Hot tub glossary
The words you meet while shopping for a hot tub, in a sentence or two each.
From pH to plug-and-play.
- pH
- A scale from 0 to 14 that shows how acidic or basic water is. Chlorine works poorly when pH is off, and water outside the right range is hard on equipment.
- Total alkalinity
- How well the water resists changes in pH. When alkalinity is in range, pH is easier to hold steady.
- ORP
- Oxidation-reduction potential: a reading, in millivolts, of how strongly the water can break down contaminants. It shows how well the sanitizer is working. On the One Model, Waterlab reads it.
- Ozone
- A form of oxygen with three atoms instead of two. In a hot tub it is made by the tub's own equipment and mixed into the water in the plumbing, where it breaks down contaminants. It does not stay in the water, so a sanitizer is still needed.
- Salt chlorine generator (salt cell)
- A device that uses electricity to make chlorine from dissolved salt. On the One Model it lasts 6 to 18 months.
- Biofilm
- A slimy layer that bacteria can build on wet surfaces, including the inside of hot tub pipes. Keeping the sanitizer in range helps stop it forming.
- Floating skimmer
- An intake that rises and falls with the water level and pulls floating debris, hair and oils off the surface.
- Variable-speed pump
- A pump whose speed can change, so it can run gently or at full power. The One Model's massage pump is one.
- Zone selector valve
- A valve that directs the massage pump's flow between groups of jets. On the One Model, these valves move the flow between three zones.
- Full foam
- Insulation where expanding spray foam fills the cabinet around the shell and plumbing.
- Perimeter insulation
- Insulation on the cabinet walls, with the plumbing left reachable. The One Model uses it.
- Hard cover
- A rigid cover that does not absorb water. The One Model's Smartop Upright 3.0 is one.
- Dedicated 240V circuit
- A 240-volt circuit that serves only the hot tub, run from your electrical panel by a licensed electrician. The One Model needs a 50-amp one.
- Plug-and-play
- A hot tub that plugs into a regular 120V outlet. The One Model needs a dedicated 240V, 50-amp circuit, so it cannot plug in this way.
Is the One Model right for you?
Ten questions about your home and how you would use a hot tub. You see your result before you give any contact details, and you can ask for a test soak on Vancouver Island when you send it.