Hot tub advice

[starflyte1]

I am thinking about buying a hot tub. I don’t want anything fancy, just a basic hot tub wit jets and heater.

Does anyone have any suggestions about what to look at and where?

Thank you.

[Topspinmo]

110v plug and play less hassle especially if you don’t have 220v available. You still might need permit depending on which county you live in?

I was thinking about this one, but ever since Covid it not available. Watch out on these site’s, don’t give them your email so they can email you when available, majority sell your address and you be getting hundreds of junk emails from around world.

LS100 Laguna Plug-N-Play 2 Person Spa - Pool Warehouse (https://www.poolwarehouse.com/shop/ls100-laguna-plug-n-play-2-person-spa/)

[villagetinker]

We bought ours at Spa Kingdom route 441 just south of 466A. Some words of wisdom, call your local building department and ask for specific requirements for 120 volt (plug in) spa and 240 Volt (hard wired) spa. In the latter case (Sumter county) there are 2 permits required, a spa permit and an electrical permit. If your spa is within 5 feet of glass (windows or sliders), these must be tempered glass, and I think in both cases the spa has to be 5 feet away from electrical outlets. Make sure you take into consideration how you will drain the spa, this usually needs to be done twice a year.
Please feel free to contact me by PM and I can discuss this in greater detail with you. We have had ours since 12/2013 and moved it twice. DO NOT RELY on your supplier to pull all the necessary permits, long story but I got caught by this.

[Stu from NYC]

We had one where we lived before coming here, first few years enjoyed it down the road we would almost never use it.

Moved here, house came with one and when we converted to Florida happy to give it away.

Understand lots of people have the same experience so suggest you think long and hard about use

[retiredguy123]

Hot tubs and treadmills. They sound good when you buy them, but will you really use them? A hot tub is better in an air conditioned room. Most of the time, it is too hot to use it outside.

[Stu from NYC]

Hot tubs and treadmills. They sound good when you buy them, but will you really use them? A hot tub is better in an air conditioned room. Most of the time, it is too hot to use it outside.

True we could not give away our treadmill finally paid to have it hauled away

[starflyte1]

Thank you for the replies. Topspinmo, the one you suggested is no available, but thanks, it did look like what I wanted.

I think I have decided against a hot tub. The permits required would be a hassle and expensive and I would probably not use it, as others have suggested.

Thanks again. Look at the trouble and money TOTV people have saved me������. Again.

[Pinball wizard]

I also recommend Spa Kingdom. I privately purchased a hot tub and I needed them for service. They were excellent.

[villagetinker]

Thank you for the replies. Topspinmo, the one you suggested is no available, but thanks, it did look like what I wanted.

I think I have decided against a hot tub. The permits required would be a hassle and expensive and I would probably not use it, as others have suggested.

Thanks again. Look at the trouble and money TOTV people have saved me������. Again.

Sorry to hear that I still use mine 3 or 4 times a week, and now that my knee is hurting it provides a way to exercise the knee with almost no pain. Also, I turn the heat OFF during the summer, and the hot tub usually stays around 90 degrees, very comfortable and it feels good to cool off in the afternoon.

[Topspinmo]

Hot tubs and treadmills. They sound good when you buy them, but will you really use them? A hot tub is better in an air conditioned room. Most of the time, it is too hot to use it outside.

I have back problems are really used mine. But, when the hot tub electronic’s failed I got rid of it. Not worth 1000 dollar or more fix on old worthless hot tub IMO. I willing to bet when buy house with hot tub most likely never was permit pulled. Something new buyers can be Award of? when I brought my house no mention of hot tub on Any of Paper work or any permits. But, who knows what was required in 2003?

[DaveZ]

I am thinking about buying a hot tub. I don’t want anything fancy, just a basic hot tub wit jets and heater.

Does anyone have any suggestions about what to look at and where?

Thank you.

We’ve bought these everywhere we’ve lived (see link below). They are durable, cheap, quickly deployable, storable, and removable as well as 110 volt so they plug into a standard outlet. They can take a pounding from grandkids too! If you find you’re not getting use out of it they are easy to put on marketplace to sell. We’ve owned the more expensive, permanent models and found that we could get more value out of these. Just a cover for the others can cost as much as these and maintenance is nearly zero. Filters are comparatively cheap as is water treatment. Basically 1” chlorine tablets to maintain. The company responds well and I’ve had to replace a pump unit here ($450) once. Another option to look at! Of course Walmart and Amazon have many options.

If the link below doesn’t pop up, look for Intex Pure Spa via Google.

Robot or human? (https://www.walmart.com/ip/Intex-PureSpa-6-Person-Bubble-Massage-Inflatable-Hot-Tub-Spa-Set/3022678675)

[josephchiro]

I am thinking about buying a hot tub. I don’t want anything fancy, just a basic hot tub wit jets and heater.

Does anyone have any suggestions about what to look at and where?

Thank you.

i'm looking to sell mine, hardly used. 2 yrs old. cheap

[MandoMan]

I am thinking about buying a hot tub. I don’t want anything fancy, just a basic hot tub wit jets and heater.

Does anyone have any suggestions about what to look at and where?

Thank you.

Salt water beats chlorine and is worth the extra money. No smell on your skin when you get out!

A lot of hot tub covers are quite heavy—beyond what many of us can handle. Be sure to buy an excellent gadget for lifting and replacing the lid. Try it out first and make sure you can do it. If it’s too hard, you will soon stop using the hot tub.

[rsmurano]

I use mine everyday, sometimes 2x a day. I’ve had many hot tubs for many decades, most in cold climates. This is Florida, get a hot tub for 110 volt. The only reason to get 220 volt is if you want to heat the tub while you have the jets on. This is Florida and even spending 45 mins in the tub in the middle of winter with the jets on, the temp goes down maybe 1 degree.
Also, hot tubs are only good in air conditioned rooms, WHAT??? Do not, do not, put your hot tub inside your house unless you put in massive dehumidifiers to control the humidity. Your house will have mold in a couple of weeks if you put it inside.
If you want to save money, go down to Orlando to buy your tub. I saved thousands buying down there over the dealers near here.

[mkjelenbaas]

I am thinking about buying a hot tub. I don’t want anything fancy, just a basic hot tub wit jets and heater.

Does anyone have any suggestions about what to look at and where?

Thank you.
DDO NOT BY NEAR OR IN THE VILLAGES - go to Orlando and save BIG!! You have been warned!!

[Carolynp4]

Try the inflatable hot tubs. You can get them online. We keep ours at 103. We’ve gone through three of them over ten years. They are in the $400-$500 range

[Rzepecki]

I am thinking about buying a hot tub. I don’t want anything fancy, just a basic hot tub wit jets and heater.

Does anyone have any suggestions about what to look at and where?

Thank you.

We have a portable hot tub called Softub from

Jack Praver
Innovative Spas
Leisure Consultant
155 S Rosemont Road, Va Beach ph:757.652.7730
w: Swimming Pool and Spa sales, service, installation and maintenance. - Virginia Beach (http://www.innovativespas.com)
e: jack@innovativespas.com

This is our second one, the first lasted 11 years. We had a couple minor, inexpensive issues that the company dealt with promptly. No permits needed. Plug into 110. My husband uses it daily for his back. Very easy to take care of and move.

[PoolBrews]

I have owned a hot tub for the last 40 years - one in MI, two in GA, and now one here in The Villages. My current hot tub is the Tuff Spa TT250.

TuffSpa TT250 (https://hottubhub.com/product/tuff-spas-tt-250/?gad_source=1)

Simply put, I would never consider getting a different brand. Their patented cover is guaranteed for life. On my previous hot tubs, I had to replace the cover about every 5 years, and they were always a pain to remove, especially for one person. The cover on the Tuff Spas can be opened on either side by one person with one hand. It then becomes a shelf to put towels or drinks on. In addition, Tuff Spa only uses readily available common parts throughout it's construction, so if something fails in 5 or 6 years you can find the replacement part cheaply on line.

No matter which hot tub you go with, either get one that already has an SWCG (Salt Water Chlorine Generator) in it, or add an SWCG to it. There have been several studies recently that link continued bromine exposure to hyperthyroidism. I switched my hot tub to chlorine and installed Saltron Mini for between $200-$300. Not only is it safer for your skin and body, but my hot tub now stays far cleaner than it ever did for much longer.

[retiredguy123]

I use mine everyday, sometimes 2x a day. I’ve had many hot tubs for many decades, most in cold climates. This is Florida, get a hot tub for 110 volt. The only reason to get 220 volt is if you want to heat the tub while you have the jets on. This is Florida and even spending 45 mins in the tub in the middle of winter with the jets on, the temp goes down maybe 1 degree.
Also, hot tubs are only good in air conditioned rooms, WHAT??? Do not, do not, put your hot tub inside your house unless you put in massive dehumidifiers to control the humidity. Your house will have mold in a couple of weeks if you put it inside.
If you want to save money, go down to Orlando to buy your tub. I saved thousands buying down there over the dealers near here.
In Georgia, I had a hot tub in an enclosed lanai that had double doors to the living room, very much like a lot of houses in The Villages. It worked very well and there was no humidity or mold issue. Much more convenient than going outside, especially on a very hot or cold day. You need to have an insulated cover for the hot tub and keep the room ventilated.

How is that any different from having a jetted hot tub in your bathroom? A hot tub inside your house is much more likely to be used than having it outside.

[ndf888]

We are very happy with our Hot Spring Spa. I you will need a company that does the installation and offers a service contract. So I would not purchase one from Costco for example. Also try to find a place 1 hour away from The Villages to get a decent price.

Spas Etc Of Orlando - Casselberry, FL 32707 - Hot Spring Spas (https://www.hotspring.com/hot-tub-dealers/spas-etc-of-orlando)

[rjn5656]

We had one for 10 years up north, now 13 years down here. Use it all the time , even in the summer. My preference is a 220v one, heats better than the 110.

[Topspinmo]

In Georgia, I had a hot tub in an enclosed lanai that had double doors to the living room, very much like a lot of houses in The Villages. It worked very well and there was no humidity or mold issue. Much more convenient than going outside, especially on a very hot or cold day. You need to have an insulated cover for the hot tub and keep the room ventilated.

How is that any different from having a jetted hot tub in your bathroom? A hot tub inside your house is much more likely to be used than having it outside.


About all old Ramada Inns with pools and hot tubes enclosed in building are torn down probably due to mold problems. Over the years (40 plus) the enclosed pools which had hot tubs mold migrated throughout whole building. You could smell it even in rooms that was around pool.
Jetted bath tubs don’t have chemicals in water and are not constantly inducing moisture in air cause you drain bath tube after use. Bubbling water creates moisture cloud and when inside get sucked throughout building with central air handlers.

[pauld315]

Hot tubs and treadmills. They sound good when you buy them, but will you really use them? A hot tub is better in an air conditioned room. Most of the time, it is too hot to use it outside.

I use ours every night. When the temperature goes up, I turn the hot tub down to 95 degrees and it is very refreshing.

[pauld315]

I am thinking about buying a hot tub. I don’t want anything fancy, just a basic hot tub wit jets and heater.

Does anyone have any suggestions about what to look at and where?

Thank you.

We bought ours at Spa Manufacturers in Clearwater. Look there. I don't think you can beat the price.

I also saw where you are concerned about permitting etc. I did it myself in Marion County but I suspect it is easy in Sumter County as well.

[retiredguy123]

About all old Ramada Inns with pools and hot tubes enclosed in building are torn down probably due to mold problems. Over the years (40 plus) the enclosed pools which had hot tubs mold migrated throughout whole building. You could smell it even in rooms that was around pool.
Jetted bath tubs don’t have chemicals in water and are not constantly inducing moisture in air cause you drain bath tube after use. Bubbling water creates moisture cloud and when inside get sucked throughout building with central air handlers.
I remember the Holiday Inn Domes with the inside pools. But, those pools were never covered, so they were always evaporating water and spewing chemicals. My hot tub was always covered with an insulated cover except when it was in use.

[pikeselectric]

I am thinking about buying a hot tub. I don’t want anything fancy, just a basic hot tub wit jets and heater.

Does anyone have any suggestions about what to look at and where?

Thank you.

Hi there! We highly recommend:
Ocala Pool Boys 352-622-3827
Patriot Pool and Spa 352-748-0044

We also offer FREE estimates for the electrical needs of the spa that catches your eye. Please give us a call if we can help you get some pricing! 352-748-6251 :beer3:

[craarmy]

I am surprised nobody in the Villages mentions about getting a architurral review approval if outside in the Villages. Had a Hot Springs in WI for 10 years, cost about $1/day. Kept it at 100 degs. Not too hot to get in, can sit for long periods with out getting over heated. Used about 5-6 days a week year around.

Been thinking about getting one in the Villages, was looking at a Frog? simular to a Hot Springs. Half hour in there before bed, maybe remember rolling over once before falling a sleep.

Top cover absorts mositure, after about 5 years would get saturated and have to replace. Too heavy to lift.

[villagetinker]

I am surprised nobody in the Villages mentions about getting a architurral review approval if outside in the Villages. Had a Hot Springs in WI for 10 years, cost about $1/day. Kept it at 100 degs. Not too hot to get in, can sit for long periods with out getting over heated. Used about 5-6 days a week year around.

Been thinking about getting one in the Villages, was looking at a Frog? simular to a Hot Springs. Half hour in there before bed, maybe remember rolling over once before falling a sleep.

Top cover absorts mositure, after about 5 years would get saturated and have to replace. Too heavy to lift.

If the hot tub/spa is in the birdcage NO ARC approval required, if you the other hand this is going to be installed outside on its own concrete pad, then yes ARC approval would be required.

[La lamy]

I have owned a hot tub for the last 40 years - one in MI, two in GA, and now one here in The Villages. My current hot tub is the Tuff Spa TT250.

TuffSpa TT250 (https://hottubhub.com/product/tuff-spas-tt-250/?gad_source=1)

Simply put, I would never consider getting a different brand. Their patented cover is guaranteed for life. On my previous hot tubs, I had to replace the cover about every 5 years, and they were always a pain to remove, especially for one person. The cover on the Tuff Spas can be opened on either side by one person with one hand. It then becomes a shelf to put towels or drinks on. In addition, Tuff Spa only uses readily available common parts throughout it's construction, so if something fails in 5 or 6 years you can find the replacement part cheaply on line.

No matter which hot tub you go with, either get one that already has an SWCG (Salt Water Chlorine Generator) in it, or add an SWCG to it. There have been several studies recently that link continued bromine exposure to hyperthyroidism. I switched my hot tub to chlorine and installed Saltron Mini for between $200-$300. Not only is it safer for your skin and body, but my hot tub now stays far cleaner than it ever did for much longer.
Wow great info.

[Boilerman]

I use mine everyday, sometimes 2x a day. I’ve had many hot tubs for many decades, most in cold climates. This is Florida, get a hot tub for 110 volt. The only reason to get 220 volt is if you want to heat the tub while you have the jets on. This is Florida and even spending 45 mins in the tub in the middle of winter with the jets on, the temp goes down maybe 1 degree. .

Not true. The nicer more expensive hot tubs require 220 voltage.