Monday, January 07, 2008

The Cold Water Grows Warmer


Hot tub is fixed, hooray!

As I suspected, it was the heater element, and -- wonder of wonders! -- they had one in stock.

It is not an inexpensive part; however, there is no way around it.

The tub is 110/electric, and it warms up slowly -- at a little over two degrees F. an hour. So starting at ambient temperature, it'll be tomorrow afternoon before it's ready.

There are many inventions that have made life better for humankind; hot water on tap is high on my list of them, and a tub full of it in which to soak is worth much. I've come up more than a few ideas for stories and books whilst soaking out there on the back deck, not to mention how it works the kinks out of aching muscles.

This is the second of these things we've owned. The first, Conan the Hot Tub, lasted for fifteen years, and was still running when we packed it off to my son -- it was large, seated six or seven, and we wanted a smaller one.

Worth every penny.

2 comments:

steve-vh said...

After sparring Sunday, I sure longed for mine (turns out the aches weren't from exercise rather the flu that hit a few hours later). Turned it off a few years ago when the heater went in the summer and gas and electric prices were predicted to skyrocket. Sometimes I regret it but at 20 degrees it's a bit pricey to heat.
BTW, would the bonsai in the back be yours?

Steve Perry said...

Climate is considerably milder here -- costs me about a hundred bucks a years to heat mine. Of course, it's small, and has the double-thick lid and all.

One of the bonsai I did, the other I picked up from a roadside seller a few years back. My problem is that while the winters are mild here, we do get down below freezing now and then, and I forget to bring them inside. Pots are so small once the trees are transplanted they don't weather the cold. I've lost half a dozen over the years. The Ficus lost all but one branch early this fall to a sudden cold snap; the Buddhist pine is still hanging on.