Advice for your hot tub, swim spa, sauna, ice bath or garden
Pick the job you are doing: choosing, planning, looking after it, or finding out what it can do for you. Every guide is written by the team that sells, installs and services them.
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Buying guides
Compare sizes, running costs and models before you spend anything.
21 guides
See all buying guides-
What Size Heat Pump Do You Need for a Hot Tub or Swim Spa?A 7kW heat pump suits most hot tubs and 11 to 12kW suits a swim spa. See how long each takes to heat our hot tubs...
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Is a Heat Pump Worth It for a Hot Tub?A heat pump turns each kWh of electricity into about five kWh of heat for your hot tub. Here is what one heat-up really costs, and...
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How to Choose an Aluminium Pergola: Roof, Sides and WindHow to choose an aluminium pergola: frame grade, finish, wind rating, louvred roof and sides, with our two pergola ranges compared.
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Hot Tub Pergola: Which Size Fits Over Your Hot Tub?Which pergola fits over your hot tub: sizes for every Outdoor Living hot tub, louvred roofs for sun and rain, and side screens for privacy.
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BBQ Pizza Ovens: Firebox, Kamado Stone or 3-in-1 BBQ?Three ways to make pizza on the BBQ: a firebox on the grill you have, a stone in a kamado, or a 3-in-1 that grills, griddles...
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Kamado BBQ Guide: How a Ceramic Egg BBQ Works and What Size to BuyHow a ceramic kamado egg BBQ works, how to set the vents for smoking, roasting and searing, and which size of kamado to buy.
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2, 3, 4 or 6 Burner Gas BBQ: Which Size Do You Need?How many burners you need depends on who you cook for: gas BBQ sizes compared, which gas bottle to pair with each, and the models we...
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Gas or Charcoal BBQ: Which Is Better?Gas is ready in ten minutes, charcoal gives the flavour: how they compare, which gas bottle to use, and the BBQs that suit each.
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Ice or a Chiller: How Much Ice Does an Ice Bath Need?How many bags of ice an ice bath needs, and when a chiller or an insulated tub is the better choice.
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Which Ice Bath is Right for Me?Five home ice baths compared side by side, from the £199 inflatable IcePOD to the £4,999 ArcticBlaze, with a plain guide to choosing.
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Is a Sauna or Steam Room Better? Answering Your Burning QuestionsHow a sauna and a steam room compare on heat, steam and what each takes to put in, and how to get both dry heat and...
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Choosing the Right Sauna for Your HomeTraditional or infrared, garden or indoors: how to choose a home sauna by heat, space and power, with every outdoor sauna we sell drawn to scale.
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Swim Spa v Small Swimming Pool - Which is Better?A swim spa and a small in-ground pool compared on price, space, running costs, planning and the months you can swim.
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Which Swim Spa is Right for Me?Twelve new swim spas compared by length, price and use, so you can match one to how you will swim, train, play or soak.
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Discover the Best Hot Tub For Your GardenMeasure the plot, choose the seats and check the power. Six new Outdoor Living hot tubs, from 2 to 7 seats, matched to the space they...
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Hot Tub vs Jacuzzi®: What's the Difference?Hot tub is the everyday name for the product and Jacuzzi® is a brand: what each word means and how to compare hot tubs whoever made...
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Hot Tub Buying Guide: What to Check Before You BuyCheck seats, space, base, access and power on one garden plan, then see five Outdoor Living and Edge hot tubs that fit.
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The Best Hot Tubs Under £5,000 and What the Budget CoversThree Outdoor Living hot tubs from £2,599 to £4,249, with a bar drawn to scale showing what delivery, a base and electrics add.
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Buying a Second Hand Hot Tub: 7 Checks Before You PaySeven checks to make on a second hand hot tub, from the cover to the electrics, plus the paperwork to ask for before you pay.
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Compact hot tubs for small UK gardens: which to buyThree compact Outdoor Living hot tubs drawn to scale on a patio grid, with the space, base and power each one needs.
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Guide to Buying a Swim SpaWhat to sort out before you buy a swim spa: the size, base, power supply, delivery and running costs, with real figures for our range.
Planning & installation
Where it goes, what it needs and what it costs to run, before delivery day.
6 guides
See all planning & installation-
How to Connect a Heat Pump to a Hot TubWhere a hot tub heat pump goes, how the three-valve bypass joins it to the pipework, gluing the PVC pipes, the power supply it needs and...
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Do You Need Planning Permission for a Pergola?Most garden pergolas don't need planning permission. Here are the height and position limits, and when you do need to apply.
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How to Plan an Outdoor Kitchen: Space, Gas, Water and Planning RulesPlanning an outdoor kitchen step by step: measure the space, choose how you cook, plan the gas, water and power, and check the planning rules.
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Where to Put an Ice Bath: Space, Power and BaseSpace, base and power for an ice bath: what ours need, and how to pick the right spot.
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Indoor vs Outdoor Hot Tub: Where Should You Install It?Compare an indoor and an outdoor hot tub side by side on floor loading, ventilation, drainage, access, electrics, planning and cost.
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Hot Tub Electrical Installation Guidelines: UK RequirementsWhat electrics a UK hot tub needs: 13 A or 32 A supply, 30 mA RCD, cable route, isolator and the electrician's certificate.
Care & fixes
Keep the water clear, the parts working and the tub safe to use.
24 guides
See all care & fixes-
Hot Tub Heat Pump Winter Care: Frost, Draining and ServicingLeft on, a hot tub heat pump protects itself from frost. Here is when to drain it, how to clean it, what the yearly service covers...
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Your First Ice Bath at Home: Set-Up and What to Do AfterSet up, a short first dip and a proper warm-up: the whole first ice bath at home, step by step.
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How to Keep Ice Bath Water CleanChange it, test it, cover it: a simple routine for clean ice bath water.
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Chill Safely: Ice Bath Maintenance and Building Cold ToleranceBuild cold tolerance a step at a time, and keep your ice bath water fresh with a simple routine.
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No Foam Hot Tub GuideFoam means something has reached the water. Find the six usual causes, clear foam now with No Foam and keep the surface calm.
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How to Clean a Hot Tub FilterRinse your hot tub filter weekly, deep clean it every 4 to 6 weeks and know when a new one is due, with the cleaners to...
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Oxygen Hot Tub Maintenance Guide & ScheduleActive oxygen is a mild, odour-free alternative to chlorine and bromine. Your routine: a tablet before each soak, a liquid every week, and a test before...
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Bromine Hot Tub Maintenance Guide & ScheduleBromine is gentle on skin and holds steady between doses. Your simple routine: how much to add, when to test and when to shock to renew...
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Chlorine Hot Tub Maintenance Guide & ScheduleKeep free chlorine at 3 ppm or more, test twice a day and shock once a week. Your simple chlorine routine, with doses for a 1,000...
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Hot Tub Chemicals GuideHot tub chemicals do four jobs: sanitise, balance, fix problems and test. Here is what goes on each shelf, what to aim for and how to...
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How to Shock Your Hot Tub, and When to Do ItHow often to shock a hot tub, how to add a non-chlorine shock safely, and how much to use for your water volume.
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How to Balance Hot Tub pH and Total AlkalinityKeep pH between 7.0 and 7.8, test total alkalinity with the same strips, and adjust pH with the right product.
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Keep the Water Clear With the Right SanitiserBromine and non-chlorine shock compared, the pH and free sanitiser levels to hold, and a simple weekly routine.
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Hot Tub Spare Parts: How to Find the Right Part for Your TubWhere to find your hot tub's model and serial plate, and which numbers to copy so the right spare part arrives first time.
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Sauna safety tips: before, during and after every sessionA sauna session from first drink to last wipe-down: how long to stay, how hot it should be, when to drink and how to look after...
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How to Change a ClearRay Bulb in Your Hot TubSwitch off at the isolator, swap the UV bulb and reset the timer: the eight steps to change a ClearRay bulb in a Jacuzzi or Sundance...
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Hot Tub Safety: Rules and a Pre-Soak ChecklistSix quick checks to tick before every soak, plus the rules on temperature, time, children, pregnancy, alcohol, covers and electrics.
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Beginners Guide to Hot Tub Maintenance: Your First Four WeeksA week-by-week hot tub maintenance routine for beginners, from first fill to your first filter deep clean.
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5 Common Hot Tub Problems and How to Fix ThemFive common hot tub problems, from cloudy water to a tripping RCD, each with the first thing to check and how to fix it.
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Can Children Use a Hot Tub? Ages, Limits and Safety RulesThe ages, water temperature, time limits and locked-cover habits that keep children safe around a hot tub.
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How to Fix a Hot Tub Flow Error (FLO, FL1 and Low Flow)What a hot tub flow message means, and a six-check flow chart that gets the water moving and the heater working again.
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What Temperature Should a Hot Tub Be?Set a hot tub to 36–38°C and never above 40°C. See the full scale from cool to maximum, plus what to set in summer, winter, for...
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Cloudy, Foamy or Green Hot Tub Water? Start HereCloudy, foamy or green water does not call for guesswork. Start with the symptom, test before treating and use the right cleaning or water-change route for...
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Swim Spas with Kids: Family Fun & Safe SwimmingSix house rules for a safe family swim spa, plus games and stroke practice for children.
Wellbeing & science
What the evidence says about the benefits, and where it stops.
11 guides
See all wellbeing & science-
Swim Spa ExercisesExercises to try at every swim spa current setting, from walking and stretching in still water to jogging and swimming against the current.
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Are Ice Baths Good for You? A Guide to Cold Water TherapyWhat the research says about ice baths, from sore muscles to stress, and how to get in safely.
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What Temperature Should an Ice Bath Be? 10 to 15°C ExplainedWhat temperature should an ice bath be? Aim for 10 to 15°C, why 5°C is the lowest, what studies used and how to get the water...
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How Long to Stay in an Ice Bath: Time, Temperature and Safe LimitsHow long to stay in an ice bath: start with about a minute, what studies used for recovery, the 20 minute limit and how to build...
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Sauna and Cold Plunge: How to Combine Hot and Cold at HomeHow to combine a sauna and a cold plunge at home: a simple round, what the research shows, how to stay safe, and the products to...
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Sauna Etiquette: Dos and Don’tsHow to take a sauna the right way: one round from shower to rest, the dos and don'ts, and how to share a home sauna with...
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Are Home Saunas Worth It? How Dry Heat Benefits Your HealthWhat a 20-year Finnish study found about regular sauna use, what it does and does not show, and what a sauna habit costs to run at...
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Our Five Fave Aquatic Workouts: Making a Splash in Your Swim SpaFive timed swim spa workouts from 15 to 25 minutes, each with a warm-up, main set and cool-down.
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Jacuzzi & Hot Tub Health BenefitsA soak warms, lifts and presses on your body all at once. See what buoyancy, warmth and water pressure do, with the research behind each.
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The Science of Wellness, Wellbeing, and RecoveryWhat the research says about hot tubs, saunas, ice baths and swim spas, and a simple one-week routine to try.
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Hot Tub Health Benefits & Hydrotherapy: What the Evidence ShowsHot tub health benefits and hydrotherapy, ranked by how strong the research is, from falling asleep faster to easing stiff joints.
There is nothing for that yet. Choose Everything to see all the advice, or ask us directly.