Kelowna Used Hot Tubs

A person should exercise caution when looking for used hot tubs. There are bargains to be found in this area, but you need to be very informed, look with an open mind and ask a great many questions before making your decision.

To begin with, you need to decide on a budget for a used hot tub. You may find, after doing your research, that for just a few more dollars, you can purchase a new tub and have all the benefits of being the first owner of a quality hot tub.

If, however, you are intent on getting a used tub, you need to ask the following questions:

1. Why is this tub for sale? Speak to the present owner to determine why the hot tub is for sale. Pay close attention to the response to your question. It may be that the tub has malfunctioned or has caused untold grief in constant poor performance or poor service and they are looking to unload it and get a better deal somewhere else. An attractive "used hot tub" deal like this would be no deal at all. By speaking to the owners on-site, you may be able to pick up the real reason for the sale and decide whether you want to go through with the purchase. On the other hand, the owners may have a perfectly legitimate reason for the sale. They may be moving and just cannot manage to take their hot tub. If you sense that they have really enjoyed using it and are reluctant to sell it, this may be the perfect deal for you.

2. Is the hot tub in good condition? Examining the hot tub on-site will help determine whether it is in good condition.

• Look under the lid. Does the water smell as if it has been properly conditioned and maintained? Is there mold growing on the under-surface of the lid? If there is a musty smell or any foul smell in the water, beware. This hot tub may not have had regular maintenance as far as the usual chemical treatments, and as a result may have developed leakage problems. Restoring a neglected hot tub could be a costly and sometimes impossible, undertaking.

• Are there any noticeable cracks in the hot tub surface? Are there any cracks in the lid?

• Ask if you can sit in the hot tub for a test run. Run all the jets, and sit in all the seats. Do the jets operate with adequate intensity? Are the seats comfortable? Are there enough seats for your projected use?

3. Is the asking price fair for this used equipment? By doing your research beforehand, you will know what is the acceptable range for used hot tubs in your area. Is the asking price for this model within that range? If you go ahead with the purchase, will you need to pay additional dollars to have it professionally moved and positioned in your own back yard? At the end of the day, you may end up paying the equivalent to the price of a brand new model and still have used equipment.

4. Will the warranty still apply? Many times warranties apply only to the first owner, or for only a specified length of time during the life of the hot tub. Be sure to understand how the warranty will apply to used hot tubs before you go ahead with the purchase. If your used hot tub happens to require a lot of service, it could be a very costly undertaking. It may be more cost effective in the end to buy a new hot tub.

5. Is there a service centre in your area that will be able to provide quality service for this model? Warranty or no, you may still require servicing for your used hot tub from time to time that goes beyond what you can provide as regular maintenance yourself. Have you checked to see if the existing Kelowna hot tub service centers will provide service for your model when you need it or only after all their own customers have been looked after first?

This may seem like a daunting check-list, but far better to do your homework now before getting stuck with a lemon and discovering that it was much more than you bargained for. In the end, it may not have been much of a bargain.