Spa saves lives. Update:2005
Written: Feb 16 '03 (Updated Jul 29 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Excellent seating,powerful pumps,sealed component area.
Cons: Expensive.
The Bottom Line: Great dealers, great power and comfort.
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| Rlatham4's Full Review: Dimension One Spas Aurora Hp |
I have bad disks in my back and require constant pain meds just to function. The aqua therapy was helpful during my physical therapy, and my doctor recommended trying a spa.
I started my search online with www.spasearch.com , I searched my local area also for showrooms in which to view spas first hand. It took 3 months to choose the D1. Here are a few things to keep in mind before buying a spa.
Size: Do you need a 4 person? If its just you and your wife 4 will be fine. I found 2 person spas cramped and shallow. Depth is very important if you are tall. 6-8 person spas are fine if you will have several people in at the same time. Despite what the ads say and the pictures show, you hot looking neighbors wont be joining you in the hot tub every night. Trust me.
Cost: You need to have a budget. If you can afford 4,000, dont think the 9,000 spa will be 5,000 better. Stick with your budget. These tubs can get out of control with the options. Tv,s, stereos,optic light packages,etc.
Fit/comfort: I sat in a few tubs dry that were very comfortable. Then I sat in the demo tubs wet and found them to be not so comfortable. Wet demo is the only way to determine if a tub is for you.
Jets: Look at the jets on a home depot or other cheap tub. They are very small, not removable or adjustable. The D1 has large fixed and rotating jets that can be removed with water in the tub. Then you can place the spinning jets where you want them. Not true with some other companies.
Controls: the D1 controls are well laid out and easy to operate. Take a good look at some other tubs and you will see the difference.
My tub:
I first found that the tub was approx 400 pounds. With 400 gallons of water at 8 pounds per gallon your looking at 2800 pounds sitting on your deck or patio.
I needed a new deck anyway, so I constructed and area for the tub to sit that would support the weight. Then make sure the top that folds back has enough room to do so. The top is very heavy and the D1 I bought came with the lift assist.
You will need to run 220volts to the area on a GFI breaker. The breaker cost me 136.00. The electrician charged 500 to run the wire and hook it to the tub.
Your local codes may have somthing to say about how and who does the electrical work so check with you city or town.
I then went to my local D1 dealer and spoke with the owner/sales lady. She was a large part of why I bought the D1.
The dealership was clean and well organized and the staff professional. She told me all the spas details and benefits and assured me they would stand by the product.
I chose the Chairman because of the power and seating options.
The 2 5hp jet pumps are split to power each side of the tub.If you are in the lounge section, that pump also feeds the foot massage/fountain jet. It can be diverted between the two.
The 2 armchair seats are really therapy seats and split the power on one of the 5hp pumps. The chair area with the neck massage is the most powerful. You can divert all the power to that seat alone if you wish, however the jets will be so strong they will begin to hurt after awhile. When in this seat, you have a button next to you to control the two speed pump to alter the power.
The lounge seat has 6 big jets for your back, two for you neck, 2 for your hands/wrists,2 for your legs and 2 big jets for the bottoms of your feet. This is a great seat and my favorite for watching the stars at night.
I chose the white finish because it was warranteed for life. I chose the redwood cabinet as it looked the best, however it requires staining yearly.
We have brutal winters here and the spa has averaged 20.00 per month average in electrical cost. So figure less in warmer areas. This unit has a small recirculator pump that runs continuously to keep the tub clean. Chemicals run 10.00 per month average. I use less than recommended amounts and the levels are perfect. The insulation on the D1's is leagues apart from the others I saw, the totally sealed pump/electronics area is very nice. This along with the entire tub sitting in a plastic tub to stop insects for entering the underside is unique. Look at other tubs and you will find they are open underneath and have poor insulation.
The therapy has been great for me, reducing my pain meds drastically.
Hope this helps the Epinion readers, is so please rate this article. if you want something answered, leave a comment I WILL EDIT THE ARTICLE AND ADD MORE INFO.
Thank You
Its now July 2005. No problems at all with this tub. Still looks and runs new. I cannot stress enough the joy this has brought us. Good luck with your purchase!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
Rlatham4
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Member: R Latham
Location: Rhode Island
Reviews written: 14
Trusted by: 1 member
About Me:
My beautiful wife and I on Newport Harbor.
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