Hot tubs range from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand so it is important to figure out what you can afford before purchasing a hot tub. Hot tubs can be made of all types of different materials such as inflatable hot tubes for quick and easy installation or a hot tub that can stay up in your backyard all year around. The higher the quality tub, the more expensive it will be but it will have additional features. Ultimately you will be the deciding factor on what you can afford and want out of owning a hot tub.
Your initial budget is not the only cost you will need to think of. You should have money put to the side or an account that is seen as a sort of “backup” fund. To avoid your hot tub becoming useless if you cannot afford the upkeep or if any costs git you unexpectedly be prepared to spend some money that you may have not intended on spending.
A sturdy foundation: You cannot simply place a hot tub where you think it will look best, first you must lay a sturdy foundation or take advantage of an already preplaced sturdy flat surface. Look into installing a deck, pouring cement, laying new gravel, etc. if you do not already have one of these options in your yard.
Electric: A hot tub will no doubt raise your electric bill especially if you use it frequently and how high quality the tub is. Additionally, you will need an outlet installed that can handle 220 volts of electricity if you do not already have one.
General Maintenance: A hot tub is comparable to owning a pool. On a weekly basis you will have to check the water to make sure its clean, the chemicals have to be balanced and any replacement parts need to be purchased. Chemicals will have to be purchased and so will extra parts with the cost of a couple hundred dollars every few months.
There may already be a few extra accessories and features that you are looking for as you are purchasing a hot tub. If you haven’t started thinking about those yet here is a list to get the ball rolling:
Location is key; as mentioned before you want an already planned layout of where you want to place your hot tub. Holding in its heat is the most important aspect of a hot tub so you want a flat and sturdy surface to put it onto. However, having a hot tub indoors will be a bit trickier since you have to clear out a space and make sure it has a big enough path to its final destination.
Hot tubs are purchased for many different reasons making some features desirable to some and useless to others. If you’d like to use your hot tub for hydrotherapy you will want to look out for features such as jet functions, placement and pressure. If you just want a warm place to hangout with friends then those jets could be unimportant but a built-in stereo is a must have. You also want to consider how many people you are planning on hosting at once in your new hot tub; you will need enough seats and space to accommodate all of your guests while making sure it is comfortable for everyone seated inside of it.
Purchasing a hot tub with a reliable warranty is important due to it being such a large purchase. You must understand what warranties the company offers, what they each cover and how long it lasts. Hot tubs can last up to 15 to 20 years if properly taken care of so keep those numbers in mind while choosing a warranty to protect your hot tub.
