subject: What Do All Hot Tub Spa Terms Mean? [print this page] If you are giving consideration to purchasing a hot tub or spa you will need to know what some of the technical jargon used within the industry means. This will also help you to decide which tub or spa is best suited to your needs.
The term hot tub and spa is used to define tubs which are similar, in the past they were almost always referred to as hot tubs, however in order for the industry to shake off the past misconceptions some people associated with a hot tub the more trendy and fashionable name is a spa.
A hot tub was originally a barrel or other type of vessel made from wood which was used to contain hot water for the sole purpose of soaking. These basic hot tubs are still available, however they are purpose built and not generally made from old wine barrels!
A spa is also a vessel which contains hot water; it differs from the original basic hot tubs by having air injectors or jets which generate turbulence in the water to offer a massage effect. Now a day's companies refer to both hot tubs and spas, but there are only a limited number of companies which remain with the exact definition of a hot tub as the vast majority of hot tubs also have air injectors included.
Jacuzzi is another name given to an aerated hot tub or spa and although is typically associated with health spas, who still refer to them as a Jacuzzi, the name is a brand rather than a different type of hot tub or spa. As such you can have a Jacuzzi bath in your home, which is a standard bath fitted with air injectors.
In the hot tub industry a jet is not a type of aeroplane! It is a nozzle from which water comes out of, usually under pressure to provide the aeration in the tub.
An injector is the name given to an outlet for air from a blower.A blower is a motor which is used to push air into the tub; this is not the same as a pump or a motor although sales people often refer to them as such. Ask how many blower motors and pump motors a hot tub or spa has, this will be dependent on the size you select, basically the larger the hot tub or spa the more blowers and pumps it will have.
Pumps are used to describe both the water pumps and the pump motor.
Ozone generators are not to be confused with ionisers. Ozone generators are used to help maintain the purity of the water, however they are not a replacement for the chemicals they are used to help reduce the number and quantity of chemicals used.
Ionisers deposit minerals or metal such as copper, zinc or silver ions into the water to help reduce bacteria and algae levels.
Circulation pumps are used to filter and/or circulate water from the ozone generator. They usually put out between four and thirty gallons per minute and are generally set to 24 hour running.
Now that you have some idea of the different terminology used by the hot tub spa industry, you will feel more confident in knowing what it is, the sales brochures, or people are referring too! It may be advisable to clarify if you are unsure as each company may have a different word the use to describe a similar feature!
