Hot tubs enjoyed year-round in North Dakota

Hot tubs are used by people for social and therapeutic reasons, says Colin Wegenast, who owns Lifestyle Appliance & Entertainment Center with his wife, Toni.

“It’s a great way to relax but not have to go stay in a hotel and use theirs,” Colin said.

Hot tubs are not just used in the summer in North Dakota.

“We have a lot of people that use them in the winters only, and they drain them and don’t use them in the summers,” Toni says. “Ours are designed to be used year-round.”

Hot tubs in general can range from $4,000 to $20,000, Colin said, noting Lifestyle doesn’t carry hot tubs in that upper price range. Lifestyle Appliance & Entertainment Center carries Nordic hot tubs, which Colin says are affordable for the “everyday person.”

“The Nordic hot tubs are made in Michigan, so they’re designed for our colder climate to be outside,” Colin said.

He said the Nordic hot tubs have an insulation package that saves the customer money on his or her electricity bill. They seat from two to seven people and offer lounging as well.

“This brand we’ve been selling for probably 20 years and they’ve been super dependable for us,” Colin said. “… it’s about a five-week lead time if we don’t have a color in stock or a model, about a five-week turnaround time now to order them in which is almost back to prepandemic levels, so that’s good.”

Among the primary considerations when choosing a hot tub are the number of seats and the number of jets, they say.

Toni says the jets are aimed at different pressure points on your body such as shoulders, the middle of the back, even feet. Some people are looking for the jets to target a specific position on their body for therapeutic reasons. Nordic hot tubs offer a number of different styles for hot tubs with three versions of those styles that vary the number of jets. There are also a number of color options to choose from for inside the hot tub as well as the outside cabinet.

Some hot tubs require 110 volts for electrical but most are 240 volts, which may require an electrician to install an outlet, Colin said. Most hot tubs are located on a cement slab, he said. Along with the hot tubs, Lifestyle Appliance & Entertainment Center carries the Leisure Time brand chemicals to use with them, which can also be used with any hot tubs, Colin said. The chemicals ensure that the 102-degree water is sanitized and water hardness and water clarity are kept in balance.

“It takes you about 10 minutes three days a week to add your chemicals,” Colin said. “So it’s not a real major time commitment.”

Water only needs to be added about three to four times a year to the hot tub, he added.

“All of ours come with a nice insulated tapered cover, so basically the only thing the homeowner needs to provide is the electricity for it,” he said. “Because you just fill it with a garden hose.”

There are also accessories available for purchase to help people get in and out of the hot tub easier, such as steps, cover lifts and hand rails.