Do you know which clawfoot whirlpool is right for you? The appearance and styling of the clawfoot whirlpool tub dates back to the late 1800's. There was no whirlpool involved of course. Before this; bathtubs were made out of crude materials that were not very favorable to bathe in and were very hard to clean. Before the contemporary clawfoot bathtub was produced, clawfoot (no whirlpool) tubs were mainly made out of cast iron.
The cast iron was great, but the surface was difficult to maintain. Once the process of enameling cast iron became known to manufacturers it became the industry standard. The process of enameling opened up a wide variety of avenues for clawfoot tub manufacturers. It made for an easier way to clean the tub. Also, with enamel over the cast iron you could now sit in the tub relatively comfortably without having to worry about the cast iron digging into your skin or sensitive areas.
Today's clawfoot whirlpools are made a little bit differently than their older versions. Instead of being made out of cast iron, the majority of tubs are made of acrylic. Acrylic is a lighter and durable option when it comes to making a clawfoot whirlpool.
There are a few things to consider when buying a clawfoot whirlpool tub:
Selection
1 or 2 Person Tub - The thing people don't usually think about with a 2 person tub is the amount of water it takes to fill this larger model and how much more heat will be used. Therefore, it might be a better decision to get a single person clawfoot whirlpool tub if you're not concerned with two people occupying the clawfoot whirlpool tub simultaneously.
Water heater - A lot of people don't think to check on this before buying their clawfoot whirlpool. You will generally be heating about 40 gallons of water so take into consideration the size of your water heater. Will this be enough to take care you and your family's needs?
Measure - Be sure to measure the area where you are planning on placing your tub. If you do not allow yourself enough room to put your tub; installation day may not go smoothly.
Jets - Make sure the jets are placed where you want them on the clawfoot whirlpool tub
Pump - Make sure the pump is somewhere you can reach it easily.
Installation
Access Panel - Create an access panel for all of the controls that you will be using on your tub
Support - Make sure your whirlpool will be properly held up
Base - Make sure the bottom is solid.
Care and Maintenance
Cleaners - Don't use any cleaner that is abrasive or contains harsh chemicals.
Clean Jets - To clean the jets, fill up the tub and run a small amount of dish washer fluid through the jets. Leave it on for about 7-10 minutes.
Color Suggestions
Black or dark colors generally tend to show off the most dirt
Light colors show spots for maintenance
White is probably the best choice and easiest to clean
The resale value on a lighter color bathtub tends to be higher
