Whirlpool Bathtubs & Jetted Showers Are A Fad

[iamautistic1996]

Hey y'all, this is my first ever post here. Feel free to send me a welcome message.

Whirlpool bathtubs are a fad because they are a hassle to maintain and they are a health hazard. There are some products that do not belong in whirlpool tubs due to issues that can arise. Air tubs do exist and are above whirlpool bathtubs in every way. I tried to tell my mom that air tubs exist, knowing that she likes bathtubs and has an old-school approach to staying clean; even with evidence to back up my point, she doesn't believe me. Keeping a whirlpool bathtub's jets clean is easy, it requires hot water above the jets, the recommended amount of specialized product, running the jets for a recommended amount of time (bleach even if diluted can go screw off because it eats away at seals and bigger problems arise; the plumbing companies never say anything about that), draining and refilling the tub with cold water above the jets, and re-running the jets for a recommended amount of time. So easy even a child could teach themselves how to do it. Jacuzzi is the key player in whirlpool bathtubs, Kohler coming in at a close second with American Standard as well.

Jetted showers...whether it's a custom shower or a shower panel, those are also fads because they are overpriced in terms of purchase, installation, maintenance, and water bills. I can see why people like them, it looks inviting. I never experienced it, so I do not have an opinion. After all, they were featured on MTV Cribs back in the day, especially in Mariah Carey's penthouse where even she knows that it's complicated to use even though it looks nice (excuse me Mariah, you're not a home salesperson, you're a singer-songwriter with an amazing voice who was reviving a career after Glitter backfired). It's better to just have a fixed-mounted head alongside a handheld shower attachment. Kohler, Hansgrohe, American Standard and Jacuzzi were the major players in jetted showers, Delta and Moen also coming in at a close second.

Kohler also had the BodySpa system, which operated like a whirlpool bathtub except you stand up using it. No surprise, they were unpopular. There's a reason why videos of that thing on Youtube do not exist.

Now if any one of y'all have one of these or both in your bathroom, you're better off using cold water when in use. It does cut down on the electric bill and cold water does have health benefits, especially if you're someone like me who has a psoriasis problem and has decided to forgo hair washing to bring back natural oils...especially in the morning because coffee ain't good for you unless if it's decaffinated. This also implies the ice challenge from when I was in high school is still a thing.

A lot of y'all live somewhere with water problems, so hopefully you'll understand.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

Hey y'all, this is my first ever post here. Feel free to send me a welcome message.

Whirlpool bathtubs are a fad because they are a hassle to maintain and they are a health hazard. There are some products that do not belong in whirlpool tubs due to issues that can arise. Air tubs do exist and are above whirlpool bathtubs in every way. I tried to tell my mom that air tubs exist, knowing that she likes bathtubs and has an old-school approach to staying clean; even with evidence to back up my point, she doesn't believe. Keeping a whirlpool bathtub's jets clean is easy, it requires hot water above the jets, the recommended amount of specialized product, running the jets for a recommended amount of time (bleach even if diluted can go screw off because it eats away at seals and bigger problems arise; the plumbing companies never say anything about that), draining and refilling the tub with cold water above the jets, and re-running the jets for a recommended amount of time. So easy even a child could teach themselves how to do it. Jacuzzi is the key player in whirlpool bathtubs, Kohler coming in at a close second with American Standard as well.

Jetted showers...whether it's a custom shower or a shower panel, those are also fads because they are overpriced in terms of purchase, installation, maintenance, and water bills. I can see why people like them, it looks inviting. I never experienced it, so I do not have an opinion. After all, they were featured on MTV Cribs back in the day, especially in Mariah Carey's penthouse where even she knows that it's complicated to use even though it looks nice (excuse me Mariah, you're not a home salesperson, you're a singer-songwriter with an amazing voice who was reviving a career after Glitter backfired). It's better to just have a fixed-mounted head alongside a handheld shower attachment. Kohler, Hansgrohe, American Standard and Jacuzzi were the major players in jetted showers, Delta and Moen also coming in at a close second.

Kohler also had the BodySpa system, which operated like a whirlpool bathtub except you stand up using it. No surprise, they were unpopular. There's a reason why videos of that thing on Youtube do not exist.

Now if any one of y'all have one of these or both in your bathroom, you're better off using cold water when in use. It does cut down on the electric bill and cold water does have health benefits, especially if you're someone like me who has a psoriasis problem and has decided to forgo hair washing to bring back natural oils...especially in the morning because coffee ain't good for you unless if it's decaffinated. This also implies the ice challenge from when I was in high school is still a thing.

A lot of y'all live somewhere with water problems, so hopefully you'll understand.

Welcome!

 

[vacerator]

Welcome, and yes, jetted tubs were very popular in the 80's. and 90's, etc. As those who had them choose to age in place, having a stand in low threshold shower is optimal, or a sit in jetted tub with a door and an elevated seat. Also if the pumps and controls wore out, they may not be cost effective to repair.

 

[phillymatt53]

Welcome, and yes, jetted tubs were very popular in the 80's. and 90's, etc. As those who had them choose to age in place, having a stand in low threshold shower is optimal, or a sit in jetted tub with a door and an elevated seat. Also if the pumps and controls wore out, they may not be cost effective to repair.

I'm bombarded continually with TV ads about "walk in tubs" and deluxe shower remodeling.
I hit the Mute button on the tv remote for the duration of all annoying commercials. - including those endless drug commercials, among others.
As for me, my bathroom is a classic typical bathroom, with a bathtub and a traditional shower head.
I find that I don't need to "upgrade" anything, because it suits me just fine.
I swear, this worsening barrage of advertizing has gotten out of hand, as well as those annoying robo and scam telephone calls every day.
I don't even answer the phone unless I hear someone "real" or a friend leave a message, it's then that I'll pick up the phone.

 

[vacerator]

Many seniors aren't able to step over a tub apron. I'm glad we can stream live TV with no commercials.

 

[pstehle]

I'm bombarded continually with TV ads about "walk in tubs" and deluxe shower remodeling.
I hit the Mute button on the tv remote for the duration of all annoying commercials. - including those endless drug commercials, among others.
As for me, my bathroom is a classic typical bathroom, with a bathtub and a traditional shower head.
I find that I don't need to "upgrade" anything, because it suits me just fine.
I swear, this worsening barrage of advertizing has gotten out of hand, as well as those annoying robo and scam telephone calls every day.
I don't even answer the phone unless I hear someone "real" or a friend leave a message, it's then that I'll pick up the phone.

I can't stand network TV because by the time the 8 ads have run, I've forgotten what I was watching... YouTube and others are getting nearly as bad, but at least tell you how long before the program returns. I have my phone set to ring only if the caller is in my directory. This has saved my sanity, some days I get 12 junk calls... "do you want to sell your house", "your extended warranty has expired on...", "we've billed your Amazon account for a $900 iPhone"... I put a Kohler jetted tub in my reno in Lancaster, hopefully it helped sell the house, I used it once.

 

[DADoES]

My bathrooms both have jetted/whirlpool tubs. The master has a separate shower stall. The second bathroom tub is slightly smaller and has the shower as part of the tub. I alternate between both for showering. I haven't had a tub soak in years, typically is during winter season if/when I do so. The last use of the master tub was by a long-time friend who wanted a soak when staying a few days for a home-town visit. I have a tankless water heater so there's no problem with running out of heated water when filling them.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

Welcome, and yes, jetted tubs were very popular in the 80's. and 90's, etc. As those who had them choose to age in place, having a stand in low threshold shower is optimal, or a sit in jetted tub with a door and an elevated seat. Also if the pumps and controls wore out, they may not be cost effective to repair.

My dad's house in Killeen has a jetted tub. I believe the pump quit working. It just hums when you turn it on.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

I'm bombarded continually with TV ads about "walk in tubs" and deluxe shower remodeling.
I hit the Mute button on the tv remote for the duration of all annoying commercials. - including those endless drug commercials, among others.
As for me, my bathroom is a classic typical bathroom, with a bathtub and a traditional shower head.
I find that I don't need to "upgrade" anything, because it suits me just fine.
I swear, this worsening barrage of advertizing has gotten out of hand, as well as those annoying robo and scam telephone calls every day.
I don't even answer the phone unless I hear someone "real" or a friend leave a message, it's then that I'll pick up the phone.

Exactly. Why do I need an upgraded shower? I want the water to pour down on me. Not just rain.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

My bathrooms both have jetted/whirlpool tubs. The master has a separate shower stall. The second bathroom tub is slightly smaller and has the shower as part of the tub. I alternate between both for showering. I haven't had a tub soak in years, typically is during winter season if/when I do so. The last use of the master tub was by a long-time friend who wanted a soak when staying a few days for a home-town visit. I have a tankless water heater so there's no problem with running out of heated water when filling them.

They're nice when I want them, but I don't need them.

 

[wayupnorth]

I remodeled my bathroom several years ago and put in a Jacuzzi jetted tub. Now that I am older, I now wish I had put in a full size walk in shower. I never use the tub as it takes forever to fill.

 

[ea56]

I always shower instead of taking a tub bath which uses way too much hot water., which with an electric water heater is a great expense. The last bath that I took was about 20 years ago.

During the drought of ten years ago I started taking “Navy Showers” by wetting down, turning off the water, washing my hair, lathering my body and then turning on the water to rinse off. I’ve just continued this practice and don’t find it the least restrictive or unpleasant.

We have a basic bathroom with a tub that has a tiled enclosure, toilet and vanity with a sink.

I have no use for a walk in shower or a jetted bathtub. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

Eddie

 

[DADoES]

I wouldn't have directly opted for them, the tubs were already in the nine-month-old house I bought. I doubt the builder/owner-seller would have agreed to remove and replace them with non-jetted tubs. The property is outside the range of city services so no water/sewer bill other than power cost and maintenance/repairs on the water well (once thus far in 21 years) and septic (yearly maintenance contract and several repairs, unrelated to use-or-not of the tubs).

I am very conservative with heated water. It doesn't exist in my house until I turn on a hot tap. I continually adjust the tankless setpoint to the desired temperature for a given task. Showering is 94°F (for a refresh after yard work) to 102°F. Rare instances of filling one of the tubs is 110°F to 112°F.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

I always shower instead of taking a tub bath which uses way too much hot water., which with an electric water heater is a great expense. The last bath that I took was about 20 years ago.

During the drought of ten years ago I started taking “Navy Showers” by wetting down, turning off the water, washing my hair, lathering my body and then turning on the water to rinse off. I’ve just continued this practice and don’t find it the least restrictive or unpleasant.

We have a basic bathroom with a tub that has a tiled enclosure, toilet and vanity with a sink.

I have no use for a walk in shower or a jetted bathtub. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

Eddie

Same here.

 

[iamautistic1996]

I wouldn't have directly opted for them, the tubs were already in the nine-month-old house I bought. I doubt the builder/owner-seller would have agreed to remove and replace them with non-jetted tubs. The property is outside the range of city services so no water/sewer bill other than power cost and maintenance/repairs on the water well (once thus far in 21 years) and septic (yearly maintenance contract and several repairs, unrelated to use-or-not of the tubs).

I am very conservative with heated water. It doesn't exist in my house until I turn on a hot tap. I continually adjust the tankless setpoint to the desired temperature for a given task. Showering is 94°F (for a refresh after yard work) to 102°F. Rare instances of filling one of the tubs is 110°F to 112°F.

Isn't 120 degrees Farenheidt the safe range?

 

[circlew]

When I worked at a plumbing supply company in 1989-91, those tubs were all the rage. We were an Eljer distributor, but also stocked Lasco and other brands. We had access to Kohler and various other lines. In our showroom there were about eight bathroom setups, and only two were standard bathtubs. I think two were shower stalls, and the rest were jetted tubs. One was hooked up so customers see see it operate. Of course we had to clean it every so often, which was a pain. No one actually ever got in it, but one day a little boy pee'd in one of the commodes. That was so fun to clean!

 

[iamautistic1996]

When I worked at a plumbing supply company in 1989-91, those tubs were all the rage. We were an Eljer distributor, but also stocked Lasco and other brands. We had access to Kohler and various other lines. In our showroom there were about eight bathroom setups, and only two were standard bathtubs. I think two were shower stalls, and the rest were jetted tubs. One was hooked up so customers see see it operate. Of course we had to clean it every so often, which was a pain. No one actually ever got in it, but one day a little boy pee'd in one of the commodes. That was so fun to clean!

I did not mention Lasco.

 

[DADoES]

Isn't 120 degrees Farenheidt the safe range?

Safe in what way?

 

[iamautistic1996]

Safe in what way?

To avoid scalding.

 

[DADoES]

To avoid scalding.

94°F to 102°F for a shower is less than 120°F. 110°F to 112°F for a tub soak is less than 120°F. The material of the tub absorbs some of the heat and the water cools from the exposed surface area so the resultant temp is less, which is why I initially set it a bit higher vs. a shower which sprays directly upon me.

I run 105°F to 115°F for warm laundry, depending on what's in the load. That's also less than 120°F. 135°F to 140°F for a hot load of laundry, which I immediately reduce the setting when the fill is complete. The water heater mounted to the wall in a broom closet in the laundry room (behind the kitchen) so is easily accessible for adjustment.

 

[mattl]

To avoid scalding.

That's what TP valves are for.
I'm in the minority here - my shower has 4 body sprays and 2 shower heads and I keep my water heater as hot as possible- 160 degrees. I enjoy my showers, especially on a cold winter day. I have a gas water heater and my gas rates are low. Plus my dishwasher works great and my laundry is clean - no cold water washes here.

 

[DADoES]

My master shower (not the tub) and the second bath shower/tub have TP valves. I haven't tested what are the set limits, it hasn't presented as something that needs investigation.

 

[iamautistic1996]

That's what TP valves are for.
I'm in the minority here - my shower has 4 body sprays and 2 shower heads and I keep my water heater as hot as possible- 160 degrees. I enjoy my showers, especially on a cold winter day. I have a gas water heater and my gas rates are low. Plus my dishwasher works great and my laundry is clean - no cold water washes here.

1. Nice shower. The four body sprays and two heads are awesome.
2. The doctors say hot showers are not good for the skin, and I know because I have psoriasis. Cold showers and boycotting washing your hair is the best solution.
3. 160 degrees...I know you like your hot showers and all especially in winter, but how do you avoid scalding with that temperature?

 

[vacerator]

Most pressure balance TP valves are adjustable. We don't keep our water heater above 140 f. Makes no sense for two people. I use the antibacterial cycle on the dishwasher, and steam on the washer. They have heaters. Once a week for dishes, and 3 loads of laundry weekly.
The plumbers who roughed in our Kohler pressure balance valve installed it upside down, so it mixes hot water first, which is fine with me. I haven't bothered to change around. Never noticed any scalding.

 

[DADoES]

3. 160 degrees...I know you like your hot showers and all especially in winter, but how do you avoid scalding with that temperature?

I am assuming that mattl's reference to a TP valve is a type of faucet with a limiter mechanism that mixes the hot and cold flow to a controlled maximum temperature, which prevents a full hot flow that would cause burns/scalding.

The two in my house are single-knob, with full cold at the low end of the range increasing to the controlled maximum at the high end. I checked one a few mins ago by setting the water heater to 140°F. The tub/shower faucet with limiter didn't get higher than 114.5°F. A lavatory faucet in that bathroom, without a limiter, reached 140°F.

 

[phillymatt53]

I'm still content with the "Old School" way of taking a shower.
Turn on the hot/cold faucets, wait till they stabilize at the lukewarm temp I desire, then hop in... naked, of course.

 

[william8]

Never even heard of TP valves for showers. Just water heaters. Set my water heater at a130, recommended is 120 if I recall. I like that temp for doing dishes. Seems about right for a hot water laundry load as well.
I will never take a shower at either of those temps. Just adjust the cold and hot. After a while you know where to set them without even feeling the water.