20 Must Ask Questions
1. How long has the dealership been in business?
Nobody wants to deal with a “fly by night” retailer that may or may not be in business next year. If a dealership has put time and effort into building a reputable business, then their spas generally match their reputation.
Clearwater Spas has been producing, manufacturing and perfecting their spas since 1976.
2. Is this brand produced by a reputable manufacturer?
Just as there can be a range in commitment and quality among retailers, reputations among manufacturers vary as well. You want to make sure you’re purchasing a spa that is made by an established, reputable company with proven performance and customer satisfaction ratings.
Clearwater Spas has been the recipient of many awards including “Innovation of the year” by the Bayer Foundation, Best of Class by poolandspa.com, and has high ratings and satisfaction from customers.
3. Where is the hot tub made?
Some hot tubs are made in countries known for cheap labor and few environmental regulations in order to decrease production costs. It is wise to beware of these hot tubs made outside of the U.S. and Canada where inexperienced staff translates into a much lower quality product.
Clearwater Spas are manufactured in Spokane, WA and Smyrna, Tennesee
4. What is the hot tub interior made of?
Most quality hot tubs are made with acrylic. Acrylic is a hard durable plastic that is resistant to chemical and UV damage. Some cheaper hot tubs are made of rotary molded plastics, like a kayak or portable table. Ask your dealer which brands offer the best quality and which brands to steer away from.
Clearwater Spas are made from ABS backed acrylic with EcoSpray and are supported with metal reinforcements in heavy load areas. Our shells are backed with a 7 year warrantee.
5. What is the cabinet made of?
6. What is the spa’s internal frame made of?
A lot of manufacturers still use wood to construct their frames. A few use metal. Even treated lumber or metal will not last very long out in the elements and in a humid spa environment. Look for a manufacturer that uses a composite or an ABS frame to cut back on future maintenance and repair costs.
Clearwater Spas has a frame free system, featuring PVC columns that carry all the weight. They will not rot, mold, or rust.
7. How is the spa insulated?
Some hot tubs are wrapped in blanket insulation. Others have cabinets that are filled with sprayed-in polyurethane foam insulation. Though spas fully filled with polyurethane retain heat, the foam also hide the plumbing making repairs and upgrades very difficult. A simple leak can result in a multi-hour repair while the tech digs through the foam searching for the cause of the problem.
Clearwater Spas features a double insulated base and a reflective thermal barrier making it 12% more energy efficient than foam filled tub sand removable side panels make repairs quick and easy.
8. How do the pump(s) affect hot tub performance?
9. What type of water care system does it use?
There are a few types of water care systems including direct chemical application (most common), cartridge systems, ultraviolet/ozone sanitizers, and salt chlorine generators. Ozone and UV are supplemental filtration systems. These systems help the chemical systems keep the water sanitized. Consider how effective the filtration system is because it is key to clean water.
Clearwater Spas offers CLEAR, a state of the art water management that is a Clearwater exclusive, combines four of the best technologies available to provide you the best fresh water experience. Natural water that just feels better.
10. What are the jet options and how are they unique?
Most people purchase a spa for therapeutic purposes. If the hot tub has non-adjustable jets then it won’t be as useful to you.
Clearwater Spas’ jets are fully adjustable and give you control of the water volume and air flow. We also have water diverter valves allowing you to change the flow from seat to foot jets or both.
11. Do you get a lot of service calls on this model/brand?
A lot of times hot tub dealers have experience with a variety of brands and sell multiple brands in their store. Ask around and find out which brands they have had the least amount of problems with. They will also have a good idea which brands are good about standing behind their warranties or which ones will use loopholes to reject warranty claims.
Clearwater Spas stands behind their spas and offers the best warranty in the business and has service techs ready if ever needed. If you do need your spa serviced, we build our spas in a way that will cut back on service time drastically keeping our customers in mind.
12. What does the warranty look like?
Clearwater Spas offers a 7 year warranty on the shell, pillar supports, floor system. We also offer a 5 year warranty on the plumbing parts and operating equipment. Peace of mind built right in!
13. What is your history with replacement parts and are they readily available?
These are the types of things that you pay for up front. Cheaper hot tubs will usually be put together with the cheapest components that can be purchased at the time of manufacture. However, a lot of the time, the replacement parts are more expensive or not even available if you need them. More expensive quality spas will have components that are well-known, easy to find, and are trusted in the pool and spa industry.
Clearwater Spas offers great customer support and has parts readily available if ever needed. Just call us at 425-483-1877.