We have produced this information sheet to explain the facts and dispel some of the myths, about choosing, buying & owning a spa.

We all know that spas are good for you, they improve your sense of well being, they are great at relieving stress, aches, pains, and tension. Powerful therapeutic massage has to be experienced to be believed. A spa will become a great place to socialise with your family and friends. A spa can also be the perfect setting for the romantics amongst you! What better way to relax in the evening than by sitting in the hot soothing waters of your spa, enjoying a chilled glass of wine with your loved one? perfect! But, there are also important factors to consider before you get into hot water!

Most spa retailers are only interested in selling you the concept of "lifestyle", what they don't tell you is that there are spas on the market, which will do most things better, more economically, and last a lifetime, because they have been designed and built to do so!

Most spa manufacturers give little or no information about the construction, efficiency, and expected serviceability of their spas, because they don't want you to make comparisons. They assume that the customer knows nothing about spas, and will therefore accept and believe all the sales patter that is thrown at them.

You have choices, please just make sure that you use all the facts available to cut through the false claims that some manufacturers and retailers publish or impart to prospective customers, only then will you be able to make your decision based on clear and sensible information.

How many times have you heard spa retailers claim their spas are "the best" on the market without any facts to back-up their claims? We believe that our customers know the distinction between differing levels of quality; we also believe that our customers know what does and doesn't make sense! You can draw your own conclusions, only when you are armed with as much information as possible.

Many spa manufacturers would have you believe that spas never leak... ever! So they tell you that access doors on all sides of a spa are unnecessary? (Would you buy a car with the bonnet welded shut because the salesman said it would never need servicing?) Does that make sense?

Many spa manufacturers would have you believe that to bury all the pipe work in foam, making the spa almost unserviceable is a good idea! ... Is your heating and electrical system at home, buried in solid foam because you've been told it would never need servicing? Is that a good idea? Many spa manufacturers would have you believe that it was!!

Many would tell you that to have a 2" thick cover on top of the spa is going to retain as much heat in the spa water as a 5" thick Arctic cover. Do you think that's true? Do you use 2" of loft insulation in your house instead of 5" because you've been told that 2" has better insulating properties? That's what they expect you to believe!

Many would have you believe that "Genuine Redwood" is the same as Cedar. If a cabinet is Cedar, why not say its Cedar? ... usually because its not! Cedar is expensive and will not rot. Using "redwood" cuts down the manufacturing cost of a spa, which also compromises the longevity of the cabinet by many years. Do you want your cabinet to last a lifetime, or just a few years?

Many would have you believe that a wooden floor (or even no floor!) is better than a damp proof and vermin repellent solid fibre glass floor ("Forever Floor") that requires no "approved" base preparation... Do you believe that?

Most spa manufacturers think the buying public has no idea what makes a good spa or a bad spa. Most assume that price, not quality, is the only deciding factor, and so manufacture their spas accordingly. The phrase "You get what you pay for" definitely applies here!

We at Arctic Spas believe in giving our customers the facts and information necessary for them to make an informed choice. The purchase of a spa is a long-term investment for you and your family, so a spa should be designed to give years of trouble free and stress free use. A spa should be built using the best quality materials, along with the best quality components. At Arctic Spas, we consider that all these criteria have been met, and with the best warranty in the spa industry, you will not find a better quality spa on the market today.

Are all spas the same?

Absolutely not! Most spas on the market today, are built down to a price, not up to a high level of quality. Almost all spas other than Arctic Spas, are constructed using the "foam-filling" method, whereby the shell (or hull) of the spa is formed from thin sheet acrylic or ABS plastic, they are then plumbed with all the necessary pipe work and jets etc. The cabinets are then pumped full of expanding foam to give the shell its support. This method of construction allows the manufacturer to use cheap foam, (instead of fibre glass), to support the shell, rather than building a strong shell in the first place! The downside to this method of construction is the almost total lack of serviceability during the lifetime of the spa. Both plumbing and jet fittings are buried in expanded foam, which renders leak detection almost impossible without major deconstruction of the spa. Should a foam-filled spa leak from the rear of a jet fitting for instance, that leak will not become apparent until the foam has become saturated in the same way as a sponge.

On the other hand, Arctic Spas are built from "Lucite" acrylic which is then backed by up to 1/2" of hand-rolled fibre glass, which makes the shell strong enough to contain up to 2 tons of water, without the need of further support. There is no distortion or shell flex on an Arctic Spa, so the usual de-lamination problems of cheap spas is completely eliminated. Arctic Spas also use a system called "Perimeter Heatlock" which consists of foam insulation on the inner walls, upper shell perimeter and floor of the spa. This cavity system traps most of the waste heat being generated by the pumps, and is proven to reduce running costs by recycling the waste heat from inside the cabinet and transferring it into the water.

On a foam-filled spa, all the waste heat from the pumps is expelled out into the open air, meaning that the spa heater is switched on more often, as there is no waste heat transference through the foam, into the spa water. The running costs of a foam-filled spa are increased because of this design flaw. In recent scientific tests, research has proven that Arctic Spas are the most energy efficient spas available on the market today.

Because an Arctic Spa is NOT foam-filled, it allows complete accessibility to the inner workings of the spa. There are 8 access doors provided, so that routine servicing and maintenance can be carried out easily and without having to dismantle cabinets or rip foam-filling out to access any fittings or pipes, as is the norm on other spas!

Arctic Spa cabinets are constructed from Canadian Clear Western Cedar, not the usual vague "redwood" as described by some manufacturers. Cedar is impervious to rot, and has a most attractive multi-shade finish. Maintenance is about 1 hour per year! This year, we have introduced a new aluminium cabinet in two colour options; Copper Vein or Gunmetal Grey. Please see our website for more information.

All Arctic Spas have 5-year parts and labour warranty, and a 10 years warranty on the Legend SE range. The hull/shell of an Arctic Spa is guaranteed for life! Some manufacturers have "fine print" limitations written into their guarantees, for instance; on their heaters. Arctic Spas have none, other than for abuse or neglect.

Running Costs. (Electrical)

We are frequently asked the question: "How much does an Arctic Spa cost to run?" The answer is based on a 24-hour period of running a 3x pump Legend SE at 39° Centigrade, with the spa being used by bathers for a 2-hour period during the 24 hours. The running costs for this 24-hour period equates to approximately 25p per day! This remarkably frugal figure is attained by the superior design of the "Perimeter Heatlock" system of insulation, which is unique to the Arctic Spas range. With some other makes of spa costing up to £12 per week to run, it is important to calculate the long term and overall running costs of a cheaper foam-filled spa. Inferior low-priced spas will invariably cost far more to run, and will lose heat quicker during bather usage.

Do I need to construct a special base for my new spa?

Another frequently asked question! The answer is NO! Arctic Spas are available with a unique optional solid glass fibre floor called the "Forever Floor". This essential part of our Spa's structure, is designed to allow the spa to be sited almost anywhere the ground is flat, i.e.: patio, decking, gravel, even on the lawn! The immensely strong construction of our spas is such that we do NOT require our customers to build an expensive concrete base. An Arctic Spa will not shift, flex, sag, crack, or de-laminate (remember-the hull thickness of an Arctic Spa, is over half an inch!). The "Forever Floor" also raises the Cedar wood cabinet off the floor by a few inches, to prevent moisture from being drawn-up the cabinet walls. The "Forever Floor" also prevents damp penetration of the spa cabinet, and more importantly, prevents insects and rats and mice from entering the spa cavity.

What Type of power supply do I need?

You will require a dedicated 32amp power supply from an RCD trip (except the Marmot, which requires a 25amp supply) this installation must be carried out by a Qualified Electrician. If you are unable to organise the fitting of such a supply, we do employ our own Electricians, who are qualified to carry out this task.

What is "Ozone" and what does it do?

Ozone is a naturally produced gas, which is often harnessed to provide a cleansing effect in water. Many large cities now use Ozone Production Plants to sanitize drinking water, because introducing Ozone into water will attack the cells of bacteria, and destroy them. Fitting an effective Ozone system to a spa, will help to sanitize the water, making it safer for all those who use it, and will cut down the amount of chemical required to keep a spa clean, clear and safe for you and your children. There are a number of ways of producing Ozone, some are effective, and some are not. The sanitizing effect of Ozone is directly related to the amount of time that Ozone is mixed with water, commonly referred to as "contact time".

A large number of spas use a system called "UV Ozone", (sometimes called Prozone) this system relies on water passing through a tube containing a UV light bulb, much in the same way as a tropical fish tank system, except that in a spa, you cannot see if the bulb is actually lit from day one! This flawed system, even if working, produces so little Ozone as to be almost useless to start with! The problem is that it's cheap to produce, and starts to degrade the moment it is switched on. The effective lifespan of a UV light bulb is in the region of 100 hours!! After that time, it is no longer producing any discernible amounts of Ozone. You will note that Arctic Spas refuse to offer such a system.

The next stage in spa Ozone technology is the "Corona Discharge" system, which relies on the production of Ozone by way of an electrical discharge, much the same way as lightening produces Ozone. The "Corona Discharge" system, (listed as "Arctic Ozone CD") is almost 20 times more efficient at producing Ozone, than a UV Light system. The Arctic Ozone CD generator is fitted with a replaceable cartridge (requires replacement at approximately 2 yearly intervals - for under £20) and pumps the Ozone gas into the water through a mixing chamber, thus extending the contact time of the Ozone with the water, therefore increasing the ability of the Ozone gas to sanitize. The Arctic Ozone CD system is our entry-level ozone system, and is optional on all Arctic Spas.

The third and most sophisticated system available on the market today, is the "Peak Ozone" system, which was designed and patented by Arctic Spas nearly 8 years ago. This system is NOT available on any other make of spa in the world. The effectiveness of "Peak Ozone" is such, that the contact time of the ozone gas and spa water, is increased by almost 500% over a UV system, consequently, the Ozone gas output and sanitation effect is increased by similar amounts. The "Peak Ozone" system reduces water maintenance, and will eliminate almost 70% of sanitizing chemicals. It also has the benefit of operating continuously whilst the spa is not in use by bathers. For a full and detailed explanation of the Peak Ozone system, click here.

What sort of access will I require for my new spa?

Most spas are delivered on a special "Spa Mover" trailer, which swings the spa into an upright position on a wheeled "Dolly". The Dolly is steered both front and back, and is extremely maneuverable; The Dolly is 1 metre wide, and 2 metres long. If you have purchased a 7' spa, bare in mind that when it is on the Dolly, on its side, it will be standing over 7' 6'' high, therefore, a height clearance of 7' 6" will be required, and if you have purchased an 8' spa, a height clearance of 8' 6" will be required.

Once the spa is next to the spa site, it is then lowered into position from the Dolly by the use of a giant airbag referred to as a "Spa Wedge". If access to the spa site is restricted, we usually employ the services of a local crane hire company, to offload the spa, and crane it into position. In our experience, this operation usually costs on average, £200.00, depending on where the nearest crane depot is. Don't forget, you can move your spa to another location in your garden, or to another house if you choose.

Who can I contact if I need help or advice?

Arctic Spas Warwickshire
Stratford Garden Centre
Campden Road
Clifford Chambers
Stratford-upon-Avon
CV37 8LW
Tel: 01789 299277
Email :: sales@arcticspaswarwickshire.co.uk