Winter-VS-Summer-

Buying a tub for the winter climates. (see summer climates below)

The biggest problem in the winter is heater failure. This is 99.99% of the time due to not keeping the right pH in the tub. A low pH under 7pH for long periods of time can corrode the heater element to where it won't heat up the tub anymore to the level you want. It doesn't happen right away this corrosion. The acidic water is craving electrons and the metal provides it under these conditions. Once that starts to corrode it starts eating away at the rubber seals and gaskets. Usually the tubs that are outside in the winter will trip the breaker once this happens.

Cold weather: Cold weather can make the heater work harder and raise the costs on heaters that are not so energy efficient. If the wind is always blowing it can make it harder for the tub to heat up. I strongly recommend a higher end cover that may cost more up front but saves a lot of energy costs. Most covers have about 1 pound foam layer and more insulated covers are 1 1/2 pound foam covers. This extra half pound makes a huge difference. A 2 pound foam cover is enough. More than that is just over kill.

Winter tubs are better if they are insulated better. Many people think it is the thermostat when the hot tub isn't getting hot enough. Losing a few degrees though not enough insulation can mean the tub never getting as hot as you want it. I want to avoid heat loss every way I can. I strongly recommend air induction pumps so the motor heat goes back into the water.

Summer tubs:

Those buying a tub for their summer homes or hot and humid environments have a totally different issue to deal with than those in the winter climates. They have to worry about leaving the tub uncovered getting UV damage from the sun, breaking down the insulation of the tub to cracking and blistering of the hot tub itself. If the tub's insulation is broken down, this can affect the lifespan of the heating elements and screw up the thermostat. So in the winter, people wonder why their tub doesn't heat up after abuse during the summer.

Many tubs get over heated in the summer months and many people think their tubs are broken. Some tubs are just drawing in too many amps and are not built to stay on so long. Many companies should tell you how long you should expect to use their brand of tub during the hot summer months before it overheats and you have to wait an hour for it to turn back on. I would also ask about the expected usage time in the winter too.

Some tubs in the summer months should keep the filter times lower as the filtering causes the hot tub water to get too hot. This is known as heat creep in the hot tub industry. This is when heat from the hot tub motors cause the water to heat up and get way hotter than 104 degrees. If the heat generated is not vented it will almost always cause this heat creep. This is not the same as air induction pumps that bring heat to the water on purpose. Before buying a tub and if you think you will have a problem with your hot tub getting too hot during the summer months when you want it cooler, ask about its ventilation and if there is heat creep. It's funny how the brands that have this problem never mention it.