be warm and cozy outside when it's chilly. On the flip side, in warmer climates, a hot tub might not be as appealing during the hot parts of the year unless it has a cooling feature.

Regular cleaning is definitely a must to avoid issues like algae growth and to keep the water safe for soaking. Most hot tub owners find a rhythm that works for them and stick to it to keep things manageable.

Thinking about how often you'll realistically use it and whether you're up for the maintenance involved can help you decide if it's a good fit for you.

[SweetDripp]

My parents have one. It gets used very frequently. If you keep the chemicals balanced, it doesn’t require much cleaning. You clean the filters about once a month and change out some of the water about twice a year. VERY worth it!!!

[HelpfulWoman]

my parents in law have one. it was fun for like a month then its basically never used and requires a lot of maintenance.

[Anonymous]

Depends what you consider "regular cleaning". Also it depends, I would have never wanted a hot tub till the past couple years.

Personally what turns me off about them is I don't think I'd use it frequently enough to justify the extra energy consumption cost to my utilities. Now if I was sore enough that I felt I needed it every day then it'd be worth it.

Also I don't want to go outside just for a soak. Would definitely not want to in the winter. And wouldn't want to risk the potential water damage to having it inside.

[Drew-1990]

From a personal stand point, no I don't think they are. I don't get the love for them. But many love them and use them a lot. My brother got one because his wife wanted one, she used it quite a bit

[Massageman]

We had a hot tub in northern IL- with -20 to 90ºF weather- for 23 years. It was a Coleman manufactured by Maxx tubs, and had a better lid. Here's our story.

Our frequency of use: If I could get to the tub, I would usually go in it- just about every day, weather permitting.

Summer: Hot tubs do not require a cooling feature, nor have I ever even heard of one. Just don't run the heater and it will stay cooler. If it's in the summer, you just keep the temp around 85-88ºF and it will be refreshing. 93º and it will be nicely warm. If you sit low in the tub, you can shed your clothing and get an all-over tan, too. Typically, the tub will go through two, twelve-hour cycles a day. Say you run it for 2 hours cleaning and heating from 6 am to 8am. It will stay off for the next ten hours, then cycle on from 6pm to 8 pm, and cycle off until 6am the next day. That was our cycle anyway- since I was usually most likely to go in at 8-9 in the evening and it would be all ready.

Winter. Awesome. Just be sure to get a push broom to shove the snow off of the lid, if your area gets snowed on. The hard part is the 10-15 second time span to slap on a towel, shut off the tub, shut the lid, and scamper for the back door without slipping on the icy deck to get in the warm house.

Maintenance: We started out by meticulously following the maker's instructions. We had an "'ozone/bromine" unit. The other basic type is a "chlorine" unit. Most people are less sensitive to bromine than chlorine. For us, the bromine was cheaper than the big doses of chlorine, at least when we started. Over the years, the cost of the bromine shot up, though. We fussed with the pH strips, changed the filter every 3 months, yada yada. In a nutshell, after cleaning tub, you put in a new filter. You put in a SCALE REDUCER, run heater to your temp level. This coats pipes to keep them flowing. Then, you add a LOADING DOSE of bromine powder sanitizer, kind of a basic level of sanitation, and check the pH, adding pH "up" or "down" to adjust. (Usually it needed to pH down- more acid- in our area). Then you add an ACTIVATOR (a persulfate chemical) to "turn on" the loading dose & have it actually kill the germs. After that, add MAINTENANCE DOSES of bromine tablets in a dispenser that slowly leaches out bromine 24/7 to keep things clean. After heavy use, you add a SHOCK to reactivate the activator (yes, it sounds weird). If it's really sunny, algae film will build-up at the water-line. Swipe the tub edges with ALGAE KILLER, some of the same stuff that you will clean it with, along with a couple of other things at water-change time. In all, there are about 8-10 chemicals that you will use, staggering times/intervals based on use.

Costs: Cleaning a tub takes really well takes 30-40 gallons of wash/rince water, 90-minutes of labor time, plus refill time for the new water, usually about 400 galloons or so for a 6-person tub. We had a $7500 tub-it lasted 23 years, = $326 a year (+ tax) for sunk cost of tub. Electricity was about $700 - $1,000 a year, in a good, well-insulated cabinet. (And I didn't run it very hot at all). Chemistry & filters add about $300-400 a year, 200 if you chintz, so your variable costs can be about $3- $4 a day. Our tub finally blew out a couple of O. E. control boards. Friend took it, had it repaired for about $2K. That was fine with us-it was gone, we reclaimed a patio, and we weren't going to sink that much into an old tub, and climbing into it hard for me since I passed 70. But I do miss those hot soaks on cold days. Good luck doing the math and seeing how it works for you.

[ProbablyClueless]

I don't think they're worth it... lots of maintenance, unless you want your hot tub to become a petri dish. Even properly maintained, they aren't particularly hygienic.

I just use the hot tub and sauna at my gym. For me, having my own would absolutely not be worth it.

[jshm2]

No. they tend to end up being a useless expense. You will use them once or twice and either regret it or not find the novelty worth it.

Better getting a membership to a sauna or your own sauna built, instead.

[PeachyPie93]

Yes it needs cleaning because the heat grows bacteria. I heard a lady didn't and she went in her's or her friends with a cut and got skin eating disease, nasty lol

[exitseven]

I have one in my house. The first ten years I owned it I used it a lot. I sort of got away from it after a while I only used it in the winter and later I just drained it and never refilled it.

[andreasderjuengere]

A totally pointless thing to look for, in my own world.
Why: if one must have a bath, then enjoy a spa; and keep ones home clear from a rather sparingly used item.

[electromagnetic]

It’ll be worth it if it’s something you plan to use often because it will spike your hydro costs.

[Nikki1989]

They are worth it, we have two of them, one inside and one outside, but yes, they need constant cleaning.

[Phoenix98]

I have no interest in having one if I want to soak in hot water I'll just take a both or shower. Never really cared for em personally.

[jamesgoldman]

They are if you use them often

I wanted one and did look into it for my back but with my heart condition it was a no-go same as saunas

[deus_ex_sisyphus]

jacuzzies are 100% worth it, but make sure you get one with a cover or the algae will take over

[OtterMan68]

If I lived up north, I might invest in one, but not in the deep south.

[MrDaveAPSI]

In cities where it doesn't snow or rain a lot. So, L. A. and places like that

Otherwise, no

[Sam12348]

I don't think it's needed. Just waste of space and money

[BLP11520]

I don’t have room for a hot tub but it would be nice to find out😊

[cootjuhh]

very often. no better nights then naked in the hottub. yeah clean is importamt.

[Billlewis]

If you're home often enough, they can be.

[Metalbarbie]

Ohhh yessss definitely worth it

[_no_one_]

if you have enough money anythings worth it

[handsomelad70]

I'd LOVE to bop some broad in a hot tub !!!

[RANDOMGUY2323]

If you can maintain them

[Anonymous]

Sure, if you use them regularly.

[soe11]

Yes.

[gorydetails]

yes they are.

[Jay-_-]

In my opinion no

[JayBones2469]

Nope.

[jimmy2]

I love one