Whirlpool Baths

2023 Author: Douglas Hoggarth | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-24 11:23

The iconic word "jacuzzi" sounded among the people somewhere in the early 90s. Since then, it has become, and continues to remain for most Russians, a symbol of hard-to-find luxury. True, the situation is gradually changing for the better. In any case, nowadays very few people do not know that Jacuzzi is simply the name of an Italian company that produces whirlpool baths, and that such a company is not alone in the world.

Moreover, domestic manufacturers of bath and massage fonts have appeared on the market, due to which prices have gradually decreased, and the number of people who have the opportunity to undergo water massage procedures at home has increased. Our baths, equipped with Western equipment, although they do not always look like European, but if they are made with conscience, perform their function properly. They massage, relieve stress and fatigue, soothe or, conversely, cheer up citizens who are in dire need of such care.

In its simplest form, a whirlpool bath is a bathtub of any shape, color and size (from a sit-down to a mini-pool), equipped with a pump, a system of pipes, 6-8 nozzles and a pneumatic control panel. The nozzles have movable ball-shaped inserts that allow you to change the direction of the water fountains gushing from them. These fountains must be filled with air bubbles in order to have truly healing power. If the hydromassage system includes only one water pump, then special air regulators allow increasing the pressure of the gushing water jets, but within very limited limits. The fact is that water supplied under pressure from a pump sucks air from the atmosphere according to the same principle as a spray gun, due to the difference in flow pressures (ejection method).

In small baths, where the distances are small, this method is, in principle, acceptable, but an incomparably greater effect can be achieved from the massage, if air and water are forcibly mixed in the nozzles. For these purposes, the hydromassage system must be equipped with both a pump and a compressor. Only then can we really talk about the real therapeutic effect of massage, which is more correctly called "turbo", and not hydromassage. The air-water jet "turbo", depending on the power of the compressor, can fly a distance of 70 cm without losing the required impact force.

The standard number of side jets (3 on each side) create sufficient massage space for the muscles of the whole body. Another thing is if you need acupressure of the spine. In this case, it is worth equipping the bath with two more special small adjustable nozzles, which are usually installed on the end walls. The simultaneous action of such additional nozzles will provide enhanced massage of the lower back and some other part of the spine or feet. And then, if necessary, the direction of the jets hitting the target can be changed, as well as, however, differentiated to increase or decrease their pressure. It is not worth increasing the number of nozzles in order to achieve their simultaneous action on the entire spinal column, since, according to the laws of hydraulics, a larger number of holes leads to a decrease in the jet pressure, which meanswill simply reduce the overall effectiveness of the whirlpool.

In more advanced and, accordingly, more expensive whirlpool baths, another massage option is used - air massage. For these purposes, the device is additionally equipped with small air nozzles, the number of which, depending on the size of the bath, can reach 60 pieces. Unlike water jets, air jets are located at the bottom of the bath. The air pumped through them creates the effect of bubbling water, in which it is pleasant to relax and preferably accompanied by music. Aeromassage itself does not give a real healing effect, but it is a very pleasant procedure for the skin. It delivers an exquisite pleasure, which, quite rightly, is compared to taking a bath filled with champagne. In addition, because no one bothers to combine business with pleasure and turn on two systems of hydro and air massage at once. Just 10-15 minutes of staying in such a warm, seething home geyser is enough for the muscles to relax, the mood improves, and fatigue and pain, in the literal sense, are washed away.

Expensive hydromassage devices, prices for which can easily go over the $ 20,000 mark, have dozens of nozzle modes. With the help of an electronic control system, everyone programs them for himself according to a given algorithm, which will automatically track "in time and space" where, when and to what extent it is necessary to change the pressure and direction of massage jets. The same electronics will turn on the heating system when the water cools down, change the intensity and color of the backlight, and select the desired background music. And that is not all. A huge variety of models is distinguished by a set of services. These can be soft headrests, comfortable, beautiful handles, mini-waterfalls, shower-massage device combinations with bathtubs and much, much more, as refined as it is expensive.

In principle, it is possible to attach specific hydromassage equipment to any bathtub: cast iron, steel or acrylic. Cast iron enameled baths, as world experience shows, are absolutely not outdated. They just changed. They have become lighter and more elegant. A modern imported hot tub made of 5mm cast iron is expensive in Europe. Our cast iron is certainly cheaper, but its quality is different, not to mention the durability and smoothness of the enamel coating of the bath and the variety of stylish design solutions.

Steel baths are inferior to cast iron ones in terms of the main parameter - heat capacity. The water in them cools down quickly. This moment absolutely does not interfere with the process of hydromassage procedures, which cannot be taken for a long time. But for those who like to soak up an hour or two in warm water, they are not acceptable. In addition, it is desirable that the steel bath be provided with a rubber gasket, otherwise it will ring very loudly under the jets of water spurting into it. But these baths are very cheap and easy. There is no problem of transportation with them, which is very important, say, for the installation of their dacha.

Acrylic hydromassage baths are the most popular in the world today. They, as it were, combined all the advantages of their metal predecessors. They took lightness from steel, and from cast iron - its inherent heat capacity. A good acrylic bathtub is practically immortal. She is not afraid of enamel diseases, which, if damaged, it is almost impossible to restore at the same quality level. But it is very easy to restore acrylic, even on your own. Small scratches are perfectly sanded with fine emery cloth. And it is much easier to care for such a bathroom than for an enamel one, since there is simply nowhere for dirt to linger on the acrylic surface.