small hot tub that runs quietly?
August 26, 2011 9:44 AM Subscribe
I want to put a hot tub on my townhouse patio. To have any chance of getting the HOA's ok for this (and to be a decent neighbor,) I will need to show that the hot tub's machinery won't be noisy. Does anyone have a hot tub that runs quietly (the smaller, the cheaper the better -- portable is preferable) that you'd recommend?
Are you allowed to have A/C at your place? It should be easy to show that a hottub has less noise output than an A/C unit, based on manufacturers specs. Comparison with "permitted" items might make it an easier sell.
posted by blue_beetle at 10:03 AM on August 26, 2011
posted by blue_beetle at 10:03 AM on August 26, 2011
Also, what is the patio made of and is it on the ground. You may want to find out if there will be any issues with the weight of the hot tub filled on the patio. If it is a cement pad, you shouldn't have any problems, but if it is brick or tile, I'd find out before having a hot tub delivered.
posted by TheBones at 10:07 AM on August 26, 2011
posted by TheBones at 10:07 AM on August 26, 2011
We have a wood-fired hot tub and it's silent. Though it is, of course, much more of a productioni to heat it than any of your electric options. The stove is called a Chofu.
posted by rabbitrabbit at 10:47 AM on August 26, 2011
posted by rabbitrabbit at 10:47 AM on August 26, 2011
We have a Softub 300, its round and made of heavy foam. It has no heater and captures heat from the pump to get the water hot. It is quiet, it is portable and its fan-effin'-tastic!
And, when we've needed space on the deck, I empty it out, turn it on its side and roll it into my garage.
And, oh yeah, it plugs into a regular outlet (it has a GFCI built in) so you don't even need special wiring! All win!
posted by fenriq at 11:33 AM on August 26, 2011
And, when we've needed space on the deck, I empty it out, turn it on its side and roll it into my garage.
And, oh yeah, it plugs into a regular outlet (it has a GFCI built in) so you don't even need special wiring! All win!
posted by fenriq at 11:33 AM on August 26, 2011
Came in to say that the Softub is pretty quiet - it's also as portable as I think a hot tub can be. At least around here, you can often see them set up at state or county fairs, so you and/or neighbors and HOA might be able to go see one all set up.
posted by mrs. taters at 12:06 PM on August 26, 2011
posted by mrs. taters at 12:06 PM on August 26, 2011
Response by poster: Thanks everyone, especially fenriq and taters - a Softub has been what I've assumed I'll get, but then I wasn't sure how loud they are when the pump is running. Is there something you can compare it to that'd give me an idea? If your next door neighbor just a few feet away had one on her patio, would its sound be noticeable?
Odinsdream, thanks for the pointer to the wood one - that's something I hadn't seen before, it's interesting.
posted by fingersandtoes at 3:43 PM on August 26, 2011
Odinsdream, thanks for the pointer to the wood one - that's something I hadn't seen before, it's interesting.
posted by fingersandtoes at 3:43 PM on August 26, 2011
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Yeah, I do have a hot tub that runs fairly quietly, but that is a matter of opinion. You could also get an outdoor japanese soaking tub which is heated by either a propane tank or a real wood fire. That would be pretty quiet.
posted by TheBones at 9:58 AM on August 26, 2011