We often hear about jacuzzis or hot tubs, but do you know what the differences are? The main difference is that the hot tub is an indoor product and a jacuzzi or spa is designed to be used in outdoor spaces such as a terrace or the garden … But that’s not all.
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Outdoor jacuzzi
We often wonder what complement would be the ideal for our garden: a swimming pool, a chill out area, a garden with natural elements… There is an option that allows us to fulfil our dreams aesthetically, functionally and essentially: a Spa for the garden. Buying an outdoor spa manufactured in Spain today is possible thanks to the Aquavia Spa brand. A brand dedicated to the manufacture of Spas and jacuzzis with over 25 years’ experience in the Spa market.
If you want a spa at home Aquavia Spa is the best option since it has a wide range of products for all those people or companies who are thinking about buying a spa made in Spain.
What is an outdoor jacuzzi?
An Outdoor Spa is a mini-swimming pool hot tub designed and conceived to create a space for sharing the most special sensations and moments.
A jacuzzi consists of a shell of acrylic material, with completely ergonomic shapes, which adapt perfectly to the different bodies and allow for comfortably enjoying a massage of water and air on the whole body. An outdoor jacuzzi is finished with a cabinet with a high resistance to the outdoors although it is also possible to install the Spa incorporated in the garden, just like a pool. If you are thinking about buying an outdoor spa you should consider systems like the one called EcoSpa where the consumption of the jacuzzi is reduced considerably resulting in a lower maintenance cost.
Outdoor Spas have a control that will allow you to easily access the different filtration programs and temperature settings, which will allow you to always have the Spa with crystal clear water at the desired temperature.
Use of spas in Europe
In Europe there is a strong Spa culture. Countries like England, where the Spa is popularly called Hot Tub, France, Switzerland, Italy or Germany, a country in which this product is known as Whirlpool, have a widespread culture of using the Spa as a family, social or therapeutic element.
Not only is it a necessary element in every home where a Spa can be incorporated for the outdoors: the Spa becomes a necessary element in any meeting between friends or family, an ideal element to end barbecues or to enjoy the most intimate moments.
For more than 30 years the Spa market in Europe has been increasing its presence exponentially. What was once a luxury product, only available to some, has become a consumer product with a variety of models and features, which allows for infinite options, appropriate to the needs of each user. Although most European cultures conceive the Spa as an element dedicated to the care and maintenance of health, in Spain we are still far behind European figures at the level of Spa facilities. Combining sport, the moments of rest or the end of the working day with a relaxing bath inside a jacuzzi is one of the most relaxing and comforting sensations to which one can aspire.
The temperature of the water, the power of the water jets that perform a massage strategically located in the most sensitive areas of the body, the power of the lighting with chromotherapy programs that allow you to relax and leave your mind blank … A Spa allows you to take advantage of the therapeutic qualities of the water and turn a small space into a familiar, therapeutic and unique centre.
Advantages of a Jacuzzi or Spa for Health
The use of water for the treatment of diseases and injuries has been known since ancient times. Water has a great capacity to transport and transmit thermal stimuli, in addition to maintaining a uniform pressure on complex surfaces, such as the human body.
The beneficial effects of a spa are infinite. Having a jacuzzi at home makes it have baths in a simple way, choosing hot or cold water, which allows you to relax your muscles. As soon as the hot tub jets are activated, the water pressure is directed at the parts of the body you want to treat. The water and its temperature act directly on the blood circulation of the different parts of the body and stimulate the nervous system bringing relief in cases where there is muscular discomfort. It helps to fight anxiety and insomnia and also to eliminate toxins. It is also very useful to treat bone and muscle injuries locally.
Just get into a jacuzzi, choose the best position for the localised treatment you want to receive, direct the jets if necessary and choose the right temperature and pressure to notice in a few minutes a great feeling of well-being and relaxation, forgetting about muscular discomfort. A massage in a spa improves quality of life, obtaining a rewarding rest and relaxation, reducing stress and fatigue. It leaves the body as good as new.
Spa vs Pool
When assessing how to complement the garden or terrace of your home, doubts may arise between the advantages or disadvantages of installing a Spa or a Pool. On many occasions the swimming pool is chosen for a cultural reason since this product is more standardised and is considered more adequate and useful. However, there are several points that let us see that a pool can become a product with very few advantages compared to a Spa. There are several issues to consider, but it is worth making a small glossary of each of them to evaluate all the points:
Space needed to install a spa
In many gardens there is a very limited space. For a family of 4 to 6 people the appropriate size is 4 × 8 metres or 5 × 10 metres. This requires having a large space, not only for the pool, but also for the sun beds, towels or even the table with its garden chairs.
Additionally, it must be taken into account that all the pools require a space for the installation of the technical equipment, which not only complicates the installation but also requires an additional space with good access for its maintenance.
Outdoor hot tubs are compact, self-contained products with tight measurements. The size of a Spa for a family of 4 to 6 people can range from 2.2 x 2 metres to 2.3 x 2.3 metres. In a small space it is possible to create a spa space where the whole family can enjoy the water. The Spa already incorporates inside it all the necessary components for its operation which avoids having to use any machine room or any additional space for its operation.
Installation and maintenance of a spa
A Spa is a product designed to locate, connect, fill with water and work. That easy! It is not a product that requires any type of installation except for adapting a compact and level floor as well as the electrical requirements necessary for its operation. The Spa can be filled with a simple hose and has a drain for emptying if required. The Pool, on the other hand, requires a much more laborious process.
Whether it is a construction pool, made out of fibre or liner, it is necessary to carry out a project deciding where to make the hole for locating the pool and the pipe circuit and machine room, where the components needed for the correct operation of the installation will be located. In many cases the works can last between 10 and 30 days, depending on the materials used.
Maintenance of the spa
Maintenance is the key part in any outdoor product. What we are looking for are always products that require minimal maintenance so that we can enjoy our products to the maximum.
The pool is a product that requires high maintenance. Not only do we have to take care of eventually checking the quality of the water, with pH and Cl contrasts, but we must clean several times a week the surface of the water, as well as activating the automatic or manual pool cleaner to be able ensure that the water is clean and that bathing is not unpleasant. There are manual or automatic covers that reduce the impact of dirt on the water but they are very expensive.
On its part, the Spa is always equipped with an easy-to-use cover that not only prevents evaporation of the water and conserves its temperature, but also allows preventing falling leaves and other elements from dirtying the water or filters. The disinfection of the Spa is usually automatic thanks to the Ozone and Ultraviolet disinfection systems. This treatment is usually complemented with a treatment that allows stabilising the pH of the water and thus avoid problems of hardness in the water.
Spa usability
A Spa is a product that can be used all year round. Thanks to its automatic heating system, you can program the temperature of the Spa and maintain it throughout the year, whether the atmosphere is hot or cold.
Entering the Spa can become a unique experience when the garden or terrace is surrounded by snow. We would never think about doing the same thing with a pool. It is calculated that the intensive use of swimming pools in warm areas is limited to two months, which dramatically limits it making sense during the rest of the year. While in summer it is a recreational and fantastic space for children, the rest of the year it becomes an inconvenience that must be maintained.
Energy cost of spa use
In a pool of about 40 m3 in a temperate zone the consumption of chemical products would be approximately €300 per year.
Electricity consumption would be about 1600 h / year, about € 240 per year, and approx. € 100 in water renewal. This cost if we estimate that its use reaches 3 months, represents a monthly cost of € 213. A Spa installed in a warm area can have a monthly electricity consumption of approximately €30 and the consumption of chemical products is valued at € 150 per year. This represents an annual cost of € 510 or what would be the same, a monthly cost of € 42.5 during all the months of the year that the Spa is used.
Having a Spa for the outdoors ends up being an advantage compared to the pool option. Not only does it become an easy product to install, it also becomes an element that can be enjoyed all year round, without limitations due to weather, at any time of the day and with the company of your family, friends or even in your most intimate moments. An outdoor Spa is a safe investment for your well-being, health and free time. The best complement for your terrace or garden.
