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 Post subject: H2O spas
PostPosted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 10:05 pm 

Joined: Sat Oct 28, 2006 9:59 pm
Posts: 6
Does anyone have any experience with H2O spas? Built by a former Beachcomber fella. Unique in that they use mineral wool batts to totally insulatethe space between the shell and cabinet. Easy to remove in case something needs repair. Not much affected by moisture. Has a high R factor.


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PostPosted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 11:20 pm 
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Location: Metro Atlanta, Georgia Region
Mineral wool?
Wow.

Well, I could care less about the insulation as long as it's easy to remove and reinstall for service.

I get these questions all the time on the phone, about 9 calls just in the last 24 hours asking what's the best spa to buy, (rather busy on a saturday night for this question).

My concerns are not what spa is good or bad - in this question you're asking about "H20" brand. Honestly, you may as well be asking about brand X.

What you're asking is too difficult a measure to apply to any particular brand of spa. You just can't supply an x or an o for a buy or don't buy block in the decision making process.

My personal preference is that the equipment underneath is as close to generic as possible, so that three to five years from now, when the spa is out of warranty (or in case the dealer's gone out of business - it happens all the time), that generic - aka - cheaper parts can be found to fix what's broke.

I recommend staying away from stereos, tv's, cd players... built in speakers that lift up from the corners, wild and crazy specially installed LED light strings - all of that stuff, (unless you're an electronics technician) is only asking for trouble later on. I service spas in the atlanta area and it's difficult enough for homeowners just to keep them running, much less have to deal with a major appliance that's a third to half the cost of a car when new.

I really don't want to spoil your fun, but put yourself in the position of being a spa owner looking for parts for it 3 to 5 years from now - or more.

The tub heck, it's a tub. Jets are jets. Insulation is insulation, But when it comes to broke heaters, controllers, and pumps - use wise judgement and think a few years down the road. The guts are what make it work. You and/or your warranty person will have to get it fixed.


8)



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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Oct 29, 2006 12:21 am 

Joined: Sat Oct 28, 2006 9:59 pm
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Sorry; I guess I wasn't really looking to get a yea or nay on the spa brand but rather some input as whether or not anyone else has had any experience with this type of insuation in a hot tub. Mineral wool, fiberglass batts, whatever.


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PostPosted: Sun Oct 29, 2006 12:55 am 
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The insulation should be just fine for your spa.

Nice to see that someone else has a concept that believes in it, and stands by it.



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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Oct 29, 2006 12:48 pm 

Joined: Sat Oct 28, 2006 9:59 pm
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I read about a person who insulated an uninsulated tub with fibergalss batts, but he put each individual batt in a plastic garbage bag (obviously to keep moisture out). H2O spas do not cover their batts with anything. Any thoughts on this aspect.


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 Post subject: Fiberglass
PostPosted: Sun Oct 29, 2006 2:54 pm 

Joined: Tue Aug 15, 2006 9:18 pm
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Heat loss with regards to "R" values
75% from the top
20% from the sides
5% from the bottom


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PostPosted: Sun Oct 29, 2006 8:21 pm 
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The most well known name in this business uses/has used that technique of bagging the insulation in the past.

But if your tub isn't getting water in it from anywhere on the outside, then no bags should be fine. One thing though - if the insulation is bagged, and it DOES get wet, it will stay wet almost forever. If it's not bagged, the insulation at least has a chance to dry out if it does get wet from a leak or something like that.



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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 12:55 am 

Joined: Sat Oct 28, 2006 9:59 pm
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This manufacturer was the first I knew of that used insulating batts. Would it be fair of me to ask who else in the spa industry uses batts to insulate their hot tubs? I'd like to check out their line as I am opposed to FF; just the thought of leaks in one of those gives me nightmares. So the hot tub for me has to be fully insulated w/batts or TP. BTW, the mineral batts I mentioned are water resistant as well


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PostPosted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 1:29 am 
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Hmmm...

Man oh well - homework counts.

Beginning with letter A thru I.
Skip one.
Then go from K thru Z.

The one you skipped will be the first letter of the brand.

Hope you like riddles.
:twisted:

Thousands of tubs, batts in bags.



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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 1:57 am 

Joined: Fri Sep 03, 2004 12:27 am
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Location: Albert Lea, MN
lol love the riddle... Personal opinion is that if you have a blower, be sure to keep unbagged fiber insulation well away from it. Especially if you end up with fiberglass. You really don't need any of those fibers being blown into your spa water....



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NOTE: I can't guarentee knowledge of all spas.
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