Backyard Living Center is a locally owned and operated Saskatoon hot tub store. They offer an exclusive line of high-quality Canadian-built hot tubs that are perfectly suited to the Saskatchewan climate. With a variety of design choices, they have a spa that will suit every lifestyle! Service means everything to owners Sheryl and Matthew! Whether it's finding the perfect spa, hot tub servicing or repair, water testing, or helping find or deliver parts for your hot tub, they're here to help. In this Saskatoon hot tub tip, we continue the series of experts answering all your FAQs about hot tubs.

Backyard Living Center Is Your Trusted Saskatoon Hot Tub Store!

FAQs About Hot Tubs Answered By Backyard Living Center - Part 3

How is the hot tub insulated?

Several spa manufacturers have always insisted that the only way to insulate a spa is with “full urethane foam”. In this method, all the glued plumbing within the spa is covered using a sprayed-on foam. This method was fine twenty years ago but like many materials, safer, better alternatives have been developed. Certainly, urethane foam is acceptable as an insulator but more often than not it is primarily used as a structural backup. Where there is limited structural integrity, urethane foam is used as a substitution because it “holds together all the components of the spa” and compensates for a limited engineered structure. Alternates to full foam spas have been developed to address the issue of gaining access to the plumbing within the spa. H2O spas have developed their own unique Multi-Layer Insulation System.

What are the pros and cons of a urethane foam-filled spa?

The Pros of using urethane foam:

It is used primarily to insulate the hot tub against the environment, therefore, reducing operating costs.
Secondly, it can be used as a substitute for structural support where there is little or no frame structure. Imagine a large block of foam with everything trapped inside.

The Cons of using urethane foam:

Urethane spray foam used for insulating hot tubs is a two-part chemical product that when mixed, results in an expanding foam component. It is used under strict safety codes because of the unhealthy ‘off gassing’ fumes.
The resulting foam expands into the cavities of the hot tub solidifying as it cures sealing all ventilating apertures. We all have to breathe, and so does your hot tub. Preventing air circulation inside the cavity of the hot tub creates the perfect condition for possible future mold growth.
Once the hot tub has been foam-filled it is extremely difficult to service the tub particularly if you experience a water leak in the complex plumbing underneath the tub. A simple plumbing defect can take hours to trace and repair. Tracing the leak becomes more difficult than the actual repair.
The biggest problem occurs after the repair has been completed and you have taken out the wet foam to reach the leak area. What do you use to replace the insulation you have removed? Usually, this is done with an expensive canned substitute of the foam which inevitably does not have the same insulation properties of the originally installed foam – in other words, it is being replaced with a substitute that may possibly affect the insulation qualities of the hot tub. There is also the problem of discarding the saturated foam which must be packed separately and isolated from normal garbage.
Any water contamination from the internal plumbing deteriorates the foam creating a sludge that is prone to mold growth and if the foam has been used as a structural substitute, this can possibly weaken the spa.

Is it detrimental to the efficiency of the hot tub if all four sides of the spa are not foam-filled?

Our tests show that the insulation benefits of partially removing some insulation from one side of the hot tub are outweighed by replacing the insulation with electronic equipment and two electric motors, each one generating surplus heat. In fact the two motors generate so much heat that we evacuate the surplus heat and pipe it to the air intakes of the spa jets, thus supplying warm air automatically when the jet pumps are engaged.

What are the benefits of using Roxul insulation?

Practical to use; anyone can handle it safely. Sold in most hardware stores this amazing material is readily available.
Can be removed and replaced without instruction, just use a common sense approach when handling this material.
Roxul is fire retardant. Even when held to a naked flame it will not ignite.
Environmentally prudent; disposal, if required, can be the same as with any household garbage.
Water repellent. If a leak occurs in the tub it cannot damage the Roxul. Being water repellent, moisture will pass right through the Roxul leaving it completely dry.
Deters rodents because it is an inert material made from lava rock that cannot be eaten or affected by animals.
Recyclable; there is no need to throw it away. Just store it in a dry environment for future use.
Roxul has an R-Value equal to or better than traditional insulation materials including low-density open cell urethane foam.
Roxul is used in many commercial and residential buildings costing millions of dollars. Does it make sense to use such an amazing material in a product costing much less? Of course, it does, that is why we led the way by using Roxul as an insulating system in all H2O Spas.
How much is your house worth? Hundreds of thousands of dollars? Most houses are now built using Roxul Insulation, it makes sense to use it as an insulator in your hot tub.
Helps reduce equipment noise. Roxul is renowned for its ability to capture noise and is used extensively as a noise barrier.

See their selection of in-stock H2O Canadian-made premium spas at their showroom on Brodsky Avenue, or visit their website for more choices and information on hot tub supplies, hot tub care, and maintenance and service. Take it from us… you will not be disappointed!!!