GENERAL SPA QUESTIONS
1.) Will the spa require a concrete pad to set on?
The small and medium sized Hot Spring Spas do not require a concrete pad. They can be placed on a pea gravel, 4x4 timbers, landscape pavers or a deck built to support the weight of the spa you select. The largest models will require a 4” thick, rebar reinforced concrete pad.
2.) Will a building permit be required to install a hot tub?
No building permit is required to install a portable spa.
3.) How many spas do you have on display? Can I test soak a spa?
Crystal River Spas has the largest spa showroom on the western slope. We have 13 models on display, many with water so that customers can feel and see the differences between models. You are also welcome to test soak to help you determine what features are most important to you.
4.) Do any Hot Spring Spas operate on 110V electrical power? (Standard household current)
Many models operate with 100V dedicated 20 amp electrical service. The largest spas operated with 220V dedicated 50 amp electrical services.
5.) Will I need to hire a plumber to install a hot tub?
No plumbing will be required. The spa fills with a garden hose and will drain with a garden hose.
6.) How much will it cost to operate a spa?
Average energy expenses are less that $30.00 per month during the cold winter season, and considerably less in the summer and spring months.
7.) How much time will it require to take care of a hot tub?
Spa maintenance is very simple. Hot Springs has made water care very easy with excellent filtration, ozone systems and maintenance free interior and exterior surfaces. You should plan fifteen minutes once a week to balance the water chemistry, check the filters and add water to the spa if necessary.
8.) Knowing the ACE System Facts...
Through your feedback we've learned that a salt water hot tub is exactly what many hot tub shoppers have been looking for, and that the ACE salt water sanitizing system provides Hot Spring® Spas with a significant competitive advantage. We want to ensure that you have all the facts about the ACE system so that you can be the product expert, sell the system with confidence, and address any misinformation hot tub shoppers may hear from your local competition. We've updated the ACE Frequently Asked Questions document to provide clear explanations of the technology that drives the ACE system and how that translates to a better hot tub ownership experience for our customers.
The updated FAQ document is attached to this OMB and is also posted in the ACE section of the Extranet. While the information provided in the FAQ document may be more detailed and technical than what many customers are looking for, we encourage you to review the document and to share it with your customers as you see fit.
CHEMICAL QUESTIONS
8.) Why can't I use a Floater to sanitize my spa?
Three Top Reasons Why:
a) The floater is unable to control the rate at which the sanitizer is dissolved into the water. When a floater is first placed in a spa, the sanitizer level can be extremely high. High sanitizer levels can chemically burn or discolor the spa's shell or the underside of the cover. Then, after a period of time, the sanitizer level dispensed by the floater will fall to near zero.
b) Floaters tend to stay in one area of the spa most of the time (usually over the cool down seat), causing this area to be exposed to extreme sanitizer levels.
c) The floater may allow pieces of the highly concentrated sanitizer to fall out and settle on the floor or seat of the spa shell. These pieces of saniizer will chemically burn (blister) the spa shell. Although your spa shell is specifically designed to resist the effects of spa chemicals no spa surface can withstand this type of highly concentrated chemical. Remember, chemical abuse is specifically not covered under the terms of warranty.
9.) When I open my spa, I smell chlorine. How do I get rid of this smell?
There are two types of chlorine in your spa. The first is the Free Available Chlorine (FAC), which is the chlorine available to sanitize your spa. This type of chlorine does not have an odor. The second is Chloramine, which is residue from chlorine already expended. Chloramines have a strong chlorine odor. The smell from Chloramines can be eliminated by “shocking” the water. If you smell chlorine in the water your spa is reminding you to add a shock treatment.
10.) Why can't I fill my spa with soft water?
Soft water is essentially the same as regular water except that most or all of the calcium has been replaced by sodium. Soft water may be corrosive to the heater and other components. Replacement of spa components damaged by soft water is extremely expensive.
11.) I am trying to reduce the number of chemicals to which my family is exposed. Do I really need to use so many chemicals and in such large amounts?
While over-exposure to any chemical can be unhealthful, many low levels of chemicals are effective and beneficial. In the case of spa water, the chemicals recommended in the Hot Spring® water maintenance program are needed to protect the user from water-borne pathogens (disease-causing microbes) and to prevent corrosion of spa components.
12.) Why isn't water chemistry damage covered by the warranty?
The chemical levels and water quality of the water in the spa are under your direct control. With proper basic care, the spa will provide many years of hot water relaxation. If you are unsure about any chemical or its usage in the spa, contact your Authorized Dealer, or Watkins Manufacturing Corporation.
