Hot Tub Bliss

I’m grateful to fellow blogger Tara Dharma of Santa Cruz, California for this great idea:

“I think President Obama, in his first official act, should provide funding for every single family in the USA to have a hot tub if they want it. It would go a long way to promote health, well-being, and a significant reduction in crime. You heard it here first.” http://taradharma.blogspot.com/2008/12/hot-tub-in-every-home.html

Thank you, Tara Dharma, you said it first. Think of the health benefits. National spending for health care would drop. Families would talk to each other again. People would feel better. The list goes on. The possibilities are endless.

Send this post to friends. Let’s see how far it goes!

Res est severa voluptas-Pleasure is a serious business!

Just had to share two photos of a new hot tub installation at the home of Olympic Hot Tub customers: The Thorntons. Our fall has been so beautiful and mild, the trees so colorful that even the days have been perfect hot tubbing weather. The fire pit is a great addition for ambiance. Imagine sitting in this hot tub at night watching the fire-modern version of sitting on the couch in front of a fireplace. Note the lifter that holds the cover up off the ground. Having a lifter is the no sweat way to get the cover off so there’s not time wasted when you want to jump in. Flip it back and it stores itself. Sweet. Thanks to the Thorntons for sending these photos. What a lovely hot tub installation!

Anyone else have photos to share? We’d love to see them.

Res est severa voluptas-Pleasure is a serious business!

This letter from a happy SilkBalance user says it all:

Dear SilkBalance ,
I have a HotSpring Jetsetter spa and use your product, I love what it does for my skin.
My husband who suffered from very dry skin problems is now able to join me again in the spa as his skin isn’t effected any longer by the chemicals and doesn’t dry out.
Thank you.

Frankie Adams
Olympia WA.

Thanks for your letter, Frankie. The secret about getting older that no one talks about is the problem of dry skin. Customers have told me that they couldn’t use the tub because of their dry skin problem especially in the winter.
Get that spa hot!
Get ready to get back to the relaxation and stress relief you’ve been aching for.
Silk Balance does perform exactly as promised: it eliminates the dry skin problem without adding all sorts of yucky oils and perfumes!

But that’s not all it does. At first we were skeptial of a product that promised so much. But Hot Spring owners are raving about how it’s transformed their hot tubbing experinece. You do have to feel the water with Silk Balance to believe what a difference it makes. We keep one spa in each of our showrooms without Silk Balance. The rest have it as the water care of choice. We don’t have to say anything but: “Put your hand in this spa without Silk Balance. Now put your hand in the other spa with Silk Balance.” No one has actually swooned yet, but we’ve heard: “I can’t believe it!” “Wow, what a difference!” “I’ll take it!”

Silk Balance does make your hot tub water feel like silk and leaves your skin feeling smooth as a baby’s. Direct from Europe where it has made hot tub care easier than ever, it’s a proprietary blend of balancing products combined in one easy-to-use bottle. Now, this is the best part: No more alkalinity increaser, calcium hardness, pH increaser or de-creaser, and stain & scale control products. Really! Throw them all away.

●Add Silk Balance once a week to keep your spa readings in perfect harmony, without testing or mixing.
●It’s enhanced with silver so it’s EverFresh and ozone system compatible
●Added sea salts leave your skin feeling young and soft.
●BDT© Technology keeps spa components running better.
●Allows for minimization of sanitizers; environmentally friendly.

Transitioning to Silk Balance requires the one-time use of Spa Purge to rid your spa plumbing of old residual water care products and set you up for a crystal clear experience. After that, spa care is a breeze.

Discover how great soaking can be again..without the plague of dry skin and mixing of all those chemicals! Return to nature!!

See our estore for online ordering: http://www.olympichottubestore.com/silkbalance.html

Res est severa voluptas-Pleasure is a serious business!

Earlier this week, Chuck Todd, political analyst for MSNBC revealed on the morning show that his mother owned a small business selling hot tubs. He lamented that: “They haven’t sold one. They can’t sell any.” She’s located in a swing state and business is bad. He continued with: “This is one of those middle of the road luxury items.”

I couldn’t let this go without a message to Chuck:

Chuck: You are wrong that a hot tub is a middle of the road luxury item that nobody wants. You and your mom have to check out the health benefits and that fact that a hot tub is a NEED not a want for millions of Americans. And, they are selling! Why don’t you get the facts and spread the word about stress relief, arthritis & fibromyalgia relief, weight loss and diabetes lessening.? Not to mention relieving stiff muscles and having a family place to go now that families don’t eat dinner together anymore. I’ve been in the hot tub business 32 years. I’d be glad to share my marketing tips with your mom. Tell her to call me. Hot tub evangelists live all over America. You should hear what my customers say after they purchase: “It’s the best thing I’ve ever done for myself and my family. I wouldn’t be without it.”

Our biggest service day ever was 9/11. We came in thinking that no one would call. But people realized that when times are tough, they need the solace of their hot tubs for stress relief! We sold 5 yesterday because people are choosing to spend on their health, their families, their quality of life. I’m waiting to hear from your mom.
Best wishes,
Alice Cunningham
Olympic Hot Tub Company
Seattle, Washington

www.olympichottub.com

Still no word from Mrs. Todd or Chuck.

Congratulations! Your new home has a hot tub! You’re almost ready to enjoy all the benefits including good health, relaxation, and backyard fun. I say almost because if you’re new to hot tub ownership, there are some things to do before you take that first dip.

Get all possible data about your tub to determine correct filters, spa cover, and water care products. Ask the previous owners before your house closes. No data? Measure width and height of the spa to calculate water volume.

Verify maintenance supplies are correct (bring in the box the owner’s have left to any of our 5 stores-we’ll help you sort out what’s needed or not) and spa cover and cover lifter are in good shape.

Drain & refill before jumping in.

First- buy new filters. Bad filters cause cloudy water. Don’t know your hot tub brand or model? Measure a filter. Proper filters can be found at local spa retailers or on the web. Visit our estore for all Hot Spring, Tiger River, Solana, Hot Spot and Limelight filters. http://www.olympichottubestore.com/

Check cover and lifter. Is the cover too heavy to lift, broken, cracked, peeling, musty? Replace it. Water saturated covers drain energy and might hurt your back. Don’t through energy dollars down the drain; a well fitting cover is your first defense in saving money. We recommend Sunstar TM covers for their patented water seal and long life. Lifter should sit square on the tub with straight arms and top bar, or your cover will be harder to lift and may not form a heat retention seal. For a great lifter, check out Leisure Concepts lifters on our estore. We carry all covers, too.

“The Right” water care products. Take old product to a reputable hot tub dealer for recycling. Bring any of your water care bottles to one of Olympic’s 5 stores and receive $1. off each new item. A reputable dealer can determine what you need to get started. One big don’t: Don’t use swimming pool chlorine. It’s unstable in hot water, clouds water, has the wrong pH, and dissipates quickly. If your tub uses chlorine make sure it’s for hot tubs, with “sodium dichloride” not “calcium hypochlorite” as the major ingredient. Consider changing from chlorine to newer, less harsh sanitizers. SeaKlear TM Spa brand has water care products especially formulated for hot tubs. Order online at our estore: www.http://www.olympichottubestore.com/

For the easiest water care and the softest skin you can imagine:SilkBalanceTM is for you! No mixing, testing or hassle. Order from our estore and start your hot tub experience off right!

Replace testing reagents every year, or try test strips. They’re more effective and allow one “dip of the strip” testing. Start fresh with new strips. Keep strips dry for accurate water testing results.

We give water care lessons and any reputable dealer should, too. So, ask your retailer for a water care lesson and handouts detailing how to maintain water cleanliness and sanitation procedures. OR, call our service center: 206 431-2876. Still puzzled? Local service firms specializing in your brand can teach maintenance shortcuts and proper care or consider hiring a valet service to maintain your hot tub for you.

Doing it yourself? It’s time to drain and clean! Follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Always unplug tub or turn breakers off first. Unsure which cleaning products? Try Simple Green, baking soda, or any non-abrasive cleaner. Got grit on the tub floor? Use a turkey baster or wet-dry vacuum after draining tub. Hot tub vacuums are another option.

Run hose a few minutes outside tub then refill tub with clean water. Add new filters and water care products, i.e. sanitizers, pH modifiers, water hardness, and alkalinity raisers. Plug it in or reset the breakers. Set temperature. Your first dip is only hours away!

Want Us to Do it For You? Call for our Valet Service! We’ll drain & clean and get you set up correctly.

Safety First- Never leave children in the tub alone- alcohol and soaking don’t mix- pregnant women, 10 minutes max in hot tub- water temperature, never over 104°. At your first party, monitor sanitizer levels hourly. Lotions, potions, deodorants can cause foaming. Shower beforehand. Use thoroughly rinsed bathing suits. Clothes (t-shirts, cut-offs, etc.) are not recommended.

Swimsuits…or not? Let guests know your “policy” beforehand. Have a great time soaking in utter bliss knowing your hot tub is clean, sanitary and functioning properly.

Res est severa voluptas.- Pleasure is a serious business.

As soon as the weather gets chilly, most people in Japan turn to thoughts of yu (湯, hot water). The saying “yu ga ichiban no kusuri” “hot water is the best medicine is a popular maxim in Japan where hot springs have warmed people for centuries. Many people in rural areas remember the slogan “nihonjin niwa ofuroga aru” which translates to “when all else fails the Japanese will still have their baths”. For hundreds of years and way into the 20th century, rural Japanese never got a lot to eat, but in the darkest times a soak was always possible. To this day, in many reigons people will say “itadakimasu” (the salutary phrase that precedes a meal-like Julia Child saying “Bon Appetit” before a meal) before taking a bath, especially when they’re about to do so in the home of a friend or relative. As for immersing oneself in an onsen (温泉, hot spa), many perceive it as a gochisō (ごちそう, repast) and will often say that a good onsen session is equivalent to a full meal.

There’s nothing like yu (hot water) to combat the blues and keep the body warm and supple. It’s a daily custom whose pleasure never dims with time. But after learning about yu and the concept of considering hot water bathing as a full meal, I’m adding weight loss to my thoughts about hot tubbing! Thinking of hot tubbing as the equivalent of a full meal is a great way to avoid calorie overload during the holidays. Soak before supper! I guarantee you’ll eat less. Happy Thanksgiving!

Res est severa voluptas-Pleasure is a serious business!

Olympic Hot tub owner Nancy Juetten of Bellevue, WA sent her best tip to Redbook Magazine for connecting with her husband and keeping the intimacy and love flowing between them while managing a teenage son and two busy careers:

Soak up the love: “My husband and I both work from home, so relaxed couple time is in short supply. To get away from all of our day-to-day tasks, we take ‘breaks’ in our hot tub. Even if we’re soaking in silence, we can hold hands and be together in a lovely way that has nothing to do with being productive.”
—Nancy Juetten, 46, Bellevue, WA

This is sound advice for all of us who during the holidays will be swept up in busyness and “to dos”. I know I’ve been so stressed during the holidays trying to get everything done that I forget what’s really important. Nancy’s suggestion is to keep it simple, keep it real and keep your relationship in balance thanks to the hot tub brings it all back to what’s most important. Sitting quietly holding hands in the hot tub is a beautiful picture. Thank you for sharing this insight, Nancy. Continued happy soaking!

Res est severa voluptas-Pleasure is a serious business!

Our customers love Jennifer. Our customers love their hot tubs, too! It’s not surprising that we gets heaps of fan mail.  These customers tell it all: affordable nightly pleasure with a product that gives them great peace of mind because its the best made product on the market:

Hi Jennifer,

Again, we’re so happy with our tub. Jeff told me he wouldn’t dream of going without a night of tubbing. : ) We love that time to relax and catch up and it’s great to have a daily massage. We tell everyone about it and my friends say they have hot tub envy. I was surprised at how affordable it really is. And worth every penny!

The hot tub forum I frequent (http://www.poolspaforum.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=13217) has a few other Olympic Hot tub customers and we all tell people to go there if they’re in our western washington. I can’t stop telling people how great our experience is and after hearing other peoples’ horror stories with terrible service and inferior products, I’m so very thankful we picked you!

Take care and see you soon!

R. Williams

Thank you to the Williams for their letter. We really appreciate hearing from your customers.

Res est severa voluptas-Pleasure is a serious business!

Ready for a short lesson in human physiology?

As you immerse yourself in a hot tub, your body’s first reaction is to try and stabilize your temperature by pumping the heart faster to bring additional blood to the surface where it would normally disperse heat into the air. This increased blood flow means an increased supply of oxygen, antibodies and white blood cells pumping through your body; all important to promoting revitalization of the cells. This initial reaction causes an increase in blood pressure, but because the warmth quickly causes the blood vessels to dilate or expand, the resistance on the heart is lessened. This means a soak in hot water will actually lower blood pressure!

The blood warmed in the vessels at your skin’s surface is pumped from there back into your body where it begins to heat your organs and deep muscle tissue where the same healthy vessel dilation occurs leaving the muscles more relaxed. The longer your spend immersed in hot water, the more times the warm, healing blood can cycle through your body. Studies have shown that in a spa maintained at 104 degrees the core body temperature can rise to 102 degrees Fahrenheit in less than 20 minutes. This means a healthy increase in heart rate with a decrease in blood pressure that reduces strain on other vital organs. It’s no wonder that at the reputable Mayo Clinic, hot water hydrotherapy is used to improve cardio-health. Be sure to include your doctor in the decision to undergo any hot water treatments. And, be sure to monitor how you’re feeling and get out of the tub if you feel light headed, overheated or dizzy. A 20 minute soak is enough to induce real therapeutic benefits in a 104 degree spa.

Res est severa voluptas-Pleasure is a serious business!