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SPN DEC 2010 StressFreeHottubs
www.swimmingpoolnews.co.uk
STRESS FREE
HOT TUB AND SPA OWNERSHIP IS HERE!
Manufacturers have worked hard to introduce hot tubs which are now self cleaning, energy efficient, low maintenance units, needing fewer chemicals. Such innovations and confidence in quality have led to improvements in warranty schemes and in the after sales service available - all of which means that owning and maintaining a hot tub has never been so hassle-free for the consumer
By Alan Lewis H
ot tubs and spas have always been marketed as relieving stress levels.
It’s not without irony that the products themselves have now developed through manufacturer innovation to make the owning and running of a hot tub the sort of stress free experience consumers have been demanding. It really is now almost as hassle free as the industry can make it.
Thanks to years of engineering and expertise the hot tub purchaser has options allowing him to buy a unit which is self cleaning, significantly more energy efficient and cheaper to run, has systems to reduce chemical and water usage and which is backed with a 10 year and even 25 year warranty. And if anything does go wrong there’s a backup system of after sales service and maintenance available to deal with it. It was not too long ago that an uneconomic hot tub was a basic unit which did a job but often literally caused its owner headaches. Now there’s a new wow factor growing as the hot tub experience becomes a much higher quality personalised product aimed at a
discerning consumer who wants to add to the luxury and style of a purchase. It’s a buyer who doesn’t want to invest in a luxury item which is going to lead to more expense and problems. The hot tub industry has worked hard to develop products which now can be respected as being reliable, more ‘green’ than ever before and unlikely to produce high day to day running costs. The confidence in a recovering hot tub business has also developed a growing service and maintenance industry. While some manufacturers offer their own servicing the arrival of specialist maintenance companies has strengthened the reliability of the industry as hot tub owners look to take special care of their investment. The units are feats of engineering and need the quality service and maintenance akin to expensive cars. Spa service specialists offer peace of mind with annual serving, maintenance and inspections.
Jon Pennington had been working in the specialist industry for a number of years when he was aware that hot tub manufacturers fell into one of two categories-those that wanted a quick
sale and no further contact and those who realised they had a virtual monopoly on after- sales and therefore could charge what they liked in return for ‘a mediocre service’.
It was because of this he set up Hot Tub Repair Man as a local independent company, based in the East Midlands at Nottingham to provide first class servicing, repairs and equipment at competitive rates.
His experience of heading up a specialist repair and service business puts him in a unique position to see how hot tubs are being looked after. The two biggest issues when it comes to hot tub problems he says are filters not being looked after and the incorrect use of chemicals. “After that its things like burnt out pumps, heaters that sort of thing.”
One of his big points is that servicing is not just about the hot tub – it’s about the person using it. “It is about whether they are using the correct chemicals, do they have parts which need replacing but it’s also a question of catching expenses relating to a repair before they happen. A new pump can cost £400 but if you can deal
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