wood fired hot tubs

[goldenshoe]

I know mumsnet hates hot tubs, but I thought I'd canvas your opinions anyway!

I'm thinking of a wood fired Japanese bath for my garden. I've been to holiday lets with hot tubs and have to admit that I do enjoy it, but I've only ever used the proper plumbed in jacuzzi style. The one I'm looking at doesn't require plumbing and can be drained into the ground (or collected and used in the garden) which I think is a better option for me as I don't want it right next to my house. It's essentially just a wooden bath heated by a wood burning stove type thing.

I wondered if anyone had one or had used one and what you thought of it?

This

That looks like my FIL and I wouldn't be inviting him in.

So often the first post nails it.

Many areas are banning log burners due to pollution, will the smoke be even more annoying to the neighbours than the constant hum of the regular kind of chavvy sex pond?

Kinda feel that they, like tequila, sun burn, churros and one night stands, are more suited to holidays

I've used one in a holiday let and loved it, but they are really hard work! You have to regularly stoke and top up the fire to get it warm enough before you get in, it's really easy to overheat the water, and once you're in someone needs to get out to maintain the fire. It also needs very regular emptying and cleaning (we emptied and cleaned ours twice during a week holiday). I loved using one, but it wouldn't be a practical option for me to have at home.

@MrsRobinsonsHandprints thanks for the reply. I thought it might be a bit classier than the average sex pond but expected to be corrected on that

The house already has a burner (it's a new to me house) so I don't think that's a problem and the neighbours are far enough away that I'd be surprised if it annoyed them.

However, I saw an air source heat pump that could be used for the same purpose which is also appealing for these reasons!

it's nice these days when posters can take a post as it's designed, sadly rare on mn of late.

Although if Randommother is correct they sound like a complete faff

Do you have neighbours nearby?

My parents neighbours have just got one and it's pretty antisocial by all accounts with the smoke...

I’ve just let the dog out the back door and my woo yoga be nice neighbours have got their effing wood burner lit stinking the place out and saying fuck off to the environment.

They can eat all the vegan cupcakes they want but it won’t pay back.

@Randommother that does sound a bit like hard work and I wondered if they'd be harder to clean. I don't think it would get loads of use, maybe once or twice a month but I do hate cleaning.

@wheresmymojo noted. The house already has a woodburner, and we're about 40m uphill from the nearest neighbour so from that point of view I think we'd be ok. My ex-neighbours had a hot tub and decks outside, if there was any chance of being overlooked or annoying neighbours I wouldn't be thinking about it.

A house in our street that's opposite and a few doors down has a wood fired hot tub and when it's on it is all you can smell when you are outside. We have a hot tub too so I don't hate them, I just know that a wood fired one can be smelly.

Ooh like boiling yourself as a soup, 👍

Too much like work. We have a plumbed in one. Bliss!

We used one in a holiday let too. Apart from the environmental issues it was quite hard work getting it heated and the right temperature maintained. Then the inside went all slimy after a few days, the owners came out and emptied/cleaned/refilled it which took a while and used a lot of water. Definitely wouldn't recommend.

Used in holiday home on a deserted farm. Yes smoke - couldn't put washing out for eg. And took ALL day to heat to right temperature

Really enjoyed using one on holiday. The owner ran without chemicals which was nice on the skin but changed water and jet washed weekly so bit of a chore. And as others say, you need to plan well in advance for it heating up. We didnt find we needed to exit to stoke if using for a couple hours, just pop the odd log on. Where we live and holidayed, wood fires are really common so didn’t notice a smell. Burn very cleanly so no visible smoke. We loved it but I tend to think it is best on holiday where you are not doing the maintenance bit.

I went in one at a festival and loved it.

Mixed reviews!

@EventuallyDistracted I thought they might go a bit slimy, it's not a very nice thought.

@1frenchfoodie I'm thinking jet washing might be the easiest way to clean. I don't want to use chemicals either as I'd like to let it free drain and reuse the water in the garden where possible, although I'm in Scotland so watering isn't usually a problem!

It's a rural area I expect most neighbours will be running wood burners themselves and I'd be surprised if I'm close enough to anyone to annoy them. I only do washing once every week or two so don't need to worry about that.

I'm less convinced it's a good idea now. I reckon it would only get used a couple of times a month at most and probably not even all year round. It would be lovely though, let's see how my partner reacts to the idea!

We used one on holiday is the middle of the countryside in France. Owner set it up from spring water from a well in the garden while we were out (think he was worried we'd never use it as we weren't bothered about it). It was lovely there but I could never be arsed with sorting it out if I had my own. He just got rid of the water the next day. Don't remember topping up the logs once in it.

I looked into them as I do enjoy a nice bubbly sex pond at spas/hotels/holiday lets and would really love to have one at home. Sadly came to the conclusion that the maintenance was far too much faff for the amount of use it would get and our long thin garden with neighbours just isn’t the right location. I’m planning a deep square bath with bubble jets and colour lights for when we re-do the bathroom instead. At least we’ll be able to use that in any weather and in complete privacy. Hoping to drop the window next to the bath so can at least look at the garden whilst we’re in it

@LemonViolet I think I'm coming to a similar conclusion! A nice deep Japanese soaking tub indoors, potentially next to a window - bliss

We made our own out of tarpaulin draped over a trailer heated by an old radiator in a burning shopping trolley.

Probably not what you are looking for.

Chimineas, wood burning of any type absolutely hate it. Im asthmatic and Im coughing for days when my neighbours light their brazier pit to sit outside. Ive to shut all the windows in my house as the whole place stinks. I cannot go out into my garden while these items are lit.Please, please if you are in a terraced house like me, do not burn wood, paper or anything else. It's a nightmare for your neighbours who have respiratory ailments, the difficulty being you cannot possibly see who has asthma or COPD. These things should be banned in built-up areas, we all live too close together for fire pits and chimneas. They are so smoky.