A hot tub is like a small pool with seats and is filled with heated water in which you can soak for therapeutic purposes. There are small tubs for only one or two people and larger models with seating capacity for ten or twelve people.
The jets in the tub help the water pulsate so that you can enjoy a massage. The larger models are usually places outdoors in areas where you can have shelter from the elements of the weather. Simple tubs made of wood are generally used for soaking, while the larger fiberglass models are often referred to as spas and can be used for many different therapeutic uses.
Soaking in a hot tub or for about 15 minutes before you go to bed will help you get a good night's sleep. The hot water and the pulsating motion caused by the jets can help alleviate the aches and pains of sore muscles. The soothing effects of the heat and the pulses help to relax the muscles taking away feelings of stress. Infrared saunas will produce a similar effect on the body.
When you install a hot tub, you need some way of heating the water. You can attach either an electric or natural gas heater to the tub, but you can also use a wood-fired heater or a solar water heater. Keeping the water sanitized is essential because the warm environment is the perfect place for many organisms to thrive. You do have to be cognizant of the chemistry of the water so that it is healthy for you to soak in.
A wooden hot tub looks very much like a barrel. At one time all such tubs were constructed from redwood, but today you can have tubs made from cedar or oak as well. These tubs are deep and are constructed in such a way that you can easily have one as an insert on your deck to make it easy to get into the tub. The inside usually has one seat built around the ring of the tub or there may be two or three separate seats.
The plastic or fiberglass hot tub has molded seats with each seat having its own set of jets. You can arrange the jets so that they point at specific parts of your body. The jets can also be fine-tuned so that they rotate automatically providing a massaging effect on the body. These tubs are not as deep as the wooden varieties and are narrow enough to fit through normal doorways.
When you purchase a hot tub, you will also receive a starter kit that contains everything you need to take care of the water, once you have it in the tub and heated. This kit contains chlorine or bromine tablets or granules, a pH balancer and an agent to prevent the water from foaming because of the motion of the jets.
You do have to make sure you clean the tub on a regular basis, just as you do with your regular bathtub. If left unclean for a while, you will notice a buildup of organic materials on the inside. This doesn't mean that you will have to forgo that long soak you were looking forward to because there are shock treatments you can purchase that will clean the tub in a very short period of time.
You also need to use sparkling agents in a hot tub to keep the water as clear as possible. The regular use of these agents along with products that prevent chemical scaling on the inside of the tub will let you enjoy its benefits for many years to come.
Sarah Martin is a freelance marketing writer based out of San Diego, CA. She specializes in landscaping, home improvement, and installing infrared saunas. For various hot tub ideas and other spa accessories, please visit http://mybath.biz/.
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