The Scope on Eco-Friendly Hot Tubs

Jan. 14, 2011 - PRLog -- Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom –  Anything that needs to be heated up uses a lot of electricity. Include the fact that you have to change the water at least once a year, and mix certain chemicals in that water, and you generally have a product that definitely does not help the environment. So really, a hot tub is a luxury in more ways than one, and as more people strive to be eco-friendly, hot tub manufacturers have to design their products to respond to the demand.(http://www.smallhottub.org)
While hot tubs are not exactly environmental hazards or major environmental pollutants (depends on the chemicals you use), they aren't clean or green products either. This year, more and more hot tub companies are seeking to expand their efforts to create “green” hot tubs, or tubs that are eco-friendly. Some companies, such as Dimension One Spas in California or Spa Dealers in Finland, have long been manufacturing green hot tubs for a long time. It is only now that other companies are following suit.
So what makes a “green” hot tub? Primarily, manufacturers focus on energy efficiency. The more efficient the tub is, the less electricity it consumes, and the lower the carbon footprint. Most companies have gotten this aspect of eco-friendliness down, but according to many manufacturers they are developing even more efficient tubs for the future.
Next comes the chemicals used in the water and in the tub cleaning process. Many of these chemicals are only hazardous in large doses, over the years of owning a tub, changing its water, and using the chemicals, a chemical build up can slowly happen in the place in which you dispose of the waste. While this may not affect you directly, it does affect everyone else in the long run.
Finally, the way the tub is created is also important. The most eco-friendly tubs are made from wood harvested from sustainable forests. Companies will often have a seal or stamp which says the wood used to make the tub is sustainable. If it doesn't, customers are encouraged to ask. Along with manufacturing comes better insulation for the tub. The longer the water stays hot, the less energy tubs have to use.
Truthfully, the eco-friendly tubs would be at their “friendliest” if they weren't manufactured at all. With the amount of water that is used in each tub, and that same amount being disposed each year, a lot of waste still occurs. But given the fact that many people love soaking in warm water, getting the environmentally cleaner alternative is the best thing they can do.