What is important in a hot tub?
The SPA company's hot tubs are manufactured according to very specific technical requirements. They are not an "off the shelf item" as the Americans say.
To ensure that the spas comply with the requirements that have been set, each spa is tested and checked before it leaves the warehouse. (This is why there is sometimes a little water in the pipes when the spa is delivered.)
The design and technology of a hot tub are crucial to the experience you have when using it. The quality and expected lifespan of the hot tub depend on the same criteria.
Water massage or air bubbles?
The SPA company's hot tubs only have water massage. There are the following reasons for this:
- A water pump makes much less noise than an air pump, up to 80% less! An air pump runs at a much higher speed and sounds like a vacuum cleaner.
- Water massages much better than air, as it has more weight.
- Air bubbles lower the water temperature because:
- the air being sucked in is at room temperature
- The air collects heat from the water and releases it into space when it reaches the surface.
- Air systems are difficult to clean and therefore unhygienic:
- Water flows in the air hoses, and soap residue, grease and sweat from the body can be deposited in the tubes.
However, the air tubes are difficult to flush with sparens. - Some spas with air massage have double bottoms, where air is forced between the bottoms, which enters the water through holes in the upper bottom. Here there are even more opportunities for bacteria to find dirt and soap residue in the edges and corners between the bottoms. It is inevitable that the space between the bottoms will fill with water, and cleaning this space is very difficult.
- Water flows in the air hoses, and soap residue, grease and sweat from the body can be deposited in the tubes.
Better electronics
First and foremost, SPA company ApS ensures that all EU requirements are met and that the electrical installation fully complies with Danish regulations and standards.
Bad electronics are known to cause warranty problems and can be the cause of a short lifespan for many spas. For the same reason, SPA Kompaniet purchases the best electronics for our spas. The quality problems can concern the following 3 units:
Control
Chinese control panels come in many varieties, but they are generally recognized as small low-voltage controls on the edge of the tub. They are operated with “Easy Touch” push buttons. The thin waterproof film that covers the panel is easily damaged, after which water and steam penetrate and destroy the “Easy Touch” function. There are European products on the market of significantly higher quality, which are part of the almost non-existent European production of hot tubs. This production has been displaced due to lack of competitiveness with prices from DKK 20,000 to over DKK 100,000 for a hot tub, depending on the type and make.
SPA company ApS uses apneumatic control system (air pressure controlled).
, where no electronic or electrical components come into contact with water or water vapor. The buttons for the control, which are mounted on the edge of the tub, are made of solid chrome-plated brass. When the button is pressed, air pressure is generated, which first turns into an electronic impulse in the electrical box. This mechanical operation is very reliable and causes virtually no operational problems. In extreme cases, the air hose may have come loose from the underside of the button, but it can be easily remounted by simply pushing the hose over the button's spigot.
Electrical box
If the spa is equipped with an electronic “Easy Touch” control, the control will be supported by an electronic electrical box with a unique printed circuit board. In other words, in the event of failure or error, this unique printed circuit board must be replaced. Considering that there is an economic crisis in both Denmark and China, where these printed circuit boards are often produced, it can in some cases be a long or even impossible task to obtain a new printed circuit board. Our electrical boxes work without a printed circuit board and are built from components that can be purchased from most European electrical wholesalers. This system is both very reliable and your guarantee that your spa can always be repaired.
Heater
As can be seen from the above, the electronic components are often the weak link in spa production. Heating elements are no exception. Chinese heating elements are the subject of a very large proportion of the complaints that occur on spas. Therefore, SPA Kompaniet ApS has taken the step to the full and uses only Swedish designed thermostatically controlled heating elements in all spas. These are of high quality and very reliable.
Noise level
No air — less noise.
All of our hot tubs are made with water massage on the bottom jets. This is quite special, as air massage is traditionally used within the industry.
The immediate benefit is a noise level that is reduced by approximately 80%, compared to air massage in a hot tub.
A fan is comparable to an inverted vacuum cleaner and makes a corresponding amount of noise. By converting the nozzles to water massage, you completely eliminate the noise from the fan. All that remains is a soft hum from the pump.
More powerful massage
A water jet has a higher density than an air bubble. Therefore, you get a much better massage than would have been the case with an air massage.
Slower cooling
A fan uses the air from the bathroom, which will be about 15 degrees cooler than the water in the spa, which is typically kept at about 37 degrees. You will immediately feel the colder air against your skin, after which the air rises to the surface with an accompanying strong oxygenation of the water, leading to further cooling of the water.
During water massage, you draw the 37-degree water in the tub around. This also avoids oxygenation of the water and makes it easier to maintain the temperature.
Better hygiene
A traditional spa setup with air massage on the bottom jets causes certain hygiene problems. The closed system with the blower at one end and the jets at the other causes a build-up of soap and shampoo residue in the jets that cannot be removed.
When emptying the tub, most of the water will run down the drain, but the last part, and thus often the part that contains the most grease and soap, will run into the bottom nozzles. You can blow the nozzles empty of water, but this does not remove the soap residue, which provides a breeding ground for bacteria growth and subsequent odors.
SPA Kompaniet ApS has all models manufactured with water massage on the bottom nozzles. This enables the use of spa cleaner to keep the bottom nozzles clean. Spa cleaner loosens and disinfects the nozzles and pipe system during the recommended quarterly cleaning.
Different spa types
There are many ways to design a spa. Popular among indoor spas are corner spas. These are — as the name suggests — designed to be placed in a corner. Some of them are available in a right-facing and left-facing version. (When you stand in front of the tub, so that the faucet is directly in front of you, and you have the cushions on your left, it is a left-facing hot tub.)
Rectangular hot tubs — sometimes called spa tubs — resemble the classic bathtub. The SPA company sells rectangular spas that are designed to be placed in a corner or along a wall. Some rectangular spas are also available with a right- or left-facing design.
Other hot tubs are found together in the last category. Here we find the alternatively designed and special hot tubs.
Among other things, there are spas here that are intended for the professional market: for treatment or for use in rental summer houses.
An example is Relax I and Relax II , both aimed at treatment, or Oslo, which is intended for rental summer houses and is available for both indoorand outdoor use .
The hot tub also has health benefits
Since the Stone Age, people have found ways to use natural springs, lakes and streams to treat “illnesses.” Early on, people began building baths and spas to exploit the beneficial effects of water therapy in various forms.
The town of Spa in Belgium, which already had a spa with healing baths in Roman times, has given its name to certain types of water treatment. The spa bath with water massage is one of them.
Throughout history, a number of studies have been conducted on the beneficial effects of bathing. One of the first benefits pointed out, and probably one of the earliest reasons for taking hydrotherapy, is pain relief. From ancient Egypt to Iceland and from Japan to the ancient Native American tribes on the American continents, hot springs have been used for this purpose. The modern hot tub with thermostat and heating element keeps the water temperature in the range that provides the most benefit and the least harm. Body temperature is the starting point for the water temperature. If the water is body temperature or slightly above, the muscles and skin relax and the heat can penetrate deep into the body. If the temperature rises just a few degrees, you start to sweat, which in certain situations could be an advantage, while in everyday life that is not the point of a relaxing bath. If the water temperature drops just a few degrees below body temperature, you start to freeze and all hope of relaxation disappears.
The massage from the water jets is powerful and increases the relaxing effect that the heat has on the muscles. Since water massage takes the water from the tub itself and pumps it around in powerful jets, the cooling is minimal, and the beneficial effect on the muscles is fully maintained. The water pressure itself experienced from the hot water also has a beneficial effect.
It is not only muscle pain that is relieved in this way. Stiffness in joints and muscles, swelling and stress symptoms are also beneficially affected. Insomnia can also be reduced by taking a hot spa bath.
Scientific studies have shown that water therapy — including hot tubs — can be used as a therapy for a number of diseases ranging from arthritis to cardiovascular disease to diabetes. Some of these therapies involve hot tubs, where the temperature can be regulated over a wider range than is the case in the SPA company's hot tubs. These therapies require medical supervision and are not suitable for self-experimentation. However, this does not mean that benefits cannot be achieved with hot tubs, where the temperature is maintained at or close to body temperature. Several sources, including BBC News, mention beneficial effects for, for example, type 2 diabetes.
See also:
Scientific Evidence-Based Effects of Hydrotherapy on Various Systems of the Body
Glossary and explanations
Power consumption
Spa without heater uses 230V / 10A.
Spa with heater uses 230V / 16A.
Note that a spa with a heater requires a 1.5 square wire, typically connected on its own group.
A hot tub uses approximately 1kW/h (1 kW per hour) when the pump is running. In addition, there is the consumption of the heating element, which uses 3 or 6 kWH when it is turned on, and the heating element is only turned on for the time it takes to heat the water to the preset temperature.
Heater
Spa Kompaniet ApS recommends purchasing a heater. In addition to heating the water and maintaining the water temperature, the heater also has the important function of keeping the water at body temperature via the integrated thermostat. A temperature fluctuation of ±3 degrees will immediately cause discomfort. At 39°C you start sweating and at 35°C you freeze.
There are many factors to consider when sizing the heater. The size of the spa, the amount of hot water available in advance, and how many people will be using the water at a time. Think of the heater as the horsepower of a car. You are buying acceleration: the larger the heater, the faster the water will reach the desired temperature.
Cleaning
After use, start the pump for about 10 seconds after the water has been turned off to empty the pipes. Rinse the tub with lukewarm water from the hand shower. Add spa cleaner to the water about once a month after use. Start the pump and run for about 5 minutes and then turn off the water.
Spa cleanse
Spa-rens disinfects and cleans pipes and hoses and loosens soap residue.
It is important that you book the spa cleaning together with the spa itself.Can I use soap and shampoo in the spa?
Yes, in moderation. The more you use, the more often you should use spa cleaner. Soaps, shampoos, and oils are fine, but you should not use bath salts in the spa as they will damage metal parts.
Drain placement
The floor drain can be placed anywhere under the tub, just not directly under the tub drain itself. This is to allow for the angle you screw into the tub drain.
The drains are made of copper and the visible parts are chrome-plated. Compared to plastic, for example, the chrome plating gives a longer lifespan and a much better and more durable appearance.
Stand and built-in option
If the tub is equipped with a stand, this is permanently mounted. The stand cannot be removed.
All hot tubs can in principle be built-in. The front and sides are usually removable. Please note that any condensation that forms under the tub must be able to drain into the drain.
The front is screwed to the stand to prevent it from falling off prematurely. By loosening the screws and removing the front, you get easier access to service the tub.
Quality control
All SPA Kompanie's hot tubs are assembled and tested at our own workshop in Søften before being sent to the customer. Therefore, there may be residual water in the hoses and drains.
Self-control
Upon receipt, the customer must check that the packaging is intact and that the product has not been damaged during transport. Before installation, the installer must ensure that all hoses and cables are correctly positioned.