Ozone is a form of "active oxygen", which is nature's very own special molecule and interestingly enough the composition of one ozone molecule contains three oxygen atoms. Oxygen is a structure combined with two atoms. When ultraviolet light strikes oxygen, the atoms part, and then the atoms form back together but this time combined with an extra atom. It is often called or referred to as "super oxygen" which is a blue gas and does in fact change the colour of the sky. Ozone is created simply in nature by the process of mixing together, oxygen from the air with the high ultraviolet intensity contained in the rays from the sun or by the very tremendous power generated by an electrical discharge during a lightning storm. In a simpler way we could say that ozone is a form of gas that is created out of oxygen. Ozone is a natural purifier and during natural purification no harsh or harmful chemical by-products are created. One of the beneficial effects of Ozone is the clean, fresh smell or scent which I will call scentsation which most people sense or smell after a rainstorm often thought as negative Ions.
The same effect is felt near fast flowing rivers in mountain and forest areas and that old saying springs to mind as "as fresh as a mountain stream". Ozone is one of the most powerful oxidizer that can be safely used in a swimming pool or Hot Tub Spa. Ozone is a very good alternative water purifier to traditional pool/spa chemicals such as chlorine and bromine.
What is it that Ozone does?
Ozone is a very unstable compound caused by the exposure of oxygen molecules to a high energy electrical discharge. The weak bond that keeps ozone's third oxygen atom is what causes the molecule to be unstable and therefore very effective. An oxidation reaction occurs arises upon any collision between a molecule of ozone and a molecule of an oxidizable substance (i.e. bacteria, fungi (mould & yeast), viruses, forms of iron & manganese). The weak bond splits off leaving oxygen as a by-product. During an oxidation reaction, the organic molecules are changed and dissolved metals are made no longer soluble. Interesting as it is that these processes were used back in the days of wagon trains where silver and copper coins were tossed into the drinking water barrels to help purify the water. Even the Royal Navy ships of the line that served Admiral Nelson also put coins into water barrels to keep drinking water fresh.
Most pool cleaning publications recommend copper ions levels being around .20 ppm and .30 ppm (parts per million). Very briefly here is a simple description of what an Ion is. An ion is an atom or group of atoms that contains an electrical charge. There is a nucleus with positively charged particles called protons in it and negatively charged electrons orbiting around the nucleus. Atoms usually contain a similar number of protons and electrons. Ions can receive electrical charges by gaining or losing electrons. When an ion gains an extra electron, it becomes negative and is called an ANION and when it loses an extra electron it becomes a positive CATION. Time to look up the chemical composition of copper and how copper is ionized in water. Copper's chemical symbol is Cu and it has an atomic mass of 64, contains 29 protons and 35 neutrons. The melting point of Cu is 1083 degrees Celsius. Copper or Cu is one of the those transition metals which means that electrons from it's outer electron layer or shell participate in various chemical reactions. Where is it that Ozone is used? Even NASA uses the Copper/Silver Ionization treatment as a method to assist purify drinking water aboard spacecraft. Ozone is widely used in a variety of industries worldwide. This ionization process is used in many swimming pools as an alternative to using chlorine and other harsh chemicals. Ozone has been used in municipal water systems, wastewater plants and commercial & residential pools and spas for years. Ozone is used in many leisure complexes including, for example, water parks, aquariums and zoos. Ozone can safely be used on food equipment surfaces during the manufacture of food products.
Ozone can also help remove offensive odours from fires and other smells. Ozone is often used as the final purification step in most bottled water plants. Of Course Ozone technology is used by the Major Hot Tub manufacturers. Bromine is very much circulation dependant. Chlorine works like a "scattergun approach". Bromine tablets have chlorine mixed in them in order to activate the bromine. Bromine is much more stable in hot, highly agitated, water. As I have said above Ozone is like bromine in that it is circulation dependent. If ozone does not get to the "bugs" it obviously can not kill them. So a very good circulation pumps are needed and small pumps will fail at doing that. Bromine is also much more effective at either high or low pH. By comparison bromine is about 90/95% effective and chlorine is about 60/65% effective at about 7.5 PH. If you are looking for a good quality Hot Tub make sure it has Ozone as standard. This will greatly reduce the requirement to chemicals in the water treatment for your Hot Tub.
In this article, we are going to introduce you to all of the in's and out's of hot tub warranties. One thing to keep in mind is that while the article is focused on hot tubs, the warranty information included can apply to any big-ticket item, such as a car, television, clothes washer, clothes dryer, refrigerator, dish washer, air conditioner, central heat and air system, swimming pool, hot tub or spa.
AN INTRODUCTION TO WARRANTIES
When you decide to purchase a hot tub or other big-ticket items, you will want to make sure that it is backed up with a solid warranty. Let's face it; a new hot tub isn't exactly cheap. A good warranty on your new hot tub can give you the confidence that if something goes wrong with it, that you won't have to shell out hundreds or thousands of dollars to get it repaired.
The various companies that sell hot tubs and other big-ticket items offer a wide variety of warranties. It is critical that you thoroughly read the fine print on all of the warranty information, before you decide to buy a hot tub or another product from a particular company. As the saying goes, "the devil is in the details". The minor details that differ from one warranty to another can cost you big, if you ever need a major repair made.
UNDERSTAND YOUR WARRANTY PRIOR TO YOUR PURCHASE
With any major purchase like a hot tub, you should not just rush into it and buy impulsively. You need to read the warranty to see if there is any part of it that you do not clearly understand. If you do not understand, then you need to ask questions until you do understand it completely. Any company, that is serious about getting your business and is not trying to hide something, will be more than happy to explain in detail everything that their warranty does or does not cover.
If you are shopping online for a hot tub and you go to various websites, one thing will stand out. Many of the websites do not offer a link to the warranty information, and if they do, it is not easy to find or you might have to click through a number of links to find it. If the company that you are considering buying your hot tub from hides their warranty information, then you really must question why they are doing this and how good their warranty really is.
When you do find hot tub companies that freely give their warranty information, which they all should, then you need to start comparing the different warranties. Some companies will offer a warranty for a certain number of years and other companies may offer a lifetime warranty on "certain parts" of the hot tub.
To put this in perspective, most washing machine manufacturers carry a one-year parts and labor warranty on their machines. And, they offer a five year warranty on the wash tub. So, for the first year, your machine will be repaired if anything breaks. If your wash tub breaks or rusts out within the first five years, then they will replace the tub for you. (What most consumers do not understand is that the appliance manufacturing companies specifically state that they will repair their machines, but they will NOT replace their machines. That applies to washers, dryers, refrigerators, and dish washers.)
COMPARING THE VALUE OF WARRANTIES
Be careful though. A Lifetime Warranty on Parts is often very misleading. What many people fail to realize is that the parts is often the smaller portion of the repair bill. Labor and Travel are frequently the two costs that are the most expensive.
Depending on where you live, your hot tub repair person may have to travel a significant distance to service your hot tub. You will pay their going rate for mileage for the trip to your house to troubleshoot your hot tub, and the distance back to their office. And then, a few weeks later when the part has come in, you will pay again for the repair person to come to your house to repair your equipment, and you will pay their mileage once again for their trip home. This is only the mileage to come to your house. The labor costs are still another factor.
I am a firm believer in the idea that a good Parts and Labor Warranty is far more valuable to me, than a Lifetime Warranty on Parts.
COMMON TRICKS IN THE WORDING OF WARRANTIES
You must also discern between limited and unlimited warranties. Just as the names suggest a limited warranty will only cover certain parts of the hot tub and may or may not cover the labor to make the repair.
Some limited warranties will require that you pay a deductible. A deductible is a way for the company to save money and to not pay for the less expensive repairs. If you have a $500 deductible, and the company knows that most repairs can be made for less than $500, then that company is hoping that they will never have to honor their warranty.
Many companies will offer a warranty that depreciates over time. This means that as the years go by the amount of coverage offered by the warranty will decrease. This also is meant to save the company money. For example, if a hot tub typically does not malfunction for the first one year of its life, then it is easy to offer a full warranty for the first year. But, if there were a depreciating warranty in place then about the time that you would need it, you would be forced to pay more to get your hot tub repaired.
THE ROLE OF WARRANTIES IN MAJOR PURCHASES
Of course, if you buy a hot tub that has a good track record and it is well built, then in most cases, you will not have to use the warranty for your equipment.
Buying a hot tub is like any other major purchase like buying a car or a house.
You understand when you buy a car that you will have to spend money maintaining your investment, and occasionally, you will have to replace broken parts. It is just the nature of the beast. The automobile manufacturers offer warranties to you to help protect you from buying a car that came off of the manufacturing line broken. If there are any unexpected repairs, the car's warranty will usually cover it. But the car warranty is only good for so many years or so many thousand miles of use.
You understand that when you buy a house, you also have costs of maintenance and repairs. It is just the nature of the beast. You will have to fix things, and outside of the first year, there is not any warranty coverage to protect your investment. All repairs will come out of your pocket or the pocket of your insurance company.
Buying a hot tub is the same way. You will have maintenance expenses and the occasional repair. The warranty was designed to protect your investment from manufacturer defects.
Each hot tub retailer, just like each automobile retailer, will have their own version of a warranty that they put on the products they sell.
Those companies, who believe in their products and who believe in service after the sale, will generally offer a better warranty than their competitors.
DO YOURSELF A FAVOR
Do yourself a favor and shop around. Spend as much time comparing warranties as you do comparing hot tubs. The crazy thing is that some retailers will only offer the manufacturer warranty, while others will add their own warranties to the back-end of the manufacturer warranty. It is possible to find the same product in a dozen places with a dozen warranty options.
If the warranty is better at one store over another, then the $50 that separates them in price may be worth every penny. I have already said, and I will say it again. If one company is offering a lifetime warranty on certain parts, and the other company is offering a three-year parts and labor warranty for fifty dollars more in purchase price, I will take the second option every time.
Warranties were not designed to keep you from paying for maintenance and repairs over the long-haul of your purchase. Instead, they were designed to keep you from buying a broken piece of equipment straight from the manufacturer. But if you can get additional protections with your purchase, then why not?
A good warranty will give you piece of mind, and let you enjoy your new hot tub risk-free a lot longer than you might otherwise.
So, kick back, turn on the jets, and enjoy your new hot tub. You will not regret it.
Both John Lewis & Emerson Lockwood are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
John Lewis has sinced written about articles on various topics from Fitness, Family and Health. The Author write many articles on a variety of Topics. He markets luxury American Hot Tubs in Portugal and for further information his web site is at