Jerry's Posts

Hot Tub Child Saftey

October 31st, 2011 by Jerry

I recently read Skye Cardona‘s Hot tubbin’ toddlers.

It was an article about seeing children in a hot tub and her concern for the health impact on the child.

“While the rules only state that a child under the age of 14 should not be in the spa unsupervised, I highly doubt that long exposure to the high temperatures of a hot tub can be safe for a toddler.”

Which spurred me to do a little checking. Truth is I could not find much on the subject and have never ran across any data showing impact on hot tubs for children.

The only data found related to children is constant safety concern regarding drowning, which cant be taken lightly given the thousands of terrible accidents which have happened. Most of all which could have been avoided with

locking spa covers. So absent good data, I am left with my own experience. My children grew up around hot tubs, and used them for more than the pool. Their friends used ours, the dog used them, the neighborhood used them

hot tubs for kids

(ours). The kids had parties in them, they pretended they were space ships, and we had family time the hot tub. I think Mom even used the hot tub as a occasional quick bath on return from the beach.

My point is, sure they got a little over heated when they spent more than 15 minutes in them, but they also got out when they were hot. As far toddlers, I think a parent has to use common sense. Which yours kids cheeks are as

red as apples, its time to get out of the hot tub. Just my opinion, no facts here other than my kids love the hot tub!

Tags: hot tub covers, Hot Tubs, Spa Covers, Spas
Posted in Consumer Research for Best Hot Tub, spa covers | 8 Comments »

Hot Tub Covers Spa Covers Rebates

October 17th, 2011 by Jerry

This rebate program for hot tub covers or spa covers is brand new from Nicor Gas Company:

Rebate Information – Spa Covers

Cash rebates are available to eligible Nicor Gas business customers for the Pool/Spa Covers meeting the following requirements. Purchases and installations must be completed October 7, 2011 through May 31, 2014 to qualify.

To see Nicor’s Company Poste information click here: rebate

Pool/Spa Covers	Must be installed on an indoor commercial pool/spa heated with gas-fired equipment.	$1.25 per square foot
Pool/Spa Covers	Must be installed on an outdoor commercial pool/spa heated with gas-fired equipment.	$0.75 per square foot

Pool/Spa Covers

Cover must be installed on a commercial-use pool or spa that is heated with gas-fired equipment.
Cover must be installed on a pool/spa that currently does not have a cover, or has a cover that requires replacement.
Pool or spa must be located in a non-residential space (Indoor or Outdoor).
Rebate amount is determined by the pool/spa location, as listed above. Rebates are paid on a per square foot installed basis and will not exceed the total cost of the cover.

Applications coming soon!

Would you like to be notified with the rebate applications become available for Pool/Spa Covers? Email us at Commercial@NicorGasRebates.com and you will receive an email announcement when applications are available.

General Requirements

Installations must meet all equipment-specific, energy efficiency and Program requirements outlined below.

All equipment and products must:

- Be installed in an existing, non-residential space.
- New! New construction is not eligible.
- Be purchased new. Resale equipment, new parts installed in existing equipment, or equipment that is leased, rebuilt, rented, received from insurance claims or won as a prize do not qualify.
- Be installed conforming to all applicable building, local and state codes, and manufacturer specifications. Professional installation is strongly encouraged, but is not required.
- Be installed and operational prior to submittal of this application at the address listed on the application.
- New! Be installed in a property owned by the applicant, or the applicant must receive permission from the property owner to install the equipment. If you do not own the property where the equipment or product is being installed, as a tenant you are responsible for obtaining the property owner’s permission to install the equipment or product for which you are applying for a rebate. Your submission of a rebate application indicates that you have obtained this permission.

Pool/spa covers must be purchased and installed October, 7 2011 – May 31, 2014.

Tags: hot tub covers, Spa Covers
Posted in spa covers | 8 Comments »

Hot Tub Consumer Reviews

July 7th, 2011 by Jerry

Hot Tub Owner Satisfaction Survey

A project we have started more than five years ago is starting to get close to being completed.

We have over 200ooo hot tub owners in our data base and when we started asking the questions like, ” would you buy the same brand again?” or “how would you rate the dealer service?” it was interesting what we found.

Not ready to publish the full report but here are some the high lights:

62% hot tub owners would buy again

12% of the hot tub owners felt like the received “good” service from the local dealer.

47% would buy the same hot tub brand again

72% Hot Spring Spa owners would buy another Hot Spring Spa

61% Sundance Spas owners would buy another Sundance Spa

20% Jacuzzi Hot Tub Owners would buy another Jacuzzi (includes many owners which bought via Home Depot)

79% Costco Hot Tub buyers were happy with their purchase (surprise)

40% Hot Tub Owners use their hot tub 2 times per week.

Those are some of the high lights from the research. What was clear is hot tub owners use the hot tubs and most enjoy them. Local dealer satisfaction is low and suggests a big opportunity, but most good dealers know this fact already.

I’ll post more of the report in the coming weeks.

Thanks, Jerry

Tags: Hot Tubs, spa service, spa supplies, Spas
Posted in Consumer Research for Best Hot Tub | 1 Comment »

California Home Spas Long Beachs Best Hot Tub Dealer

July 1st, 2011 by Jerry

This is a first. We have never endorsed a hot tub dealer on our site but this dealer is worth breaking the rules for.

California Home Spas, located originally Cerritos, near Los Alamitos, opened their doors to clients 1979 which makes them the oldest hot tub dealer in Long Beach and Southern California.

They boast the best trained and experienced staff in the Long Beach area, and they are always experts at guiding clients to the perfect hot tub, patio furniture, and grills

Their products are selected to transform your backyard into an outdoor living experience. If you live in the e Long Beach area, we encourage you to visit their showroom in Long Beach where they have a wide variety of Sundance Spas, Hot Spring Spas and Cal Spas hot tubs on display. In addition, their other outdoor products also includes Tropitone patio furniture, teak furniture, outdoor wicker, BBQ grills, BBQ islands, gazebos, fire pits/fireplaces, and many other accessories that are available for outdoor use.

California Home Spas offers the largest selection of hot tubs in Long Beach as well as, Orange County and Los Angeles County. Please give them a try.

Tags: grills, Hot Tubs, outdoor furniture, patio furniture, Spas
Posted in hottubworks.com | 3 Comments »

Hot Tubs and Watermellons

June 16th, 2011 by Jerry

A San Jose man allegedly charged patients $300 an hour for treatments such as eating watermelon and soaking in a hot tub, according to prosecutors.

Eugene Vasin, 54, had no medical license and only brief training before treating Ronelle Kotter, of Belmont, for the illness between 2009 and 2010.

Vasin told Kotter she did not have MS and had Lyme disease instead, according to the San Francisco Examiner. Alternative treatments to his alternative diagnoses included reducing the medications given by Kotter’s real doctors, injections of vitamin B-12, and hot tub treatments to aid her kidneys, according to the newspaper.

Vasin also treated Kotter’s daughter. Some of his treatments worked, she said, and Ronelle Kotter believed in them whole-heartedly.

Kotter’s family, however, had to fight Vasin to convince Ronelle to pursue traditional medicine. They eventually reported him to police, after he billed Ronelle Kotter for everything from sending e-mails and receiving phone calls to driving to her home, the newspaper reported.

Vasin will stand trial beginning on July 11.

Tags: Consumer Research on Spas, Hot Tubs
Posted in life | No Comments »

Hot Tub For Children’s Hospital

June 15th, 2011 by Jerry

Bullfrog International and Partners, Bullfrog Spas of Ogden and Dolphin Pools and Spas, Donate

Hot Tub to Benefit Primary Children’s Hospital

Model 251SS hot tub is a big help in raising funds for the top children’s hospital in the Intermountain West.

Bullfrog Spas Model 251 Hot Tub Helps Raise Money for Kids in Need

Salt Lake City, UT (PRWEB) June 15, 2011

Bullfrog International recently donated a top of the line Bullfrog Spa to aid in fund raising efforts for Primary Children’s Hospital, the Intermountain West’s premier children’s hospital.

The fundraiser, organized and sponsored by Smith’s Food and Drug, directly benefits programs at Primary Children’s Medical Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. Primary Children’s Medical Center is the largest and most advanced children’s hospital in the Intermountain West, serving children from Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Wyoming, Montana, and beyond.

The Model 251 Bullfrog Spa, equipped with attractive stainless steel jets, helped to generate over $6000 in donations. The lucky recipient of the spa was Mr. Lance Wood. All of the proceeds go to Primary Children’s Medical Center to fund their critical programs for children in need of acute medical care.

Bullfrog Spas has a history of supporting health-related causes and produces products that aim to improve health and well-being in general. Recent science shows that hydrotherapy in portable hot tubs can increase mental and physical health. Some benefits include improved neurological health, better nervous system function, improved circulation, better sleep, relief of symptoms of diabetes, and reduced pain and swelling in joints and muscles.

Bullfrog International and Primary Children’s Medical Center hope to continue to work together to provide critical medical care to kids in need and health and wellness to everyone.

About Primary Children’s Medical Center
Founded in the early years of the twentieth century as a church-sponsored institution, Primary Children’s Medical Center is now owned and operated by Intermountain Healthcare, a charitable, community-owned, nonprofit health care organization based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Primary Children’s is the Intermountain West’s only full-service children’s hospital. Located on the campus of the University of Utah overlooking the Salt Lake Valley, the hospital cares for children with acute and chronic medical needs from Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Wyoming, Montana, and beyond. The hospital is equipped to treat children with complex illness and injury and is recognized as one of the top children’s hospitals in the United States.

Tags: Hot Tubs, Spas
Posted in Consumer Research for Best Hot Tub | No Comments »

Flying Hot Tub Covers

June 15th, 2011 by Jerry

After a wind storm, many a spa owner has found themselves wondering “where did my spa cover go?” If this happens to you and you are one of the lucky ones, you could find your spa cover or hot tub cover at least a quarter mile from your home. If not, you’ll have to look into buying a replacement that simply will not fly away next time.
Your spa or hot tub cover is likely to fly away because when wind comes at your spa, some of it will hit the side of the cabinet and have to go around. As air is pushed around the spa, some of it will be forced to go over. Once it breaks over the top of the rigid foam cover, it will set off a bit of ripple or swirl action which begins to suck upward on its rigid surface. This ripple or swirl action is what will eventually pull the foam cover up off the spa. The cover doesn’t need to move too much, because once a big enough gap is created, this will allow some air to get in underneath – which is all it takes to have your spa cover or hot tub cover flying away into the distance.
The good news is that spa supplies dealers are now offering spa covers and hot tub covers with various solutions that prevent these from flying away. For instance, it is possible to obtain spa covers and hot tub covers with stronger straps. Alternatively, you could go for a design that does not offer a rigid surface for the wind to lift on. This is a major improvement on the typical rigid foam spa covers that fly simply because they make a good wing.
You may also choose a spa cover design that does not resemble a wing, and which does not require straps or truck ratchets to secure it to your spa. Avoid spa covers or hot tub covers with a rigid foam board that rests across the top of the spa. Instead, go for one whose bottom will rest right on the water surface thereby helping to keep the water warm. This will also remove the vacuum that builds up pressure which could cause the spa cover or hot tub cover to pop off. In order to resist lift and deflect the strongest winds, go for a dome shaped flexible spa cover, rather than a flat and rigid one.
For more information on where to obtain quality spa covers or hot tub covers, please visit www.hottubworks.com today.

Tags: hot tub covers, Spa Covers
Posted in spa covers | 2 Comments »

Hot Tubs Help With Sleep And Stress

June 13th, 2011 by Jerry

A Local PA Hot Tub Dealer Gets Involved With Men”s Health

Spring Dance Hot Tubs, Pennsylvania’s HotSpring Spas’ dealer is showing their support for National Men’s Health Month by offering free spa test soaks in all their hot tub stores.

According to Armin Brott, a spokesman for the Men’s Health Network, “The purpose of Men’s Health Month is to heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys. Men’s Health Month is celebrated across the country with screenings, health fairs, media appearances, and other health education and outreach activities.”

“A 2010 “Stress in America” survey recently released by the American Psychological Association, states that Americans are struggling to balance work and home life and make time to engage in healthy behaviors, with stress not only taking a toll on their personal physical health, but also affecting the emotional and physical well-being of their families,” says Rebekah Decker, marketing manager of Spring Dance.

The 2011 Sleep in America® poll released in March 2011 found that 43% of Americans between the ages of 13 and 64 state rarely or never get a good night’s sleep on weeknights, and more than half (60%) state they experience a sleep problem every night or almost every night,” continued Decker.

“Some research finds that insomnia tends to increase with age and affects about 40 percent of women and 30 percent of men. Men’s Health Month is the perfect time to help educate the public on how soaking in a hot tub before you head off to bed can ease the transition into a deeper, more fulfilling and healing sleep,” says Decker.

Tags: Hot Tub Stress Reduction, Hot Tubs, Spa, Spas
Posted in Consumer Research for Best Hot Tub | No Comments »

Wind Powered Hot Tubs

June 13th, 2011 by Jerry

Wind Powered Hot Tub Makes Us Ponder.

A wind powered hot tub causes to think that a future of hot tubs could be more than it’s now. We have been stuck for years trying make the current method of operation less costly, but this approach is a whole new angle.

Ross Stevens writes that his “general approach to design is to find materials/objects that have concluded their first lives.” He combines his environmental sensibilities with his epicurean love of a long hot shower by building what he calls “Sustainable Decadence”- a wind-powered hot tub and spa made out of scrap. Ross writes: I wanted to challenge the assumption that sustainable means having less. (I really love long showers). I believe we should try to keep many of the pleasures of life but just reconnect them to local sustainable energy sources. I designed this primarily to change my associations with our very windy weather which can be rather oppressive (psychology experiment). By harnessing the wind I now think of the pool getting warmer when I hear and see the trees bend, which creates a positive feeling. This sense of reconnection with our site also creates more interest in the prevailing weather conditions and life outside the home. My general approach to design is to find materials/objects that have concluded there first lives. This takes some of the financial and ecological responsibility away leaving me more open to play with ideas and try things I am unsure of. The hard part is cohesively combining the diverse pieces into an overall design. In some ways this creates a more difficult design process than buying the obvious and correct new components but the reward is often a more distinct and less obvious answer. The wind turbine blades are made out of one piece of redundant water pipe (obtained for 12 bottles of beer) cut to make two blades with a helical edge that tappers to the top giving it great strength. The technical description of the blade design is a savonious rotor which is a very old wind gathering mechanism often made out of a cut in half 44 gallon drum. The blades then drive an ancient (1940′s at least) reused tractor gearbox that increases the rotation speed (4:1 ratio) that in turn drives an again reused washing machine motor (brushless DC ‘smart drive) . In a previous life I was the industrial designer of this washing machine. In theory this can produce up to 600watts of energy. ross stevens sustainable decadence spa photo cover The pool is made from reused 8 inch thick insulated panels (polystyrene and steel ) from a cool store. [a walk-in fridge] An insulated door left over from the container house slides across to create a highly thermally efficient space meaning the amount of heating is greatly reduced. ross stevens sustainable decadence spa photo kids full kids It is a classic issue on TreeHugger: does being green mean that you have to give up the pleasures of life and become a sort of hair-shirt environmentalist taking navy showers? Ross shows that we can have our cake and eat it too; that we can still enjoy ourselves if we do it sustainably and creatively, although clearly being handy with a welding torch helps. The term Sustainable Decadence resonates: living ethically and sustainably can still be comfortable and fun.

Tags: Hot Tub Parts, Hot Tubs, Spa Parts, Spas
Posted in spa covers | No Comments »

Bears Love Hot Tubs

June 7th, 2011 by Jerry

BEARS LOVE HOT TUBS

It’s not every day you find a bear in your back yard.

And it’s certainly a once-in-a-lifetime experience to find one taking a dip in your hot tub.

Jenny Sue Rhoades found the black bear swimming in her hot tub two miles from Wekiwa Springs State Park in Florida.

Surprise: The black bear was caught swimming in a family’s hot tub last week just two miles from Wekiwa Springs State Park

Cooling off: The bear broke through the screen and decided to have a rest in the family hot tub

She told WFTV that she never turns on her hot tub in the summer because no one uses it – that was until last Friday morning when she looked out her window and a black bear was in the backyard.

She said: ‘I should have yelled at him for leaving dirty paw prints around the spa. I went in my office and I got my camera, by the time I came back out his nose was pushed up against the screen.

She said the bear then broke the pool screen, climbed through and started drinking the water in the spa and even though she yelled at the bear, he ignored her.

Gone again: As quickly as he arrived he left again after quenching his thirst

Mike Orlando, Florida Fish and Wildlife officer, told WFTV: ‘Once it gets to that point there are things where we may have to actually have to come and get the bear.‘

Florida Fish and Wildlife said there are roughly 3,000 bears in Florida and their population is growing. There are so many black bears in the state they are even considering taking them off the threatened species list.

Roy Lukman, a Longwood resident, said he sees bears about once a week and will only walk in the daylight for fear of being attacked

He said: ‘It will come across between just exactly where that sign is.

‘People have told me that he won’t hurt you and things like that. I am still keeping my distance.’

Florida Fish and Wildlife said that getting bear resistant trash cans and only putting out the trash in the morning of pick-up day will help prevent occurrences with bears.

Tags: hot tub care, hottubworks, spa maintenance, www.hottubworks.com
Posted in life | 3 Comments »