Full foam or perimeter insulation: what is the difference?
Full foam or perimeter insulation differ in how the cabinet is built. Full foam fills the cabinet with spray foam around the shell and the plumbing. Perimeter insulation lines the cabinet walls and leaves the plumbing reachable. The One Model uses perimeter insulation, with no full foam.
What are full foam and perimeter insulation?
Full foam means the cabinet is filled with expanding spray foam around the shell and the plumbing. The plumbing sits inside the foam. Good Hot Tubs describes the One Model's cabinet as insulated like a house.
Perimeter insulation lines the cabinet walls, the way insulation lines the walls of a house. The area around the plumbing stays open and clear.
The result is a cabinet where you can see and reach the pipes, pumps and fittings. Nothing needs to be cut away to get to them.
How does the One Model handle insulation?
The One Model uses perimeter insulation on the cabinet walls, and it has no full foam. The insulation keeps the warmth in. The plumbing stays open and reachable.
When a part needs fixing, a local expert opens a panel and reaches it without cutting through foam. The tub is built to be serviced and repaired, which is why Good Hot Tubs chose this method. The hard cover included with the tub holds the heat in from the top.
Why does the insulation type matter for repairs?
Repairs are where the two methods differ for an owner. On the One Model, the technician opens a panel and the plumbing is in front of them.
On Vancouver Island, a local expert does this work. Under warranty, contact Good Hot Tubs, and Good Hot Tubs arranges the repair. Each year you book a check-up with your local expert.
How can you tell which insulation a hot tub has?
Ask to see behind a cabinet panel. If you can see the pipes, pumps and fittings, and the insulation is on the cabinet walls, it is perimeter insulation. If foam fills the cabinet and covers the pipes, it is full foam.
You can ask a seller to show you this on a video call or in a photograph before you order. Check that the photograph shows the same tub you would buy, with a panel off. Before you order a One Model, the team looks at your yard with you on a video call, and you can ask about the cabinet on the same call.
What should you ask a seller about insulation?
Whatever tub you consider, a few questions give you a clear picture. Ask for the answers in writing if you can, and set the answers for each tub side by side. A seller who can show you the cabinet with a panel off has answered the first two questions with a picture.
- Is the cabinet filled with foam, or are the cabinet walls lined with insulation?
- Can you see the pipes and pumps behind a panel?
- How does a technician reach a leak, and what does that repair involve?
- Who does the repair near you, and who do you contact?
- What does the warranty say about the plumbing and the cabinet?
Does the insulation choice change the running cost?
The One Model typically costs $15 to $25 a month to run, depending on use. Its energy rating comes with the CEC approval for the tub, which is still to come. Ask any seller to show a running cost in writing, along with the energy rating for the tub.
If you are weighing a tub with full foam, the questions in this guide still apply. Ask how a leak is found, who does the repair near you and what the warranty covers. A clear answer to each lets you decide with the facts in front of you.
How do the cabinet and the cover work together on the One Model?
The insulation lines the cabinet walls, and the Smartop Upright 3.0 hard cover holds the heat in from the top. The cover does not absorb water, so it stays light and keeps holding the heat in.
A built-in hydraulic lift lets you open the cover with one hand. The cabinet and the cover are both part of the $19,995 CAD price, along with delivery to your pad.
Questions
What is the difference between full foam and perimeter insulation?
Full foam fills the cabinet around the shell and the plumbing, while perimeter insulation lines the cabinet walls and leaves the plumbing open and reachable.
Does the One Model have full foam?
No. The One Model has perimeter insulation on the cabinet walls, and the plumbing stays open and reachable.
What does perimeter insulation look like inside the cabinet?
It lines the cabinet walls, like insulation in a house, and the area around the plumbing stays open so a local expert can reach the parts.
How do I know if my hot tub is full foam?
Look behind a cabinet panel. If foam covers the pipes, pumps and fittings, it is full foam. If you can see them and the insulation is on the walls, it is perimeter insulation.
Related answers
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.