whirlpool baths?

[Suz]

Are they worth it? Are they noisy, or hard to maintain? If you have one, do you use it much?

[Andy Hall]

From my experience of them in various hotels, a properly implemented one is great.

A poorly implemented one is like a one legged man at an arse kicking party. Then there is a lot of noise and without warming, the cold air tends to chill the water quite quickly. it is particularly unpleasant to be sitting in a warm bath and have a cold jet of air up yer bum.

[The Wanderer]

Was going to buy one when I refitted the b/r three or four years ago, but saw a spa hot tub at the showroom, so bought that instead. Wanna buy a spa?

[Huge]

No. Yes. Not particularly. Not any more; I sold it.

Made the bathroom stream with condensation.

[Peter Crosland]

Do search on legionella and whirlpool baths before you buy.

Peter Crosland

[Suz]

But how do I separate the wheat from the chaff? No point in asking a saleman.

[Suz]

----- Original Message ----- From: "Andy Hall" Newsgroups: uk.d-i-y Sent: Sunday, December 10, 2006 3:27 PM Subject: Re: whirlpool baths?

I'm not a bath person, but the hotel I stayed in recently had a Jacuzzi and it was great. It was a bit old and noisy but the water was warm and relaxing.

[nightjar]

I had one come with the place in France. It was an interesting novelty for a while, but I haven't used it for a long time. I certainly wouldn't spend the money on buying one new.

Colin Bignell

[.]

I've always been too squeamish to try any of the whirlpool/spa baths in hotels. it's what people get up to in them that's a worry. that and the poor cleaning regime employed in most hotels = scunner, imo.

[Gordon Henderson]

I installed one in our house a couple of years ago. It's fantastic!

Yes, it's a bit noisy, but not overly so. We can chat while it's running. No isses with it blasting cold air onto you either (or none that we've noticed - our bath is a biggie as we like bathing together...)

We do a bit of walking on the moor, so coming back and lying in it while it's running is really nice!

It's used about once a week.

However - whatever you do, do not use the same amount of bubble bath as you'd normally put in a normal bath!!! About half a cap-full of some good stuff is good enough to be going on with... (As we found out the first time we used it, and just put in a big dolop...!!!)

Gordon

[dennis]

And I thought a whirlpool bath pumped water around using jets not just blowing bubbles. Isn't one that blows bubbles just an effects thing and actually does nothing useful?

[Chris J Dixon]

We have an Airbath like this

we were searching for the greatest internal room whilst taking up least space in the bathroom. This has comfortable room for two. Make sure your hot water system has enough capacity.

It isn't cheap, but is well made and very substantial. It pumps heated air through tiny drillings in the base, which is double-skinned. The agitation is at a comfortable level, and we usually use it at least once a week.

It isn't quiet, but conversation is easily possible.

Maintenance consists of a sterilising tablet after each use, and soaking with a more powerful fluid once a month.

We have absolutely no regrets about installing it.

Chris

[John Rumm]

You can get both types (or indeed a mixture of the two). The type that just blows air needs the jets carefully located (and far more of them), and they work much better if the air is heated. Some have a capacity to feed a small quantity of hot water into the air stream to preheat it. Without this it is nowhere near as comfortable.

You would not say that if you had used one! Low rates of air give a good all over massage effect, but at high air flow rates the effect is quite percussive. From experience a strategically placed flannel can be required to prevent too much battering of ones dangly bits.

Air systems can be retrofitted to an ordinary bath, but they work best on a solid deep bath - like a cast iron Victorian one.

[dennis]

I have, I just don't think they work very well. I expect them to work less well as the water depth decreases. So a 4 foot deep jacuzi might work but a 12 inch bath doesn't do much more than froth the bubble bath for you.

A pump driven water jet one will be *far* more effective.

Have you had them checked if they are that sensitive?

[Gordon Henderson]

Ours pumps water - and theres a whacking big pump to do it with too. However, there is an air intake which sucks air into the pumped water stream, and we can vary the amount of air sucked in from none to "a lot". With 100% water it's a bit boring, but with the air intake open, then you get a good massaging effect and lots of bubbles!

Ours is one of these:

[Dan delaMare-Lyon]

I can't speak too highly of it. Doddle to clean too. Once a month - fill it with water, add 2 milton sterilising tablets. Run it for 15 mins. Empty it, spray the whole bath surface with ecover descaler spray (vinegar based as per the bath mfrs suggestion) - quick go at the whirlpool jets with a toohtbrush to get the collected liscale off that the spray alone doesn't do - hose down with the shower and the jobs a good-un - dead easy.

I have to say the build quality of these baths from Plumbworld (they are made by Maax in the Netherlands) is cracking - and the motor is large and quiet - and the whole thing is a gem of a package.

Cheers Dan.

[John Rumm]

That was not my experiance... as I said the effect on the one I have used is quite substantial.

I prefer them the colour they are thanks.

[Owain]

Not into kinky games with the potato-masher, then?

Owain

[Suz]

That sounds like bliss. Would water jets not be stronger though? I imagine that bubbles would just tickle?

[Gordon Henderson]

The water is just a more or less constant jet of water. When you turn up the air intake it actually feels faster or stronger and theres a hint of "randomness" in the jets. Hard to explain though, but much better with the air going through.

Gordon