Frequently asked questions

• How much do hot tubs cost?

  The first question many people ask is, "How much does it cost to buy a hot tub?" Of course, the short answer is, "It depends on the hot tub." There are roughly four tiers of hot tub quality: entry-level, value-priced, premium, and luxury.

  • Entry-level hot tubs starting at $3,999
  • Value-priced hot tubs starting at $5,999
  • Premium hot tubs starting at $7,999
  • Luxury hot tubs starting at $15,999

  So what's the difference between these levels of quality? Well, the price of a hot tub varies based on size, features, materials, components, and engineering. The better hot tubs will generally offer more varied sizes and configurations, have more entertainment options and more powerful jets, be built of more durable materials, and offer greater energy efficiency.

• Additional hot tub pricing factors?

  Based on your local area and your unique backyard or deck, a few other factors will affect the total price of your hot tub:

  • Landed costs, such as freight costs to your location and the dealer's overhead, will influence the final price of your spa.
  • Installation costs can vary based on any unique location-based challenges such as narrow access, deck remodeling, and backyard setup. These costs can also fluctuate based on payments from dealers to their service team, plus fleet maintenance and associated vehicle costs.

  Of course, the upfront costs should be compared with the long-term value of spa ownership. It's important to consider how you'll benefit from your hot tub, and how many years of enjoyment it will bring you. Many hot tub owners have made their spa time part of their daily ritual, perhaps taking a quick soak before or after work. When used in this manner, the benefits of owning a spa can enrich every other aspect of your life. Hot tubs made of durable, high-end materials tend to easily last for over a decade. And while some components may wear out over time, these can be repaired or replaced. All told, a well-loved, quality hot tub can deliver daily benefits for many, many years.

• Other price concerns for hot tub buyers?

  The factors above account for most of the price variation in hot tubs. Still, there are more first-time buyers, frequently ask questions. Here are some other questions you may seek answers to:

  1. How do I know if I'm getting a good deal?

     It's important to do a little research. Know what you're looking for and how much you're willing to spend, and consider a variety of local options before making your purchase.

  2. Where's the best place to buy a hot tub?

     The best place to buy a hot tub is almost always a local dealer with a national support network, who will be able to provide service for the life of your hot tub. These dealers carry spas from world-renowned manufacturers, and they have the institutional standards and level of expertise necessary to do a quality, professional job of supporting you and your spa.

  3. What accessories should I buy?

     This depends on your preference. Generally speaking, functional accessories are the most important. Investing in a cover lifter for your hot tub greatly increases your ease of use, and therefore the likelihood you'll frequently visit your spa. A skimmer is a useful tool to clean out any unwanted detritus. To easily get in and out of your spa, consider a staircase or even a railing. An umbrella is also a useful accessory. It's great when it rains, and it also keeps the sun off of you when using the spa during the day. Finally, depending on the level of your spa's filtration and water purification systems, water care chemical kits can be important as well. Your dealer will help you determine which care kit will be best for your spa.

• What research should I do?

  It's always a little tricky to do something like buying a hot tub for the first time. Where do you start? It's a good idea to do a little research to help you know what you're looking for. Check out different resources, and ask people with experience. That way you can shop for your first hot tub equipped with second-time buyer knowledge.

  • Start with an internet search. Seeing as that's where you've found this buyer's guide, it seems like you've figured this one out already! The internet is a fantastic tool for finding dealers in your area, reviews of the best hot tub brands, and general information about hot tub ownership. When looking for reviews, it's a good idea to compare information from multiple sources and to find reviews from neutral sites like Spasearch.

  • Once you've got a good idea of what you're looking for in a hot tub, the next step is to visit your local dealer. Here you can learn which models they carry in stock, how they handle delivery and installation, and what their service plans look like. Getting an in-person introduction to some models of interest can also help inform your decision.

  • Nothing beats a personal touch. If you know any true spa enthusiasts— ideally someone who uses their spa daily and has owned it for a decade or longer—they'll be able to offer you a wealth of knowledge to guide you through buying and owning a hot tub. Their personal experiences will help you figure out what's most important for you, both today and ten years from now.

• How much does it cost to install a hot tub?

  The cost to install your hot tub varies depending on your hot tub’s size, location and complexity. Prices to install your hot tub can range between $85- $800+ depending on what you want. On average, the national cost for installation is about $300.

• What should I consider before installation?

  • New patio slab. If you don’t have one already, you’ll need a cement slab or another similarly strong surface to support the weight of your hot tub. Cement slabs are extremely durable and can cost around $100 in materials. If you hire contractors or work with your dealership to get this set up for you, the cost could be $1,400 – $3,500.

  • Electrical wiring/running conduit. Your new hot tub will need its own electrical connection to run the heater, pumps, filtration system and any entertainment options. The electrical materials will cost around $250 and include a bond wire, service panel, ground and GCFI break, a DC converter for the pump and PVC pipe. This will require about three hours of service from an electrician to install which will cost around another $250. If you want to bury the electrical components, it can cost about $70.

  • Gazebo and other custom installation options. If you decide to build a custom installation around your hot tub, it will add to your overall price. The cost of these options will depend on what you want. Overall, the costs associated with installing a portable spa are still considerably less than installing an in-ground hot tub.

• Where should I install my hot tub?

  • Location, Location, Location. You’ll first have to decide where to put your spa. Make sure the surface your spa rests on can support a great deal of weight. A concrete slab, a deck, or a gravel base are all good options.

  • Electrical Supply. Your dealer will be able to help you find a qualified electrician to handle your wiring and connection issues. All 230-volt Caldera spas include a GFCI cub-panel to ensure that every installation complies with the National Electric Code.

  • Take measurements. Use your tape measure to plan a route for the spa to be loaded off a truck and moved to your perfect location.

• Will my utility bill increase?

  Running a hot tub requires energy, so it should be no surprise that your electric bill will go up. However, certain hot tub features improve your energy efficiency and can minimize this additional cost.

  • Your heater, pump, insulation, and custom-fit cover are all part of the same system working to keep your water hot. High-end systems are very good at efficiently maintaining your spa’s temperature, requiring a low continuous expenditure of energy. While it may be less expensive up front to purchase a hot tub with a low-quality heater, pump, or insulation, your electrical bills will be consistently lower with a better system.

  • During wintertime, especially in cold climates, your hot tub will have to work harder to maintain its temperature. Your electric bill will rise correspondingly. The degree of this rise will be exaggerated in low-end hot tubs with poor components and insulation. Higher-quality hot tub owners will notice less of a difference.

• Is it difficult to maintain?

  While some of us are master handy persons always in search of the next project, the rest of us may be a little hesitant to take on the long-term maintenance of a hot tub without knowing how difficult or time-consuming it might be. Hot tub manufacturers and dealers understand this hesitation and have worked hard to design hot tubs that are simple and quick to maintain. They’ve also established service practices to help hot tub owners who lack the time, expertise, or interest to maintain a spa on their own.

  • For added convenience, many high-end hot tubs have built-in water care systems. These feature filters of various sizes, types, and performance ratings. The higher the quality of your filter, the less often you’ll need to purify or change your water.

  • Water in hot tubs with dedicated circulation pumps and continuous circulation stays fresher longer than in hot tubs without these components.

  With today’s spas, it doesn’t take a huge time commitment to keep your hot tub running. A small upfront investment in preventative maintenance pays great dividends over the life of your hot tub. A little care ensures your hot tub never adds any stress, only reduces it.

  • Investing five to ten minutes a week to assess and adjust your water levels prevents the need for more lengthy and costly adjustments later. Compared to the hours of enjoyment you can gain from your hot tub each week, this time investment is minimal.

  • Cleaning, maintaining, and replacing your filters, cover, and outside paneling when they show signs of wear helps keep your hot tub functioning at peak efficiency, lowering your ongoing costs.

  • Many dealers offer “valet service.” When you’re signed up for a valet program, professional technicians will come by your spa on a regular basis to ensure it stays clean and ready to use.

• Will I use it enough?

  Owning a hot tub can have a profound, long-lasting positive impact. A hot tub can help you grow closer to your family, enhance your sense of well-being and physical health, and reduce muscle soreness. Using your hot tub regularly will help you renew yourself, rejuvenate your body and mind, and reconnect with what’s important in your life.

  • Renew. Taking a little time each day to relax and center yourself in the warm, welcoming bubbles of your spa will improve your sense of general well-being. It helps you forget the stresses of work or your commute and relaxes your worried mind. Your spa can improve your general physical health as well by relieving tension and unknotting tense muscles.

  • Rejuvenate. To rejuvenate is to reclaim your youth, in body and spirit. Simply sitting in your hot tub helps you burn calories, as well as reduce stiffness and muscle fatigue. Even better, the combination of hot water and massage jets will improve your muscle tone. After each soak in your hot tub, you’ll step out feeling a little younger than before.

  • Reconnect. As a social space, free from the distractions of television or the internet, a hot tub is a wonderful place to grow and nurture your connections with your friends and family. When you’re in the hot tub with your partner or your children, you’re able to spend quality time together away from the pressures of the world outside. This promotes conversation and togetherness in a relaxing, pleasant atmosphere.

• How can I ensure I use my hot tub regularly?

  Some prospective hot tub owners worry that their hot tub won’t see much use, and they won’t experience its renewing effects. And of course, a hot tub that sees little use isn’t going to help its owner much. The best way to make sure you get a good amount of use from your hot tub is to make it part of your routine. Here are a few ways to make using your hot tub on a regular basis as easy as possible:

  • Locate your hot tub in a place that is easily accessible from your back door—don’t place it too far out in your yard! Particularly on cold, snowy, or cloudy days, the proximity makes your spa a warm, close, appealing escape.

  • Investing in a cover lifter makes taking off the cover a one-person job, allowing anyone to hop in the spa at any time without needing outside help.

  • Purchasing water care chemicals on a monthly basis can easily slip far down on the to-do list. To keep your stock fresh—and your hot tub pristine—many dealers let you set up an automatic reorder. You can even have these chemicals delivered!

  • Many hot tub dealers offer white glove or valet hot tub service, which means they take care of every aspect of maintenance for you before you even have to ask. With valet service, your hot tub is always ready to be used at a moment’s notice.

• What are some common reasons owners underuse their hot tub?

  When we ask people why their hot tub doesn’t get used, their answers usually fit one of a few patterns. Each reason can be inhibitive, but is also easily preventable.

  • Owners have a poor water experience. Poor water quality in your hot tub easily makes for a poor experience. This can be prevented by assessing and adjusting your levels and replacing filters as necessary.

  • Owners have high energy bills. Some customers dislike the impact their hot tub has on their energy bill. While hot tubs will always require energy, higher-end hot tubs are more efficient than low-cost spas, resulting in a much less dramatic increase to the electric bill.

  • Owners don’t feel like hot tub ownership has positively impacted their lives. Infrequent users sometimes feel as though the experience of owning a hot tub hasn’t made a profound difference in their lives, or isn’t ‘worth it.’ But those who consistently and intentionally use their hot tub will begin to experience the physical, mental, emotional, and relational benefits of spa ownership day after day, week after week.

  • Owners have difficulty getting in and out of their hot tub. People with limited mobility can experience problems entering and leaving their spas. For these customers, designing the deck or surrounding area to facilitate movement can greatly improve the hot tub experience. In addition, matching steps and handrails are available with many spas.

  • Owners have trouble removing the hot tub cover by themselves. As hot tub covers can be heavy, removing them often requires more than one person. If you have difficulty lifting the cover by yourself, it may be tempting to forgo a soak. Hot tub cover lifters eliminate this obstacle by turning cover removal into a simple one-person job.

  Also, generally speaking, investing in a low-quality hot tub may not deliver ideal results. The more you like your hot tub, the more you’ll want to use it. When choosing the model to take home, think about what you’ll want most from your spa down the road, and find the model that best supplies that.

• What features should I look for?

  The most important feature to look for in a hot tub is functionality. After that, shop for performance, comfort, and style. Your hot tub will be part of your life for years to come, so it’s a good idea to choose features you’ll be happy with down the road. Here are some of the basic questions on features you should ask your dealer:

  • Is it large enough to fit my family?

  • How well does it keep the water clean?

  • Who is the manufacturer, and how reliable are they?

  • How easy is it to operate this model?

  • What are this model’s typical operating costs?

  • Will I use it for backyard entertainment, or just for quiet time alone?

  • Will I use it alone or with other people?

  • What accessories come with this model? What other accessories do you recommend?

  A good dealer will be happy to answer your questions and help you find the hot tub that suits you best. They can even arrange a time for you to stop by and test how it feels to sit in the spa, dry or wet. They’ll be your partner down the road as well, providing you the service you need year after year.

• I am sensitive to chemicals. Will I get a skin reaction from using a hot tub?

  Every human being is different. Similar to food, and environmental sensitivities, people can be sensitive to chemicals. This doesn’t always preclude them from experiencing the benefits of a hot tub. Many people experience skin reactions in public hot tubs. The beauty of owning your own hot tub allows you to create and maintain the most clean, clear and sparkling water possible. People should never assume that they will experience sensitivity in ALL hot tubs. Having control over your water quality is one of the biggest benefits of owning a hot tub.

• Are hot tubs and spas covered by health insurance?

  Many of our customers ask if hot tubs and spas are covered by health insurance. The answer is: it depends on your insurance company and your specific health plan.

  Your health insurance policy may cover the purchase price of a new spa if hot tub therapy has been prescribed by your doctor to treat a legitimate medical condition. Conditions that may be best alleviated through warm water immersion include athletic and joint injuries, arthritis, and poor circulation.

  Even with a doctor’s prescription, however, many health insurance policies specifically exclude hot tub coverage. If hot tub therapy isn’t directly ruled out, you may be able to file a claim. In such a case, your hot tub may qualify as necessary medical equipment.

  If your policy rules out hot tubs, but a doctor thinks hot tub treatment is your best option, you may be able to switch to a more inclusive insurance policy. Before doing so, compare the cost of a hot tub to the change in your annual premium amount to see if switching will actually save you money.

  If you are injured in an incident caused by another person or business, and your doctor prescribes hot tub therapy for treatment and recuperation, consult with your attorney. The other party’s insurance company may be liable to pay for treatment, including the cost of a therapeutic hot tub. If injured in an automobile accident, your own car insurance may cover the cost of a hot tub under medical pay if the other party’s insurance will not.

  In addition to a doctor’s written prescription, be sure to submit all other relevant medical test results, including X-rays, MRIs, and/or needle electromyography (EMG) reports, to your insurance company when filing your claim for coverage.

  Disclaimer: This information should not be construed as medical or legal advice. For advice on which treatment may be best for your condition, consult a licensed medical professional. For advice concerning insurance claims, consult a licensed attorney.