Here is the 64 million dollar question are all Hot Tubs on the Algarve the same - of course they are not.

Many Hot Tubs, particularly the cheap imports form the east, are constructed using the cheapest possible methods cutting the cost as opposed to constructing to a high standard of quality.  Often made by unskilled workers who are unsupervised working in the harsh conditions of a slave factory.

Like wise this cost cutting or trying to make a Hot Tub from the cheapest way can also apply to those who are making the largest numbers of spas in the world.

Many Hot Tubs are made using a fully foamed approach some times known as the "fully foamed" or "foam filling" system this is, very much, an out of date production method but is still in use by many makers as it is one of the  cheapest  forms of construction.

In this cheaper system, the shell or Tub of the unit is made from thinner sheets of acrylic or ABS plastic the Tub is then plumbed and piped with all the required pipes etc.

Then the cabinet that surrounds the Hot Tub Shell is injected full of expanding foam to give the weaker shell much needed support.

This is a very much cheaper method of construction as it means that the manufacturer is able to use cheap foam, (instead of fibreglass), to support the shell, rather than building a shell with sufficient strength in the first place!

There are various disadvantages of this system of construction:-

1) Sprayed in polyurethane foam degrades over time, such that there is a decrease in the insulating value.

2) The settling and expansion/contraction of the foam can actually cause leaks in the plumbing.

3) Lastly and most importantly you cannot of course access any of the internal parts of the spa in the case service is required. Effectively then the most serious downside to this cheaper method of construction is that there is, more or less, total inability of serviceability during the lifetime of the spa. Not only is the plumbing but also the jet fittings are buried in to the expanded foam. This of course means that, leak detection is very difficult with out removing substantial amounts of foam...

If a fully foamed spa should leak from the rear of a jet fitting then that water seepage may not become apparent until the foam has become extremely wet and soaked through.. The most modern productions methods would be to use some foam to support the pipe work but not to indiscriminately blast, the spa cabinet full of polyurethane as there is no proven benefit to this practice and it actually causes dealers and customers a severe service/access headache.

I have heard it said that some manufacturers fully foam their spas so as to keep the noise of the pipes down - must be a badly designed tub if its that bad.

This is a bit like perhaps building the electrics and heating systems in a car or in a house  in to sold foam.  Simply because you have been told it will keep the noise down and in any event it will not need servicing . well its not something I would do or believe nut many hot tub manufacturers would have you believe ot to be true.

Is your heating ,plumbing and electrical systems at home, hidden  in solid foam because you've been told it would never need servicing?  That does not sound like a good idea to me ? Many spa manufacturers would have you believe that it was! Or perhaps have the bonnet of the car stuck down with cement so you couldn't check the oil or water would that be a good idea?

The Author Jacuzzi John markets luxury Hot Tubs in Portugal, Spain and throughout Europe and for further information please go to his web site at Algarve Hot Tubs

Here are just a few pointers to take into account to make sure that you do not buy a dog dish looking spa! Oh and lets be clear I love dogs.

The way to avoid that is to make sure that the shell of the Hot Tub is made of a branded American Acrylic such as Lucite or Quarite. Not just that it is simply Lucite inspired or based on a Lucite design. Get the dealer to show you his colours chips marked Quarite and Lucite as appropriate.

If it is not made of these materials then one has to ask one self why not, as these two makers of Acrylic are acknowledged as making some of the best acrylic for Hot Tub Jacuzzi Spas in the world.

If the shell is made out of these materials it is of course your very own assurance that your choice of a Hot Tub Jacuzzi Spa will give you many years of beauty, pleasure, and satisfaction.

I always suggest that you should try the lipstick test and simply apply lipstick on the shell and see if it just wipes off with a tissue as it should? If it does not, then that simply shows that the surface is slightly porous and therefore will provide a home for germs and bacteria.

When these materials are not used then it is usually a clear sign that that cheaper materials are being used (quite often at 25% of the cost of ABS backed acrylic) in the shell, then to provide support to this weaker material the manufacturer blasts the cabinet full of structural foam.

If you have a leak, good luck finding it and the job of ripping out the foam will take hours. Once the spa is out of warranty, you can pay the engineer 5 hours labour to source and repair the leak. Usually it also means that where sprayed foam has been used as structural support, the maker cannot cannot pull the spa shells very deep, since the shell material is thin and cheap to begin with.

One particular maker claims that they fully foam the shell so as to keep the noise from the pipes down and all I can say is that is must be a badly designed Hot Tub if they have to do that

If you can feel under the shell of the Hot Tub do so and try and feel its strength or possible weakness, if it feels damp to the touch or perhaps slightly crumbly this gives one a clue that the shell is not properly cured. I personally would not buy a Hot Tub if the shell felt like that and I have seen many that fit that description usually cheap eastern imports.

It always pays to probe beneath the surface and just do not listen to the patter of some zombie like sales man or woman just repeating a script.

Another good idea is that you should always buy a Hot Tub with Balboa Controls a company from California, which is undoubtedly one of the worlds leading manufacturers and very well known for reliability and accessibility of spares.

It is best to buy a spa which is made by a leading American or Western manufacturer preferably one with decades of years of experience and therefore they will have had the time and experience to be able to design and construct models where the components naturally work well together.

Leading Western manufacturers have developed their technically advanced systems so as to be able to maximize the performance from the pumps, heaters and blowers to give you the very best water flow to provide an excellent Hydro Massage.

In the latest designs, Water Jets are placed scientifically so as to maximize the flow of water to your body's pressure points, while allowing one to be able to control the intensity of the flow and pressure as required.

It speaks for its self that a well-engineered and designed product will lead to an outstanding hydrotherapy massage where perhaps one is able to enjoy a vigorous or perhaps soothing massage. It is great to have the ability to be able to customize and modify your massage experience to suit your mood.

In summary buy, the best spa you can afford but make sure that you do not buy a cheap eastern import or one that looks like a dog dish hot tub.

One should look for Balboa controls and proper branded acrylic and aim for a western manufacturer who has been making spas for many years. A very good test is to see if your dealer is on first name terms with the owners and directors of the manufacturers obviously that is much harder if they based are in China!!!!

The Author Jacuzzi John markets luxury Hot Tubs in Portugal, Spain and throughout Europe and for further information please go to his web site at Algarve Hot Tubs

What is Ozone ?

Ozone is something I am sure many of us have heard of but do not really know what it is.

Ozone is a form of“active oxygen”, nature’s very own special molecule and interestingly enough the composition of one ozone molecule contains three oxygen atoms.

Ozone is created automatically in nature by the process of mixing together, oxygen from the air with ultraviolet rays from the sun or by the very tremendous power generated by an electrical discharge during a lightning storm.

Ozone is by its very nature a natural purifier and no harmful chemical by-products are created during natural purification. One of the beneficial effects of Ozone is the clean, fresh smell or scent which I will call scentsation which most people sense or smell after a rainstorm often thought as negative Ions.

The same effect is felt near fast flowing streams in mountain areas and that old saying springs to mind as “fresh as a mountain stream”. Ozone is the most powerful oxidizer that can be safely used in a swimming pool or Hot Tub – Jacuzzi Style spa. Ozone is a great alternative water purifier to traditional pool/spa chemicals such as chlorine and bromine.

What Does Ozone Do?

Ozone is an unstable compound generated by the exposure of oxygen molecules to a high energy electrical discharge. The weak bond holding ozone’s third oxygen atom is what causes the molecule to be unstable and thus, very effective. An oxidation reaction occurs upon any collision between a molecule of ozone and a molecule of an oxidizable substance (i.e. bacteria, fungi (mould & yeast), viruses, forms of iron & manganese). The weak bond splits off leaving oxygen as a by-product. During an oxidation reaction, organic molecules are changed and dissolved metals are made no longer soluble. Interesting as it is that these processes were used back in the days of wagon trains where silver and copper coins were tossed into the drinking water barrels to help purify the water. Even Lord Nelsons British ships of the line also put coins into water barrels to keep drinking water fresh.

Most pool cleaning publications recommend copper ions levels being around .20 ppm and .30 ppm (parts per million). Very briefly here is a quick description of what an Ion is. An ion is an atom or group of atoms that contains an electrical charge. There is a nucleus with positively charged particles called protons in it and negatively charged electrons orbiting around the nucleus. Atoms usually contain an equal number of protons and electrons. Ions get electrical charges by losing or gaining electrons. When an ion gains an extra electron, it becomes negative and is called an ANION and when it loses an extra electron it becomes a positive CATION. Time to look up the chemical composition of copper and how copper is ionized in water. Copper’s chemical symbol is Cu and it has an atomic mass of 64, contains 29 protons and 35 neutrons The melting point of Cu is 1083 degrees Celsius. Copper or Cu is one of the transition metals which means that electrons from it’s outer electron layer or shell participate in chemical reactions. Where is Ozone Used? Even NASA uses the Copper/Silver Ionization treatment as a method to purify drinking water aboard spacecraft. Ozone is widely used in a variety of industries worldwide. This ionization process is used in many swimming pools as an alternative to using chlorine and other harsh chemicals. Ozone has been used in municipal water systems, wastewater plants and commercial & residential pools and spas for years. Ozone is used in many leisure complexes including water parks, aquariums and zoos. Ozone can safely be used as on food equipment surfaces during the manufacture of food products.

Ozone can readily help remove offensive odours from fires and other smells. Ozone is used as the final purification step in most bottled water plants.

Of Course Ozone technology is also used by the Major Hot Tub manufacturers. If you look for a Hot Tub make sure it has Ozone as standard. This will greatly reduce the requirement to chemicals in your water treatment processes.

The Author Jacuzzi John markets luxury Hot Tubs in Portugal, Spain and throughout Europe and for further information please go to his web site at Algarve Hot Tubs

Most of us know that using a Hot Tub Jacuzzi Spa is very good for us.

A Hot Tub Jacuzzi in Portugal is an investment in a new life style filled with peace relaxation and pleasant memories

Whether it is that magic respite that we all seek in a mind calming way at the end of a workday or may be spending quality time with your family friends and loved ones. The quality in your life will increase considerably improving both your health and happiness from the very many therapeutic benefits that flow from a massage of warm jetted water.

One needs to discover for ones self the very considerable benefits of your own Hot Tub Jacuzzi and the lifestyle that goes with ownership.

A Hot Tub will not only improve your sense of well being in the physical sense but also in Mind Body & Spirit.

Powerful hydro massage is great at relieving stress, aches, pains, and tension in ones body allowing one to get a better and deeper sleep. . A Hot Tub Jacuzzi spa can also become a great place to socialize with your family and friends.

But, there are many important points that one should take into account before you get into actual hot water !

The majority of Hot Tub Jacuzzi Spa vendors are often only marketing a lifestyle concept with out explaining that there are Hot Tubs on the market which will perform much better and will prove to be more economical and will provide a lifetime of reliable service because the manufacturer has had them designed and built to provide this longevity.

Many manufacturers and indeed most retailers of Hot Tub Jacuzzi's provide little information about the construction and the manufacturing process.

They take the view that the client knows nothing or very little about Hot Tub Jacuzzi Spa's (often we find many retailers who fall into the same boat) and will simply accept and believe all the patter that a well versed sales person throws at them.

Such as the old one that "we use full foam to keep the sound of the pipes down" well all I can say to that is that it just shows that it is a very badly engineered Hot Tub.

Or the other old favourite "we use small heaters as we have such good insulation" what they mean is that they use cheaper heaters as they cost less and can take for ever to warm up.

You the consumer have many choices, so please just make sure that you collate all the facts available in order that you can cut through the false claims that some manufacturers and retailers publish or tell their prospective clients.

How many times have you heard Hot Tub retailers claim that their Hot Tubs Jacuzzi spas are "the best" without any real facts to substantiate their claims? Many say that they are the cheapest well do you really want the cheapest !!! Surely you want the best quality product at a good value price.

I believe that clients know and indeed can tell the distinction between varying levels of quality; I also firmly believe that potential clients have a good idea as to what does or does not make sense. For example it does not make any sense to make a Spa with out a proper bottom or insulated sides to just highlight two simple ideas.

When you the prospective are well informed you can then be in a position to draw your own conclusions and make the right decision rather than relying on salesman's hyperbole..

I take the view that a good retailer will provide clients all the information and facts that they may require in order to be able to form an informed decision. A good example here is that you need to know where the product is made for example Britain, USA or China to name just three countries. There is little point when they say its an XYZ from Britain when XYZ is buying them from China. What they should say is that its made in China.

As with many things in life it always pays to buy the highest quality that one can afford from a manufacturer who has been established for many decades as opposed to perhaps, secondhand or indeed a cheap import , remember the old adage that buying cheap usually means that you end up buying twice.

Also mostly life it is usually a question of pay now or later. If you get suckered into buying a cheap product undoubtedly you will pay later not only in terms of repairs and more importantly down time but also increased running costs.

The Author Jacuzzi John markets luxury American Hot Tubs in Portugal, Spain and through out Europe for further information please go to his web site at Portugal Hot Tubs

actual time it takes to keep it clean from everything the wind and elements bring to it.

In addition, you have the routine of having to constantly check that the balance and quality of the water is correct. Then unless one also has a water heating system, which usually turns out to be expensive the pool, can only give a nice bathing temperature for only a few months of the year at the most.  To have a sauna is also great as you feel wonderful after that final shower and in the winter, it really warms you up.  Many people having both these luxuries have now decided to try the latest trend that is so popular in the United States and is rapidly growing round the world that of a Jacuzzi style Hot Tub.

When choosing a Hot Tub there a few points to consider and here are some of them:-

Good quality Hot Tubs have well designed shells made from high-grade acrylic like Lucite Extra Cast or Quarrite.  Make sure that the Acrylic is of a high standard not just that it is simply Lucite inspired or based on a Lucite design. Get the Hot tub dealer to show you his colours chips marked Lucite or Quarrite as appropriate.

 

 

 

 

 

The author Jacuzzi John (JJ) supplies premium quality American & European Hot Tubs in Portugal and his web site is at Portugal Hot Tubs

Do not purchase cheap inferior made  junk - it's a simple as that.

If you don't go for quality and  buy a cheaper made product then you will not be surprised if it has become brown bread, or should I say dead, and expired  with in a short time.

With Hot Tubs as with many things in life it is either pay up now or in the future and in many ways that  is a bit like how one can gain experience it either takes a great amount of time or a great amount of money.

There is also the phrase buying cheap often  means that you end up buying twice.

This could be compared to a motor car and  when I started driving you could buy an old car  for  peanuts but you would  then spend lots of money repairing it and keeping it on the road. Equally you could buy a   more modern car for  more money but then you would not have to repair it but in reality  it  would cost you  more or less the same. Often the much  cheaper alternative would cost even more  in real terms  as there would be times when the car was off the road.

This is  very similar to buying a Hot Tub as  there is little point getting a cheap false bargain if it breaks down and is then  out of  use.

But of course if one is  buying a new Jacuzzi Hot  Tub it  is nothing like purchasing a new  motor car, because with modern ,motor cars you only have to do the usual such as check the  coolant and  oil. Change the oil  and filter every 10,000 miles or so. But please remember that  purchasing a spa is a lot more complicated.

You need not only to be able to maintain the Hot Tub but you also have to maintain the water quality.

Probably in time you may encounter problems but that will not be for many years if you have purchased a quality well made product from a respected and well established manufacturer

If you do not take care of the water quality then the sensors may become clogged with calcium or calcified and then problems may occur.

Whilst a car and a hot tub   have various moving parts and electronics the crucial difference is that a  Hot Tub  is full of  water  which is being pumped around  under pressure  from the pumps and motors

Obviously a cheap poorly constructed hot tub is a  sure fire recipe for a disaster

A car has been designed and engineered  for many years since Henry Ford introduced the model T  and in many ways has reached  a certain state of  perfection and it is possible that a  car could run for very many years  with minimal maintenance  except  the odd  battery  and oil filter and indeed a change of oil. Equally if you buy a Hot Tub from a major manufacturer who have been designing them for many years you will get a first class product which will require little maintenance.

So, my best advice, is that one should  only buy a product that is well built by an American or Western  internationally recognized producer of Hot Tubs and then there is every  chance that the product will last and last  and give vert many years of faultless performance.

The reason is simple in that the internationally recognized producer backs his products with a real guarantee  so if it  has a fault  it falls back on the manufacturer not on you.  As you can imagine these manufacturers  have had many decades of experience and they build  them with the proper parts and components  so that it will not fail  and it is for that reason and that reason alone that they are prepared to provide a long life guarantee.

The Author Jacuzzi John markets luxury Hot Tubs in Portugal, Spain and through out europe and for further information please go to his web site at Portugal Hot Tubs .

When buying an Algarve Hot Tub Jacuzzi there are many points to consider and this article sets out some of those to take into account:-

What acrylic is used in the shell?

Most Spas look great in a showroom but you have to ask the question as to how the spa will actually look in a few months and in deed in a few years and for that reason you will want to consider the material  used in the shell.

Is it proper branded acrylic Lucite or Quaarite. Just merely being told that it is US acrylic is not sufficient for the savvy buyer.  Lucite-Xtra ™ cast acrylic is a non porous material that is stain resistant to the build up of lotions and  oils which can harm non acrylic spas. This tough material retains its shine and colour despite sanitizing chemicals, high temperatures and exposure to sunlight.

How is the Shell made and how is it strengthened

Ask how the shell is made and formed and are the manufacturing processes used environmentally friendly. For example is a real layer of  ABS plastic used to re-inforce the strength of the shell. ABS is a class of plastics based on acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymers and has a very high mechanical and impact strength. This construction procedures or environmentally friendly and much more efficient than using fibre glass as backing to the shell.

Manifold Plumbing

Manifold plumbing is designed to balance the water pressure  distribution and reduce the number of plumbing joints to maximize water flow.

Guarantee

Obviously you need to know about the manufacturers guarantee and I would expect some thing on the following lines:

Shell  -  The Shell to be warranted against water leakage caused by a defect  in the material for ten years from the date of the original purchase.

Plumbing  - Spa Plumbing ,fittings pipes drains and fixtures are warranted against leaks for five years from the date of the original purchase.

Pumps - The Spa pump and pump motor for two  years from the date of the original purchase.

Jets

Are the Jets are adjustable. If you have a Jacuzzi Spa where none of the Jets are adjustable then you are clearly buying a spa from the bottom of the range and one that is really useless to provide you a pleasant massage effect.

Pumps

Where are the pumps made are they proper Western American or European pumps as pumps made in China and the East are much less reliable than their western counterparts.

Construction

Has it got a proper bottom sealed from the elements or has it just got that cheap steel frame. These Hot Tubs are  the cheapest of the cheap no bottom so the elements can get in let alone some small animals like termites' and even worse those beasties that chew through electric cables after all they do it to ignition leads on cars and plant.

Does it have proper planned and thought out insulation particularly consider the sides of the Hot Tub.  Many with no proper bottom and the steel frame just have cheap wooden sides with no insulation. Again just a cheap import.

Does it have fully foamed shell and by that I mean that you cant see the pipes in the Jacuzzi. I expect the shell to be foamed but not that the pipes etc are not accessible and not hidden with in loads of foam because if they are it is more or less impossible to find a leak and fully foamed spas in my view (and that of many others in the Hot Tub industry)  are hiding that the shell is not properly strong enough as they are using the foam to help provide strength to the shell.

Ozone water purification

Is the Ozone sanitizer injected directly into the spas water line and then distributed into in the spa's main body of water. You should hundreds of fine oxygen particles shooting into the bottom of the spa rather than just a small stream of water into the spa as you see on some cheap eastern imports.

These are some of the features to consider and is not to be exhaustive but to give some general guidelines.

As in all things it pays to buy from a long established manufacturer and there is that saying if you buy cheap you probably end up buying twice.

The Author Jacuzzi John markets luxury American Hot Tubs in Portugal, Spain and through out Europe for further information please go to his web site at Portugal Hot Tubs

As there are so many different Hot Tub manufacturers in the marketplace today. It is a good idea to find a manufacturer who has been in business for many decades - probably since the time that portable spas first came onto the marketplace as that will eliminate many pitfalls that can occur with newer companies.

Here a few questions and answers to consider when evaluating the selection of a Hot Tub.

Can a Hot Tub be installed inside or outside?

Hot Tubs can be installed indoors or outdoors, although most spas in the world are installed outdoors. Most modern Hot Tub makers provide models that will fit through European standard doorways. Many spa owners choose to locate the spa on a deck or perhaps a terrace. For an easy solution to privacy, comfort and visual appeal, a gazebo may be just the thing you need to provide a complete and easy solution to weather, comfort and privacy concerns.

Is plumbing necessary, is the installation complicated?

No as all   Hot Tubs are easily filled from the top using a garden hose. The only thing required is the electrical connection.  Modern portable Hot Tubs contain all the key features such as plumbing and pumps. They are to all intents and purposes self-contained and all modern Hot Tubs come complete with an insulating cover.

How often do I need to change the water?

A modern Hot Tub will be equipped with an easy access top-loading filter. Avoid the lower priced front-loaded type that causes you to drag the dirty filter through the clean spa water every time you want to clean it. An integrated chemical dispenser avoids the hassle of the less effective "floating chemical dispensers" and provides an easy and adjustable method of sanitizing spa water automatically. It is recommended that the spa water be changed 3-4 times per year. A dedicated drain fitting integrated into the spa cabinet provides easy access for garden hose hookup to drain the spa without having to unscrew side panels or open up the spa interior.

How is the temperature controlled?

Modern quality Hot Tubs will employ digital thermostatic controls. Temperatures can safely be maintained to the nearest degree and readouts can be in Fahrenheit or in Celsius for the European market.  Modern Hot Tubs will have built in freeze and overheat protection to make owning a spa effortless. Balboa is the leading manufacturer of this type of Hot Tub control. It is much better to utilize a high end 3.0 kW or 2.5 kW heater instead of the lower priced 1.5 or 2kW heaters as this makes sure that energy is efficiently used and heating time can be significantly reduced.

What about insulation?

Quality manufacturers consider the long term of spa ownership when designing spas. Manufacturers that use advanced manufacturing methods, which employ ABS-backed acrylic instead of older style fiberglass, are able to provide a sturdier, longer lasting product. Not only is the manufacturing process that does not use fiberglass more environmentally friendly, but the stronger more expensive ABS backed shell material allows for elimination of foam shell support. Many manufacturers use the lower priced standard Acrylic that must be supported with fiberglass and foam. The foam is referred to as insulation, but actually supports this lower priced shell material. There are many disadvantages with spraying low cost expanding foam into the spa cabinet including lack of access to important plumbing parts and jet surfaces as well as the ability to quickly check for and fix a leak should it occur. Quite often, a leak in a foam-filled cabinet will manifest itself over many months and the result is a rotted out interior with odorous, soaked foam material that creates quite a mess. It does not in my view represent a "clean" approach to long lasting maintenance, but is necessary for the support of lower priced shell materials. You also see some with a mild steel frame and again the shell is of inferior quality and needs the support of the steel frame.

As with most things, it is good advice to buy from a well-established manufacturer who has had many decades of experience.

The most important think to lookout for when buying a Jacuzzi on the Algarve  is Quality Quality and Quality.

The Author Jacuzzi John markets luxury American Hot Tubs in Portugal, Spain and through out Europe for further information please go to his web site at Portugal Hot Tubs

SPAFORM HALTS UK PRODUCTION

Receiver appointed to Spaform the UK Hot Tub producer

As reported in the Pool & Spa Industry Jan/Feb 2009 Vol 4 issue 6

The UK Hot Tub Industry was struck another considerable blow at the start of the year as the largest remaining British based manufacturer, Spaform halted production at its Portsmouth Plant.

The majority of employees were sent home on full pay and only a skeleton staff retained as the parent company, Italian based Teuco the owner of Spaform UK Ltd announced a period of consultation.

Spaform dealers were advised that no new orders could be made for bespoke spas and that sales could only be taken for items that were available from stock.

Issues concerning warranty and the Spaform brand were in the melting pot while the future of the company was being reviewed, confirmed a close source who did not want to be named.

About 20 staff were still actively involved in the completion of models that were mid-production. It is likely though that the manufacture of any future models would be switched to Italy.

The Italian company Teuco took ownership of the company at the beginning of 2007 with plans to run both brands on a complementary basis. Initial plans were to retain production in the UK but that was before the impact of the global down turn.

No one from Teuco in Italy was available for comment and the company decided not to issue a statement.

The receiver was appointed on 14th January 2009 and the first meeting of creditors was held on 27th March 2009 at the Portman Hotel London W1H 7BG at 11 am.

This is sad news for the UK Hot Tub Industry as Spaform were a respected brand for many years.

The author Jacuzzi John (JJ) supplies premium quality American & European Hot Tubs in Portugal and his web site is at Portugal Hot Tubs

Hot Tubs & Jacuzzis - Origin of

I was relaxing in a friends Hot Tub last week and we started discussing how the whole concept of Hot Tubs and Jacuzzi Spas was born.

I know from a Jacuzzi, Inc press release that "The History of the Jacuzzi Brand": ... started some time back in time in the early 1900s, when the Jacuzzi brothers of which there were seven emigrated from Italy to California in the United States of America.

The Jacuzzi brothers made great strides in aviation by inventing the first enclosed cabin monoplane, which, not only, carried mail for the U.S. Postal Service but also passengers from the San Francisco Bay area to the Yosemite National Park in California.

Incorporating their hydraulic insight, the Jacuzzi Brothers, as they had come to be known in the 1920's later made some notable improvements in the agricultural pump industry. In time this led to an invention that became a regular fixture in American homes and indeed homes around the world today.

I am sure that just over half a century ago (1956) when the Jacuzzi brothers invented a portable hydrotherapy pump that they used to treat a family member with arthritis that they had no idea that from that invention many multi million dollar industries would be spawned. Not only in making Hot Tubs but in providing the many component parts.

From this initial design a small niche business was developed by supplying a portable pump which was known as the J-300, a portable pump, to hospitals and schools.

Then in 1968 that same pioneering spirit of the original Jacuzzi brothers was strong in a third generation family member namely Roy Jacuzzi.

He invented what is generally regarded as the world's first whirlpool bath in 1968.

When he was a teenager, he worked in the family business in a variety of roles. Studying and learning how the business operated from the bottom up.

In 1968, his passion for design and engineering emerged when he invented and marketed the world's first fully integrated whirlpool bath, known as the Roman. Of course hot Tubs have been known in times past by many civilizations including the Roman's and it was known that Roman Centurions would seek out the soothing properties of a natural Hot Spring either after a long march or after a battle. So perhaps it was very apt to name the first model the Roman.

Around the world, it has been common practice for many thousands of years for people apart from Roman Centurions to soak away their aches and pains in warm thermal baths.

It has been shown that warm water is a natural relief for the many ailments that the stress of life brings. In modern day care homes this is often available to help elderly people keep mobile in their later years.

During the ancient Times of Egypt, Greece & Rome soaking in Hot Water was a tradition and that still continues today.

In those ancient times it was a normal practice to relax and enjoy long hot soaks, not only was it a ritual but indeed more than that as it was known to bring relief from the aches and pains of life. In those days these were often simply small pools of water with the benefit of having warm water piped into them often from a natural hot spring.

Hot Tubs are now constructed in many western countries to the highest standards and the development of the Spa continues at a pace.

The original Jacuzzi pump, when coupled with jets using an air-injection system, created a mixture very similar to a kind of bubbling water-and-air.

In time a variety of American manufacturers experimented with different methods to propel the air/water stream into the spa with ever increasing degrees of pressure and control.

Initially spas used a simple idea that involved something similar to a vacuum cleaner motor but operating simply as a blower in some ways similar to blowing air into the hot tub in the same way that we as children probably would have used a straw to blow bubbles in to a glass of lemonade or coca cola.

Again as time passed the leading designers soon began thinking of things like the venturi principle, in which water is drawn through a funnel-like device to create a vacuum that pulls in air. As the water flow and pressure increases, the jet automatically draws in more air, which results in more water flow and movement not unlike the idea of an exhaust driven turbo charger in a car.

Quoting Roy Jacuzzi, chairman, CEO and president of Jacuzzi Inc. of California USA Roy said "A venturi system is a conventional approach," "What I did was take air and water all around that so I was getting a 300/60 air-to-water mixture. " I was actually taking the water and air combination ... and exploding that,"

The earliest spas, though, had only enough jets to simply churn the water.

Quoting another well known manufacturer Bernie Burba, founder of Baja Products Inc from Tucson in Arizona he said "When we first came out with spas, they had two spa jets on them, "Now you see portable spas with 60 on them. You might say that's overkill, but it isn't," he said. "We've really learned about water therapy and that lots of jets - lots of water and air moving across your body - is a very satisfying, restful and helpful experience."

I have to say as a regular user of a Hot Tub he is spot on.

As always my firm advice remains that one should, only buy a product that comes from an American or European, internationally recognized, producer of Hot Tubs.

That way you know that the Hot Tub will be safe from an electrical view point and it will be made from proper components and controls and be able to run on low amperage electricity unlike those that are made in the east. It will not fuse your electrics or blow up any of your other home appliances. I am not joking in that regard as I have heard of two or three instances of that happening with Spas that were made in China.

When you buy a product from an internationally recognized manufacturer there is every chance that the product will last and last and provide very many years of good service.

The thinking is simple the internationally recognized producer will back his product with a proper guarantee, so if, in the unlikely event, there is a fault it does fall back on the manufacturer and not on the consumer.

The reason why they are able to provide these guarantees' is that they have had many decades of experience and therefore they build them, in the first place, with the proper quality parts and components so ensuring that it will not fail.

It is for that simple reason and that reason alone that they are then prepared to provide a long life guarantee.

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The author Jacuzzi John (JJ) supplies premium quality American & European Hot Tubs in Portugal and his web site is at Portugal Hot Tubs

 Portugal Hot Tub buying - what to look for

What should you be looking for when buying a Jacuzzi?

Should you simply be looking for the cheapest product that one can buy?

Or should you be looking for the compromise something that is a very well built product at a reasonable price and at the same time is economic to run and simple to use and maintain.

When it comes to purchasing real estate or property all the experts say that are only three points that one has to consider and it is that very saying that we have all heard before so many times LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION.

I take the same view with a Hot Tub but then the three words are QUALITY QUALITY QUALITY.

I would simply say that you should not waste your time buying cheap inferior made junk no matter how well it appears to be packaged.

One of the common problems you hear with cheaper less well designed and engineered spas is that they cannot run on say 16 amp electricity. Another is that they are expensive to run as they vent cold air into the Tub as opposed to re-using the heat of the mechanical motors and pumps.

If one does not go for quality and purchases a cheaper produced product then you will not be surprised if it becomes in-operative or as kids on the block would say - brown bread, or should I say dead, and thereby expired with in a short time.

With a Jacuzzi style Hot Tub as with most things in life it is often a case of pay up now or in the future and in some ways that reminds me of when I first started working more years ago than I care to remember. One of the partners for whom I enjoyed working and learnt a great deal used to say that one can usually gain experience in one or two ways it simply either takes a very long time or vast sums of money. I have to say, with hindsight, that he knew very well what he was talking about.

There is also the well known phrase that buying cheap usually means that one ends up buying twice.

In some ways this could be compared with a motor car.

One can buy an older car for relatively cheap money but then incur a lot of expense continually repairing it and keeping it safe on the road.

Alternatively one could buy a more expensive car for considerable more money but of course then you would then not have to repair it so often. But probably overall it would cost more or less the same in terms of monetary cost.

But more often than not the very cheap alternative would actually cost a lot more in true terms as there would be many times when the car was off the road waiting for spare parts or what ever.

This is very similar, in many ways. to purchasing a Hot Tub as there is very little point is there in buying a cheap false bargain if it then packs up and it then can not be used for some time. That is why you should always buy a Hot Tub with controls that are made by leading manufacturers such as Balboa (American) or Gecko (Canadian) that way you know that one can always get spare parts for them.

But you have to remember that when it comes to purchasing a Hot Tub it is of course nothing as simple as buying a new motor car, simply as modern motor cars have advanced so much that all one has to do is that simple regular check on the coolant and oil. More often than not that can be done from the drivers seat when you insert the key. All that is often required in terms of service for many miles is to simply change the filter and oil.

But you must remember that a Hot Tub is much more complicated.

Whilst a hot tub and a spa have many moving parts and electronics the crucial difference of course is that a Hot Tub is laden full of water and that water is being pumped around the pipes and plumbing under great pressure from the motors and pumps.

Whilst a well made Hot Tub will require minimal maintenance one has to maintain the water quality.

If one does not take care of the quality of the water the sensors may become clogged with calcium or calcified and then problems may occur.

Obviously a cheap poorly constructed hot tub is a sure fire recipe for a disaster. You can quite often tell the poorly constructed ones quite easily. They often have a steel frame as the construction of the shell is unable to take the weight of people and water with out reinforcement, this is very much an outdated from of construction. The use of a non branded acrylic such as Lucite of Aristech both leading makers of Acrylic.

If they do not use a quality acrylic like Lucite or Aristech you need to ask yourself the question why they do not? The answer is dead simple as these branded materials costs 4 times as much as inferior materials.

As the worlds leading spas are made using these branded materials if it does not have a shell made from these materials then I think one needs to question how well the is the spa made internally.

Just because it may be nicely packaged or have nice wrapping paper it does not mean that the contents which are out of sight are any good.

A car has been designed and engineered for many years since Henry Ford introduced the model T and in many ways has advanced to a certain state of perfection and it is probably true that car could run for many years with, more or less, minimal maintenance except the odd oil filter, a change of oil and a battery every so often.

The same is true if you buy a Hot Tub from a major manufacturer who has been designing them for many years as you will get a first class product which will require little maintenance.

So, my firm advice, is that one should only purchase a product that is well constructed by an American or European internationally recognized producer of Hot Tubs and then there is every chance that the product will last and last and give years of faultless performance.

Do not buy one simply because it appears to be American or European please check it out and go underneath the wrapping and packaging.

The reasoning is simple in that an internationally recognized producer does back his products with a real guarantee so in the unlikely event that there is a fault it rests with the manufacturer not the consumer.

These manufacturers have had many decades of experience and they build them, from the ground up, with the proper parts and components so it will not break down and so for that simple reason and that reason alone that they are prepared to provide a proper guarantee.

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The author Jacuzzi John (JJ) supplies premium quality American & European Hot Tubs in Portugal and his web site is at Portugal Hot Tubs