Friday, December 26, 2008
All spas that I am aware of will have some sort of air plumbing. Some hot tubs use passive air intakes only and some will use a forced air system or "blower". Most tubs will use check valves to keep water from backing up into the air lines, and will place a portion of the air plumbing above the water line, the reason this is done is, that water that backs up into the air lines can cause the spa to leak from the air intakes, or venturies, where the air is adjusted in and out of the jets, and in systems that use air blowers, water that gets into the air blower will short the system out and cause the GFCI to trip. Some manufacturers maintain that they will not use air blowers because they are problematic in tubs where the water level goes too high. (Like when there are several people in the tub). And that they offer limited therapeutic value, and that they cause the power consumption to increase due to the fact that blowing air through the water in such volumes causes faster heat loss. All these things are true. My suggestion here is that with this information in mind, you test drive a tub with an air blower, keeping in mind that they do not have to be used all the time, and see if the benefits outweigh the potential problems for you.
There are two typical ways to plumb an air blower into a spa. One is to use an "air channel" this is a "U" shaped channel that is adhered to the shell which then has holes drilled into it allowing air to pass up into the water when the blower is turned on and fills the air channel. This gives a larger disbursement of air through the tub, than the second method "air injectors" but if not done properly air channels can be problematic.
Problems associated with air channels, can be, they do not always fill completely and if this is the case some of the holes may not bubble. This condition can come on with time if calcium or other foreign bodies get into or form in the holes and / or channel. In a freeze situation an air channel can break away from the shell and lead to an expensive repair. Water will lie in an air channel without circulating, and once the disinfectant in this water is used up this can lead to bacteria growth, or mold growth where there are air pockets trapped. This condition can lead to water that is harder to maintain and / or foul smelling air from the air channel.
The second method is to use "air injectors". This is where small air lines run from a manifold to individual air injectors that are placed throughout the spa shell, and while they tend to be cleared of water more efficiently than air channels, the water in them does not circulate, so they can be prone to the same bacteria and mold problems that air channeled spas are. Also by adding more glue joints there is more potential for leaks, secondary to improper gluing at the time of manufacture.
Also, without circulation these areas can be more prone to freezing than other plumbing parts in the tub, if the heater fails.
There are two typical ways to plumb an air blower into a spa. One is to use an "air channel" this is a "U" shaped channel that is adhered to the shell which then has holes drilled into it allowing air to pass up into the water when the blower is turned on and fills the air channel. This gives a larger disbursement of air through the tub, than the second method "air injectors" but if not done properly air channels can be problematic.
Problems associated with air channels, can be, they do not always fill completely and if this is the case some of the holes may not bubble. This condition can come on with time if calcium or other foreign bodies get into or form in the holes and / or channel. In a freeze situation an air channel can break away from the shell and lead to an expensive repair. Water will lie in an air channel without circulating, and once the disinfectant in this water is used up this can lead to bacteria growth, or mold growth where there are air pockets trapped. This condition can lead to water that is harder to maintain and / or foul smelling air from the air channel.
The second method is to use "air injectors". This is where small air lines run from a manifold to individual air injectors that are placed throughout the spa shell, and while they tend to be cleared of water more efficiently than air channels, the water in them does not circulate, so they can be prone to the same bacteria and mold problems that air channeled spas are. Also by adding more glue joints there is more potential for leaks, secondary to improper gluing at the time of manufacture.
Also, without circulation these areas can be more prone to freezing than other plumbing parts in the tub, if the heater fails.
posted by Excitingspas
@ 3:28 PM
permanent link | Post a Comment
|
1 Comments:
-
At January 7, 2009 10:17 PM,
R J said…
This was the second time when I availed the services of Aames Plumbing for my house. It was an air conditioner problem when I called them for the very first time. I was so impressed with their service that when my heater broke down, I had no better name in my mind than to call Aames Plumbing. This time also, they didn't let me down.