To Air Massage or Not to Air Massage... That is the question.

We continually get a lot of questions from customers wondering if they should include an Air Massage system on their new Carver bathtub, so hopefully this blog post will give you a better understanding of the Air Massage (air bath) system and help you decide if it's right for you. Nearly all of our bathtub orders include either the Whirlpool I (6 jets) or Whirlpool II (12 jets) system along with accessories like inline heaters, chromotherapy mood light kits and headrest pillows, but a growing majority of our bathtub orders are now including our Air Massage system as well - and for good reason. We've been offering Air Massage jets for over 5 years now and the feedback has been very positive from trade professionals and home owners alike. Most bathtub manufacturers use a simple and effective method for adding air jets to their tubs, but there are major issues with the sanitation of these systems and the amount of mildew, bacteria and other sediments that come along with their methods. These manufacturers simply drill holes into the pan on the bathtub along a predetermined channel that is added to the underside of the tub. These holes are filled with air from the air massage blower and the water moves accordingly. The major issue with this method relates to the aforementioned cleanliness of the setup. While it is great to have 20-100 holes in the bottom of the tub pushing air and making bubbles, there is an increasingly apparent problem with the remaining water that is left behind after the tub drains. Yes, most manufacturers offer a blower with a "purge" cycle that is designed to remove excess water from the aforementioned channel, but the effectiveness of this purge is lessened by the amount of water that is subject to being removed from the channel after the tub is drained. Carver takes a different approach to the air massage system and we consider this an advantage for both the performance of the system as a whole and the sanitation of the system as your tub is used for years to come. The jet housings we use, shown in this image to the left, give you a glimpse into the technology that makes up our air massage jets. These jets include a housing that contains a ball bearing that acts as an on/off switch for air flow to and from each jet. The best analogy for this is a tire pressure valve you would find on your kids bike or your car tires. Air is only able to enter the tire when the valves pin is depressed. This principle applies in reverse to your Carver bathtub - air is only able to enter the tub (through the jet) when pressure is added from the air massage blower. Once the blower is turned off the ball bearing with drop and prevent any back flow of water to get into the lines while the tub is draining. This is a key element to the enhanced sanitation our air massage system offers when compared to other manufacturers. To take the sanitation of your tub one step further our air massage blower also offers a purge cycle that will kick on approximately 10 minutes after your air massage blower is turned off. This purge cycle will run for 15-30 seconds to ensure that all water is cleared out of the air massage jet pluming lines. Combining this advanced jet technology with the concise effort to only use 20 air massage jets and your system will perform better than any of our competitors with your overall health in consideration during each bathtub use. We choose to only use 20 air massage jets because after much testing with the air massage blower our research has identified 20 jets to be the perfect number of jets to maximize pressure from each jet and turn over the water appropriately during use. Sure, we could put 50 air massage jets in our tub to offer the same number of jets as others, but the performance would be limited and that is something we are not willing to sacrifice. Also, remember that others that offer 50-100+ air massage bath jets are not using the same type of jet, but more likely the aforementioned hole and channel method that does not promote bathtub sanitation like our methods. Another common question regarding air massage systems is whether or not it can run in conjunction with our Whirlpool I or II systems - the answer is yes! We designed the whirlpool and air massage systems to work together during your bathing experience and invite you to utilize both for optimal relaxation and enjoyment of your Carver bathtub experience. The pre-heated air that is delivered from our air massage blower is another nice advantage for those who will choose to solely operate the air massage system independent of a whirlpool system with an inline water heater.