Hot Tubs Incline Village | Portable Spas For Sale

By Laura Varnon, Marketing Coordinator

A hot tub is a luxury item and you want to make the best investment possible. So how long does a hot tub last? Well the answer depends, in part, on how you care for it.

Hot Tub Care and Maintenance

Like cars, which also have mechanical elements, such as motors and heaters, as well as routine maintenance items that have to be changed periodically, like filters, and a gorgeous exterior to care for, the quality of the hot tub brand you purchase and how you care for it will determine how long your hot tub lasts. We’ve even met customers who have had the same hot tub since the late 1980s!

Also similar to car buyers, many hot tubbers like to upgrade every 7-10 years, to take advantage of new designs, features and technological advancements.

High-End Models

At The Spa and Sauna Company, we’ve worked on high-end hot tubs in the field, that we also sell in our showrooms, that have been over 20 years old. Some last 25 to 30 years!

Entry-Level Spas

Even more entry-level spas hot tubs can last 15 years. We’ve seen entry-level spas that people kept for 10 years, traded in, and we have resold as used hot tubs to new customers. Those hot tubs still have a lot of life in them!

Replacing Parts

A quality hot tub brand in a higher model series can last over 20 years when maintained properly. Though components of the tub may need to be replaced on occasion, the price to replace parts is minimal, especially when you consider the years of enjoyment and therapeutic value that a hot tub provides.

Larger Investment, Longer Enjoyment

Some advantages of the higher-end models include higher-quality jets, longer warranties, and quality therapeutic value. This is definitely something to consider while shopping for a hot tub. Sometimes making a larger up-front investment will extend your enjoyment of your hot tub in the later years of its life.

To shop hot tubs now, Click Here to visit our Hot Tub Finder. This handy web page allows you to explore options by brand or seating capacity.

By Laura Varnon, Marketing Coordinator

Is it safe to use a hot tub while pregnant? Is it safe for an infant or toddler to go in a spa? What about a child? What if I have a medical condition? (Disclaimer: We, at The Spa and Sauna Company, are not doctors. Always consult a physician for medical advice.)

We know you have a lot of questions about Hot Tub Safety and rightly so. Used correctly, a hot tub can be a wonderful family experience. They have been proven to actually improve health for most people.

We hope to address some of the most common concerns and put your mind at ease. Hot Tubbing should be an enjoyable experience, not one riddled with unanswered questions.

Is it safe to use a hot tub while pregnant?

It depends. In general, you don’t want to spend more than 10 minutes in a hot tub while pregnant, especially in the earliest months of pregnancy. Some people decide to skip a full-body hot tub soak entirely. That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a hot tub while pregnant though. You can still sit on the edge of the hot tub and enjoy time with your friends and family by dangling your feet into the water. Again, consult your doctor for more individualized directions.

Is it safe for an infant or toddler to go in a very hot spa?

No. Infants and toddlers can’t regulate their body temperature in the same way adults can. For that reason, infants and toddlers should not go in a very hot spa. Extremely limited time in a cooler hot tub might be ok, with the use of water wings or other flotation devices, and constant supervision from an adult. Consult with your pediatrician or family doctor.

Is it safe for a child to go in a hot tub?

Yes. In general, children can go in a hot tub for about five minutes at a time, depending on the temperature of the hot tub. If you keep your hot tub with warmer water temperatures, five minutes might be their maximum. If the hot tub is cooler, they might be able to handle up to 20 minutes with proper hydration and breaks. Again, if you are concerned, consult your child’s pediatrician. Also, children in a hot tub should always be supervised by an attentive adult.

Is it safe to use a hot tub if I have a medical condition?

This is a tricky one. Since there are so many different medical conditions, we recommend you discuss your specific health concerns with your doctor.

And remember, in general, for most healthy adults, hot tubs improve health. They relieve sore muscles, reduce back pain, and improve sleep quality.  Enjoyable features include lights, waterfalls, and the opportunity for unplugged family time.

By Laura Varnon, Marketing Coordinator

The Spa and Sauna company recommends you drain and clean your hot tub every 4 months, unless you have an ACE salt water system. Then you can drain every 6 months. You can do your Drain and Clean yourself or you can have our one of our skilled Concierge Techs do it for you.

If you do want to do your Drain and Clean yourself, here’s what you need to do.

Locate where the drain is located on your hot tub.

Drains are located in different locations depending on the brand and model of the hot tub.

On all Caldera and Hot Spring models it is located on the base below the front panel (on the same side as the control board). Keep in mind that the higher-level models have extra amenities to make draining easier. Consider the Hot Spring Highlife NXT and Highlife which have one drain for equipment and one for the whole vessel. Or the Caldera Paradise and Utopia, which have a valve that slides out. You pull it out and hook it to a hose (which you have detached from your house) and then push it half way back in for draining. Similarly, the Sundance 880 has two options for draining, a drain on the exterior of the siding and inside the cabinet a quick drain, which requires less time.

Freeflow Spas have a drain at the base not far away from the outlet.

Draining your spa using the Side Drains can take up to 6 hours. Typically, when we drain your spa, we siphon the water out using a sump pump to save time. You can purchase a sump pump for yourself if you desire faster drain times.

If your model accommodates it, hook a hose up to the drain to allow the water to come out faster.

It is typically more difficult to insert a hose on Caldera Vacanza, Hot Spring Hot Spot, and Freeflow Models. If cleaning your spa at home yourself is an important consideration, we recommend you consider upgrading to a model that allows for more simple draining.

While you wait for your spa to drain, The Spa and Sauna Company recommends you use this time to clean your filter.

Filters should be sprayed down with a hose monthly or soaked in Filter Cleaner and then sprayed with a hose before inserting back in to your spa every 4 months. If you soak your filter and drain your spa at the same time, you don’t lose any valuable hot tub time!

Once the spa is mostly empty, use a shop vac or even a bucket to get any remaining water out of the seats and footwell.

Our pros always use a shop vac.

You’ll also want to open your equipment compartment and vacuum out any cobwebs, dust or dirt.

Although you won’t see this from outside your spa, it’s important to keep the inside of your spa clean too.

Once the spa is drained, it’s time to clean it.

We recommend a mitt, washcloth or rag, and using BioGuard Off The Wall to clean the shell of your hot tub. We also suggest wearing gloves as the solution can be hard on your skin. Off The wall will clean dirt, stains, grease and scale. You will want to apply it all over the tub. Let it sit for a few minutes and then scrub it off. Rinse well with water.

We also suggest cleaning your pillows with water only.

You can also use this time to use The Original Gel-Gloss Polish and Protector on the shell.

Finally, use 303 Protectant on the cover and panels.

Put the drain cap back on.

This is one of the easiest but also one of the most important steps!

Refill the hot tub by inserting a hose through the filter as if you were filling the spa for the first time.

Then it’s time to wait.

Once the water is above the jet level, you can turn the power back on and allow the spa to begin to heat.

Depending on how cold the water was, and what kind of hot tub you have, your hot tub should warm up about 2 – 6 degrees per hour.

You will want to wait until the water has reached 80 degrees before testing the water and adjusting the chemicals.

Then the spa can continue to heat to your ideal temperature.

A few final reminders:

If you happen to have hard water or well water, you will want to add Stain and Scale Control at this time.

If you have an ACE hot tub, you will want to put Vanishing Act in for 24 hours, and flip it after 12 hours.

And that’s it, your final step is to get in and enjoy your hot tub!

If you prefer to have our Concierge Techs perform this service for you, we’d be happy to help. Please call us at 775-852-3838 or Click Here.

By Laura Varnon, Marketing Coordinator

A hot tub from The Spa and Sauna Company makes a great holiday gift (or a gift for any time of year, for that matter)! Many of our customers come in before holidays or special occasions, like milestone birthdays or anniversaries, to purchase a hot tub as a special gift.

Let’s explore some reasons:

1. Provides year-round enjoyment
   A portable spa can be used all year, especially in the Reno-Tahoe area, where the mornings and nights are so much colder than the peak temperatures of the day. Soaking in hot water is a wonderful way to invigorate before your day or relax before bedtime any time of the year.
2. Will last for years and years
   Today’s hot tubs are designed to last for many, many years, with proper care and maintenance. We’ve met some people who have their spas for over a decade, before trading in for a newer model, of course.
3. Provides a place for quality time with friends, family and loved ones
   Nothing says you care more than a hot tub designed for distraction-free time together. Hot tubs are great for reconnecting without the constant buzz of smartphones or other devices.
4. Adds lasting value to your home/property
   Hot tubs are an asset to your property value, when well maintained. If you should decide to move, who wouldn’t want a home that comes with a hot tub. And since hot tubs are portable, if you’re moving locally, you could always take it with you, too. The Spa and Sauna Company relocates hot tubs too.
5. Relieves muscle aches and pains
   Hot tubs are therapeutic. Just 20 minutes a day can relieve chronic pain or sore muscles. We’ve had hot tubbers tell us they no longer need chiropractors for their back pain, after they started using a hot tub regularly.
6. Relaxation any time
   A hot tub at your own home provides instant access to relaxation. All you need to do is lift the cover and get in!
7. Improves sleep
   A 20-minute soak before bed can improve the quality of your sleep, resulting in fewer wakes during the sleep cycle and higher quality sleep.
8. Improves overall health
   Hot tub time can improve overall health, by fostering a more positive outlook on life.
9. They’re just so much fun
   Have you ever been in a hot tub before? The jets, the water, the heat, the company, water toys. It all makes for a really good time.
10. It’s a gift that shows you care
    The gift of a hot tub shows you care! Who wouldn’t be touched knowing the gift giver wanted to improve their health, share quality time, and all of the other great benefits discussed above.
11. It would make a wonderful surprise
    Surprise! Holiday gifts can get so mundane sometimes. You’ll never have to worry about getting stuck in the rut of giving your significant other a hot tub every year. And we promise, this will be a gift he or she will never forget.
12. It’s a gift that improves quality of life
    Health benefits, relationship benefits, home value benefits, entertainment benefits. The list just goes on and on.
    If you’re considering a hot tub as a gift this year, we encourage you to come down to one of our showrooms right away! We have over 100 hot tubs in stock, but ordering hot tubs from the manufacturer and getting on the delivery schedule, can take some time. Click Here to browse models.

By Laura Varnon, Marketing Coordinator

Spas and Hot Tubs require proper Water Care. So, are spas and hot tubs chemical free? In a word, no. Although some hot tub and spa dealers will try to convince you that your hot tub doesn’t need water care or chemicals to function, water care is essential to maintaining a healthy environment in your hot tub.

At The Spa and Sauna Company, we are proud to offer a variety of water care options that are suitable for your individual needs. All of the Water Care Options we offer here will kill germs and bacteria, so the best choice is the one that makes the most sense to you, either for your budget or your skin sensitivity.

We also offer free water testing services at all 3 of our locations, so you can have a Water Care Professional check that the chemicals in your hot tub are at the proper levels. Just bring a sample of your hot tub water in a clean container to any of The Spa and Sauna Company’s locations. If your chemicals aren’t at their optimal levels, we are here to offer advice and products to help you adjust them.

The hot tub you purchase will determine in part the water care you choose OR if water care is an important consideration for you, the water care choice you make will determine which hot tub you buy.

At The Spa and Sauna Company we offer 4 brands of hot tubs, Hot Spring, Sundance, Caldera and Freeflow. Each has different options for water care.

We also use SpaGuard Water Care Products to supplement those systems. This includes items such as Shock Oxidizer and Enhanced Shock, one of which will be required for your hot tub cleaning needs. As a starting point for water care, minerals should be used on all hot tubs and work in conjunction with other sanitizers.

SpaGuard Enhanced Shock is a combination of oxidizer, sanitizer, and water clarifier. This unique water care item is exclusively carried by The Spa and Sauna Company in the Reno area.

Hot Spring

Let’s start with Hot Spring which has a Salt Water System available, which provides a lower chemical, more natural soaking experience.

Hot Spring Spas in the NXT, Highlife and Hot Spring Collection are available with the ACE Salt Water System. The ACE salt water system creates active oxygen with ACE diamond electrode technology. That active oxygen combines with salt to create chlorine. The ACE system requires less hands-on time to manage your water care. It also is environmentally friendly and offers softer, cleaner water. With this system, we recommend using 1 TBSP of SpaGuard Enhanced Shock per person, upon exiting.

As an alternative to the ACE system, owners of a Hot Spring Spas with an Ozone System can choose the EverFresh system, which reduces the amount of chlorine that needs to be added. It also includes minerals that make the water softer. With this system, we recommend using 1 TBSP of SpaGuard Enhanced Shock for each person in the hot tub, upon exiting.

Hot Spring Spas without an ozone system can use SpaGuard Water Care and Freshwater AG Plus Silver Cartridges. This is a more manual system for hot tub cleaning. SpaGuard Products can be used to sanitize your hot tub, reduce stains, clarify your water, test your water and sanitize your water.

Sundance Spas

Sundance Spas can use the SunPurity Silver Cartridge. This cartridge disinfects, prevents algae and clarifies water. Using this more natural option will reduce the amount of chemicals you need. All Sundance Spas are equipped with “ClearRay,” a UVC (Ultraviolet) Sanitation System. UVC light wavelengths are used for sanitizing water. Upon exiting the hot tub, you will want to add 1 TBSP of Enhanced Shock per person for sanitizing purposes.

Caldera Spas

For Caldera Spas, we recommend using the @Ease In-Line SmartChlor cartridges which lasts at least a month. The mineral cartridge lasts 4 months. When used with the Monarch^® CD Ozone System, it provides Caldera’s most effective water care system. This system doesn’t over-chlorinate the water or use excess product. It also prevents pH from fluctuating, meaning less dry itchy skin and less wear and tear on your spa’s covers and pillows.

With this system, you shock your hot tub monthly, instead of after every use. You will use SpaGuard Shock Oxidizer once a month. Never use Enhanced Shock with this water care system.

Freeflow Spas

Freeflow Spas are a more basic spa, that doesn’t offer ozone or salt water systems. Freeflow Spas from The Spa and Sauna Company come with an @Ease Floating System. The ball floats inside your hot tub. It uses SmartChlor Technology to reduce the amount of chlorine and the amount of Shock Oxidizer needed. When the SmartChlor runs out, the ball flips the other side to alert you. With this system, you only need to use Shock Oxidizer once a month.

Other Options

Additional systems are available if the options listed above do not fit your needs.

Routine Maintenance On Every Spa Brand

All systems require shocking the hot tub (either after every use or monthly, depending on the water care system), testing the water balance weekly and cleaning your filters monthly. You will also want to drain and clean your hot tub 3 times a year. Yearly, you should purge the hot tub plumbing lines to get rid of buildup. It’s not too complicated once you find a routine that works for you.

By maintaining your spa with a small amount of chemicals, you can enjoy a healthy, clean, hot tub experience for many years to come.