If you want to improve your home ownership experience, there are few options more relaxing than the warm jets of your very own hot tub.

Experts say time in a hot tub can improve muscle and cardiovascular health and may lead to a better night’s sleep. It can even help burn calories. It’s great for end-of-day relaxation, and unlike a swimming pool, you can use a hot tub all year long.

What’s more, a hot tub might just turn a buyer’s head if you’re thinking of putting your home on the market. A well-maintained, working hot tub may not actually raise the value of a home, but its ability to generate interest is a plus.

Owning a hot tub, though, does require a certain level of commitment. They don’t come cheap. New above-ground models run upwards of $5,000 and built-ins are even more. Unless you were preceded in the home by another hot-tubber, your investment will likely include building permits and a possible electrical systems upgrade.

Think you’re out of the woods once you’ve paid for installation? Think again. Expect the hot tub to add at least $20 -$30 a month to your electric bill. There is also regular upkeep – an investment of both time and money. Costs include chemicals and parts for regular maintenance, as well as a yearly visit from a hot-tub professional (recommended). This can quickly add up to an additional $50 to $100 a month.

Hot tubs also attract critters, including all sorts of backyard mammals, and of course bugs and bacteria that love warm, damp areas. Keeping pests out of the interior can be a chore.

A hot tub can be an insurance liability. Minimal rate increases should be expected.

There is no doubt of a hot tub’s pain relief and relaxation benefits. Just make sure you are willing to undertake the other obligations before making a purchase.

Still interested? Because after meeting the commitments, hot tub ownership is one of the few places in life where the word “countless” fits – aptly describing the time spent enjoying the tub, no matter how many hours you count.

One more thing. Like cars, most hot tubs eventually wear out. When an older tub cannot be maintained anymore. removal can be very expensive. The easiest way is to buy a replacement tub and have the new tub company take the old model away. Otherwise, professional removal will set you back between $175 and $400.

But if you had any sort of positive experience in the tub, chances are you will return to the world of the hot and bubbly one day. When that happens, it’s best to be prepared and have a strategy.