Strange as it may seem, but buying a bath is not such a simple matter. A great wealth of sizes, shapes and additional functions, offering a wide range of possibilities, but by no means simplifying the decision. How can you choose the one and the most suitable one from hundreds of models?
Before buying a bathroom, you need to prepare.
First of all, for this it is necessary to clearly determine the size of the bath, its planned shape and budget in order to narrow down the search. At this stage, you also have to make the final decision whether it will be with or without hydromassage. Many manufacturers offer whirlpool baths in various configurations – from the basic (relatively inexpensive) to the elite (most expensive) option.
Moreover, the final price for a bath may differ from the original one by several times.
The form. At present, everyone can find on the market a suitable option for themselves, both connoisseurs of exquisite lines and lovers of simple forms. Rectangular bathtubs are available with smooth sloping or vertical walls, with special places for the elbows and a profile for the back. These bathtubs are available in widths from 70 to 120 cm and lengths from 100 to 190 cm.
Most manufacturers offer the same model, but with different overall dimensions. Small bathtubs (less than 140 cm long) most often have a seating area, while longer ones do not.
Corner asymmetric and symmetrical bathtubs are in great demand.
This type of bath provides the necessary level of comfort, but at the same time takes up much less space than rectangular baths. Symmetrical models have sides of the same length.
The smallest symmetrical baths have dimensions of 120×120 cm, and the largest – 175×175 cm. Some models of baths have a comfortable seat, shelves for soap, profiles for elbows. Asymmetric models are available in both left and right hand designs.
Some of the smallest models of asymmetric baths have dimensions of 140×75 cm, and the largest – 160×100 cm. Most often, the drain hole is located in the narrow part of the bath. Round and oval bathtubs can be freestanding or shaped to fit against a wall. Both of them are most often designed for spas or large bathrooms, as they are more than 80 cm wide and more than 180 cm long. Some manufacturers offer bathtubs of the original form: in the form of a five-, six- or octagon ; in the form of a drop (tears); with four sides of different lengths and different angles of inclination. Most of them have a width of 80 to 100 cm and a length of 180 to 200 cm.
Inner surface.
When choosing a bath, it is necessary to pay special attention not only to the external shape, but also to the internal profile of its surface. The profile of the inner surface of the bath will depend not only on the convenience of its operation, but also on the total water consumption. Bathtubs of the same shape can be of different depths, and different recesses for elbows, head or soap can be located at different heights.
In order to choose the best option for yourself, as it sounds not strange, but it is best to personally turn gray in it. It is necessary to “try on” it not only for yourself, but also for all members of your family. Modern baths can have a volume of 70 to 450 or more liters. Remember that the larger the volume of the bath, the greater the water consumption and the number of drains, the longer it will take to fill it.
Material.
Recently, the most popular material for bathtubs is acrylic. Thanks to the unique properties of acrylic, bathtubs can be molded into almost any shape. Acrylic is easy to use, it allows you to make a bathtub with sufficient strength and hardness.
In addition, acrylic bathtubs have the following advantages:
• warm and smooth surface,
• low weight (considerably simplifies the process of transportation and installation),
• uniform color and structure (scratches that occur during operation are practically invisible, they can be easily removed by polishing),
• high resistance to fading and corrosion (retains a presentable appearance for a long period of time). Typically, bathtubs are stamped from a sheet of acrylic with a thickness of 4 to 8 mm.
Acrylic can be both two-layer and three-layer, have a structure reinforced with fiberglass or laminated plastic. There are bathtubs with additional strengthening of the side walls and the bottom with the help of acrylic-mineral granules. Bathtubs made of reinforced acrylic have higher strength, better thermal and sound insulation characteristics. Thermal insulation allows hot water to stay hot longer in a filled bath, and sound insulation reduces the noise level when it is filled.
There are acrylic bathtubs with antibacterial properties. These bathtubs have a special antibacterial coating. On its surface, various kinds of bacteria develop more slowly, it is easier to clean, so it is easiest to keep it clean and hygienic. In addition to acrylic, other materials are also used as a material for bathtubs, but since they are in less demand, their range is much poorer.
Cast iron bathtubs (formerly very popular due to their great strength, high thermal insulation, resistance to deformation and impact) are currently in little demand, as they have a high weight, an unpleasantly cold surface and a small variety of shapes.
Steel bathtubs still have quite high price competition with acrylic bathtubs. However, they are gradually losing their positions, as they have a higher weight, a small assortment of shapes and colors (mostly they are rectangular and white), and are also much less able to retain heat .
For the average consumer, the biggest “minus” of steel bathtubs is damage to the enamel, in addition, traces of rust and ugly smudges often appear on the walls of these bathtubs during long-term operation. In addition, the surface of the steel bath is unpleasantly cold. Sometimes you can find bathtubs made of wood or artificial marble, which, due to their high price policy, are extremely rare in retail. Large variety of shades. Bathtubs, like other sanitary ceramics, are mostly available in white.
In addition, the surface of the bath can be either matte or shiny (glossy). Currently, bathtubs of various colors and shades can be found on sale – delicate and pale colors (gray, pink, blue, salad, beige), bright and expressive shades (dark blue, green, and black). As a rule, colored baths are much more expensive than similar white baths. Installation practicality. Most acrylic bathtubs are available with a prefabricated body, sometimes referred to as a decorative panel. This case has the same color as the bath itself, and as a material, in addition to acrylic, a stainless steel sheet, and even a plywood sheet can be used. Such a finished case is easily installed, and, if necessary, removed without any problems to get to various mechanisms and communications under the bathroom.
Of particular importance is the case for bathtubs equipped with hydromassage, as it closes the elements of the system and the pump located under the bottom and side walls. In this case, in case of any breakdowns (problems with the pump, clogging of nozzles, etc.), the decorative panel can be quickly and easily removed to eliminate the malfunction. In addition, a ready-made factory case will become simply indispensable for bathtubs with rounded walls, since it is much more difficult to tile it with ceramic tiles than a regular rectangular one. If you still decide to clad such a bathtub with ceramic tiles, then you need to choose tiles of small sizes, and the process of tiling it is very complicated and time-consuming.
Depending on the shape and design of the bath, the finished body can consist of one or several elements.
Headrests.
Many bathtub manufacturers offer special soft suction cup headrests. They can be old, black, grey, blue or green. Some exclusive models can be equipped with adjustable headrests to provide maximum comfort for people of different sizes.
Handles and rails.
Handles can be of various shapes and have a different texture of the material. So, matte, shiny, white, wood-like or silver-like pens, etc. are very popular. Handles are necessary for the convenience of immersion, getting up and out of the bath. They are mounted (screwed) to the inner wall of the bath before the end of its installation. In the same way, special seats, especially suitable for children and the elderly, can be attached. Some baths are equipped with railings for towels, which will not be superfluous. Safe bottom. In order to significantly reduce the risk of slipping and falling in the bathroom, the bottom is given a special “non-slip” relief. Thanks to this, the feet slip less, and using such a bath is much safer than a conventional one. The embossed bottom is of particular relevance in bathrooms, in which they often take a shower, in other words, they do not sit, but stand.
With or without hydromassage?
The price range of hot tubs is very wide. The cheapest systems can cost about UAH 2,000, while the most expensive ones can cost as much as a middle-class car. Is it worth investing so much money in a bathroom?
Yes, definitely worth it. Since hydromassage is not just entertainment, but also a good rest and health. In the process of taking a bath with hydromassage, jets of air and water under pressure allow the whole body to relax, give a feeling of freshness and relaxation, and improve well-being. For sick people, hydromassage is a kind of rehabilitation and support in treatment, and for healthy people it is an effective way to restore physical strength after a hard day’s work.
And yet, it is up to you to choose a bath with or without hydromassage. Technical requirements. It is necessary to install sewer and plumbing equipment for hydromassage baths in the same way as for ordinary baths. The hoses that bring water to the nozzles are made of flexible material, they can be easily bent and shaped to the desired shape, so that their connection will not cause much difficulty. A drain with a diameter of 50 mm must be located with an appropriate slope and as close as possible to the sewer riser. To install a hydromassage bath, a room of at least 6 m2 with forced ventilation is required. This is due to the fact that in the process of taking a bath with a hydromassage, a large amount of water vapor is formed, much more than when bathing in a conventional traditional bath. Only having a large and well-ventilated room can ensure that moisture is effectively removed from the room, otherwise it will condense on the ceiling and walls, thus creating a favorable environment for the formation of mold and mildew. In addition, whirlpool baths have special requirements for electrical wiring.
Any hydromassage system has an electric pump that must be connected to a 220 V AC mains. The pump has a permanent connection to the mains and requires a separate, specially designed electrical circuit for this purpose, which is equipped with a protective shutdown device (differential relay). These circuit breakers operate both in case of a short circuit and in case of leakage to the “ground”. In modern houses, differential switches have become the standard, and in old houses it must be installed independently in the switchboard.
The power of the differential switch is selected according to the whirlpool manufacturer’s recommendations, which must take into account the total total power of all devices included in the system. In addition, do not forget about the high-quality grounding of fittings and all metal elements of the water supply system. Proper and high-quality installation of all electrical connections is a guarantee of the safety of you and your family. It is best to have the hot tub manufacturer’s service technician or an experienced, properly qualified electrician perform the wiring work.
Additional features. As a rule, there are bathtubs on sale, both initially equipped with a hydromassage system, and those to which you can buy it separately. Many manufacturers offer hydromassage systems or some of its elements to be purchased separately. The range of systems currently available for sale is very large – it differs both in the number of nozzles and in capabilities. A hot tub can provide air or water massage, or a combination of the two. The effectiveness and pleasure of receiving a complex of procedures are also increased by additional functions of the hydromassage system.
Recently, more and more often you can find modern computerized hydromassage systems that allow you to effectively heal the body with the help of special bioenergetic programs – anti-cellulite, tonic, relaxation and strengthening muscles. They can use various techniques of chromo and aromatherapy, as well as color music or various methods of traditional Chinese medicine tested for centuries. In such systems, a special electronic control system, according to the programmed program, includes aero and hydropulsation, massages the legs and back in various modes. The hydromassage jets of water can be illuminated in different colors, changing the intensity of the glow depending on the beat of the music. Some hydromassage systems allow you to create a traveling wave effect in the bath, reminiscent of a soothing sea surf, turn on a real waterfall or a bubbling geyser, which have a strong effect on various biologically active points of a person.
In addition, there are baths on sale that enrich the water with ozone, which in turn has a beneficial effect on the skin and improves metabolic processes in the body. There are baths equipped with special ultrasonic devices that allow you to combine a pleasant water massage with the fight against cellulite and maintaining a good physical shape.
Types of massage.
Currently, hydromassage systems allow for three types of massage. The easiest type of massage is air or the so-called pearl bath. It is carried out by forcing air into a bath of water, as a result of which a large number of air bubbles are formed, which gently massage the skin and effectively improve the overall blood circulation of the whole body. Air is pumped into the bath using a special air pump and can be distributed in the system in two ways: – through a special system of pipes located at the bottom of the bath, and through air nozzles with safety valves that prevent water from entering the system when the pump is not working, – through a special air chamber located under the entire plane of the bottom, and then through small holes in the bottom of the tub. In this case, it is necessary to carefully ensure that the water in this cavity does not stagnate, as this can lead to the formation of fungus or mold in the double bottom. The entire surface of such a bath must be disinfected periodically. As a rule, to drain water from the bathroom, the hydraulic system is equipped with special drainage pipes that allow you to quickly drain water into the sewer system.
It is recommended to turn on the air pump for a short period of time after each hydromassage procedure and complete draining of the water from the bath. In most cases, a bath equipped with an air pump has an air pump with an air heating system, since the air in the room is often an order of magnitude colder than the water in the bath, and massage with cold air bubbles can cause discomfort and discomfort. In a number of baths there is a system for regulating the force of air supply, as well as control of the pulsation mode.
More intense than air massage is water massage (water whip or hydromassage). This massage system includes a pump, a suction device, a system of pipes and water jets located on the walls of the bath. During the massage, the water in the bath circulates in a closed circuit: the pump captures water through a special suction device and pushes it out through the nozzles through a system of pipes under pressure.
The nozzles have a special design that allows you to mix water with air. In addition, additional air is supplied under pressure to the hydromassage system using a special air compressor, which allows additional water-air turbomassage. It is worth noting the fact that all hydromassage systems can be divided into two types: massage of some really has a therapeutic effect, while others are a simple imitation.
In order to choose a really high-quality and effective hydromassage system, you need to pay attention to three main characteristics when buying:
- the power of the water pump, which must be sufficient to create the optimum pressure in the connecting water supply hoses and nozzles.
- diameter of nozzles and connecting hoses,
- the number of nozzles, since the power of the water pump engine directly depends on this.
This condition must also be met when choosing an air pump that pumps heated air into the air nozzles. The number of nozzles depends on the size and shape of the bath. It is believed that the minimum number of nozzles should be at least four. The effect of water massage, however, depends not so much on their number, but on their location and type. The nozzles currently on the market from different manufacturers differ not only in power and size, but also in the direction of the water outlet and the shape of the jet. So, in the reflex zones of the legs, back and shoulder blades, as a rule, microjets are located, since they are close to the body and should not give excess water pressure. Massage jets installed in the area of the inner and outer thighs, as well as in the pelvic area, have a powerful jet that allows you to change direction. As a rule, they are located at a distance of 5 to 15 cm from the body. Some of these nozzles can be closed, thereby increasing the intensity of the open nozzles in order to get acupressure of problem areas.
Rotary jets are best suited for intensive massages, allowing you to give out a rotating jet of water. To massage large surfaces, such as the back, it is necessary to use the triple jets, which split the water jet into several smaller jets. Nozzles can be placed both on the same level with the surface of the bath, and in special recesses. As already noted, the effectiveness of the massage largely depends on the correct placement of the nozzles.
Jets of water should be directed to the most tense muscles of the body: feet, calves, thighs, shoulders, back, neck. The more nozzles, the more effective the massage. The choice of jet types and their placement should be discussed with a physiotherapist or specialist offering a hydromassage system. In most cases, manufacturers offer ready-made, standard solutions, and additional nozzles, according to individual needs, can be ordered separately.
Water massage can be supplemented with ultrasonic massage. For this, special ultrasonic nozzles are mounted next to the water nozzles. Ultrasonic massage perfectly warms up the muscles, speeds up metabolism and improves blood circulation. Automatic control or manual? In cheap and simple models of whirlpool baths, the control is carried out manually, using a mechanical or pneumatic control system. In these systems, the pump for air or water massage is started and stopped by a button located on the top edge of the tub. One of the main disadvantages of this system is that the pump can work “dry”, that is, even with an insufficient water level, which can lead to its damage and complete failure.
For normal operation of this system, it is necessary to constantly visually monitor the water level, which should completely cover all nozzles located on the walls of the bath. The most convenient, but as practice shows, less reliable are hydromassage systems with electronic control. On the edge of such a bathtub there is a special control panel with microcontacts, by touching which you can turn on or off one or another function. Usually, manufacturers designate the functional purpose of buttons with the help of intuitive pictures-symbols. These systems may have a different set of settings and functions. Most of them include a water level sensor that allows you to control the strength and time of massage, change the number of nozzles, water temperature, as well as the nature of its supply (pulsating or constant). In addition, this control system allows you to turn on the automatic mode of disinfection and drying. Many systems allow you to remotely control the massage using a special remote control.
What can be included in the kit, and what will you have to pay extra for? Depending on the manufacturer, the basic configuration of the bath can vary significantly. When choosing a bath, be sure to check with the consultant what exactly is included in the basic package. Most manufacturers do not include railings, head restraints and a protective case in the basic package.
Currently, there is a fairly wide range of proposed additional equipment for hot tubs, which can significantly increase the class of the hydromassage system. Additionally, you can purchase a special system for automatic drying and disinfection, lighting, an ozonator, a water heating pump or water heater, a system that allows you to dose the consumption of aromatic oil, an audio system with a set of disks for special types of massage, etc. As a rule, ordinary baths and bathtubs with hydromassage can be purchased at building supermarkets or in sanitary equipment stores.
We recommend that you take a closer look at the bathtubs at specialized exhibitions or in showrooms of manufacturing companies. Do not rush to immediately purchase the model you like, it is best to check its configuration and price in several places. We draw your attention to the fact that manufacturers, for the most part, give a guarantee for the bath itself for 7-12 years, and for additional equipment and elements of the hydromassage system – only 1-3 years. Installation.
When purchasing a bath, we receive the manufacturer’s instructions with drawings and recommendations for its proper installation. In some cases, the price of the bathtub includes tires and mounting feet. The rails must be mounted from the bottom of the bath, in the places indicated in the instructions, and the mounting legs must be screwed directly to them. The legs are adjustable in height and allow you to set the bath strictly in a horizontal plane.
In addition, the installation of the bath can be performed using a special prefabricated frame (not included) or on a laid out brick base. Installation of a bathtub with a hydromassage system is not as simple as a conventional bathtub. It must be carried out in strict accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations and with special care.
It is best to entrust the installation of a hot tub to professionals. What you need to pay special attention to.
• The junction of the edge of the bathtub with the wall must not be rigid, as the bathtub constantly vibrates during the hydromassage process. In addition, this connection must be sufficiently tight to prevent water from entering the bath. It is recommended to fill the gap between the wall and the bathtub with silicone.
• The horizontal installation of the bathtub on a stable and even base will ensure quiet and smooth operation of pumps, air and water (no more than 50 dB). • Sufficient noise insulation must also be provided, both between the wall and the bathtub and directly in the enclosure. It is recommended to place special noise-insulating pads under the legs of the bathtub. Usually when the water pump is running, the noise hardly interferes with the conversation, which cannot be said about the air pump.
• All pipes of the bath drainage system should have a slight slope towards the sewer riser to ensure effective water drainage.
• The casing installed around the tub must allow free air circulation.
For baths equipped with a hydromassage system, it is recommended to purchase only ready-made factory cases. Care and maintenance of cleanliness. For high-quality and effective cleaning of the surface of the bath, it is recommended to use special sanitary gels. Different kinds of powders and cream pastes with abrasive filler can only be used for certain types of enamel in cast iron and steel bathtubs. These powders can damage acrylic which scratches easily.
To update acrylic surfaces and eliminate scratches, it is recommended to use special polishing pastes. In the event that enamel is chipped on a steel surface in a small area, it can be restored with the help of restoring enamel. More difficult is the maintenance of the hydromassage system.
It is not enough just to take care of the surface of the bath, it is necessary to periodically disinfect the entire system, otherwise an unpleasant odor may appear after a while. So after each bath, it is necessary to carefully drain the water, dry all the elements of the hydromassage system in order to prevent the formation and development of fungus and algae. All pipes, connectors and nozzles of the system must be made of a special antibacterial material.
Perform disinfection. In order to perform high-quality disinfection of the hydromassage system, it is necessary to disinfect the pipes of the system with ultraviolet radiation lamps and special liquids recommended by manufacturers. Some bathtub models have a professional disinfection system installed, which automatically turns on when the bathtub is empty. Disinfection of the pipes of the hydromassage system is carried out in several cycles.
First cycle: water from the plumbing system is mixed with disinfectant, circulated through the entire system and removed through a special drain.
Next cycle: rinsing the system with clean running water.
Drying. In addition, the procedure for caring for the system also includes the obligatory blowing of all tubes and nozzles of the air massage system after taking a bath. Some bathtubs are equipped with an automatic drying system that runs the air pump for a short period of time after each bath. We hope that in this article we were able to tell you as much as possible about the existing models, shapes and materials of bathtubs, and our tips and recommendations will help you make the right choice.
We wish our buyers successful construction.