<p>Our neighbors are moving, and the new owners do not want the hot tub. We are being offered the beautiful, large tub for a low price. These folks have no kids and have taken really good care of the tub. We know we would have to build a platform, which is easy since DH is a good carpenter. We would also have to hire an electrician to wire everything proper. Then there’s maintenance and the cost of heating the water in Maine. I’ve always wanted a hot tub, especially in the winter! The few times I’ve sat in one out in the snow have been so fun.</p>
<p>Do you have any words of advice? Are we nuts for considering buying it?</p>
<p>We had a hot tub when we lived in NH. We used it much more in the winter than in the summer. Just make sure you place it somewhere that doesn’t require a ton of shoveling to reach! We really loved it on cold and sometimes snowy nights.</p>
<p>If it is a newer model, it isn’t all that expensive to heat and maintain. We inherited the one that came with the house we bought 7 years ago. We never thought we would want one, but since it was there, we used it. It was a Home Depot quality unit…nothing special and it was a pain to keep up with. Then it died about a year ago and we decided to get a new one. Now we LOVE the hot tub. Bought it form the people who do our pool maintenance and he sold it with the promise it was energy efficient. After the winter from hell , I can say he wasn’t lying. We had hoped to use it more that we did during the winter months, but there was just too much ice and snow to get to it.
No regrets</p>
<p>We have always had a hot tub, like for decades now. The current one is our second and while I don’t use it much at all the males the males in the family soak regularly. It great for relaxation and hydrotherapy. And, a good one doesn’t require much maintenance or cost much more to run than a refrigerator. </p>
<p>We got a lemon. It is a name brand (Hot Springs) but it is always broken. Do a little research on what brand it is and if you can get someone out to repair it if it breaks down.(Some places only repair certain brands) Also try out the cover. Can you lift it on your own? </p>
<p>Ours is on a cement slab. We were told that our deck couldn’t handle the weight. We extended our deck around it, so it’s not so high to step up to get in it. I’ve started buying the chemicals and filters from a place place in California, as they are about 30% less than our local pool stores and offer free shipping. Ours is a Sundance and my husband loves it for his lower back issues.</p>
How efficient is the tub’s heater? </p>