I'm having the bathroom gutted. It isn't very large, the current tub is five feet by 30". I'm getting a bit older and fairly physically active (tennis, swimming, biking) with assorted aches and pains and figured that a whirlpool tub might be a good idea. I just read the previous few years messages on the subject but I'm not clear on a few things.
The new tub will be 5 feet by 32", not much of a difference. It will double as a shower. Will that contribute to cleaning woes? Is it a bad idea to use a whirlpool tub as a shower? I understand that dishwashing powder is the recommended cleaner. Someone I know of who has a tub says that keeping the jets clean is a royal pain. They may not know about dishwashing powder though. I'll inform them of my finding.
As for electric, there is a line added to the house (I can see it going up the back wall) that feeds an air conditioner in the adjacent bedroom and I've read that the tub would need a GFCI line. Could it share the A/C line? Is that a code issue? I'm in New York City.
I have fuses and all the slots are taken. The house has 200 amps, according to the two big fuses so there is plenty of power. But an estimate of running another line is around $700 and I can do without that.
I've read a few comments about folks not using these after they've been installed, but nothing from folks who do use them. Is anyone actually using them? They seem to sell a lot.