Spas

Outdoor spa pools and indoor spa baths can create a fun and relaxing space in your home. New technology allows spas to become a home entertainment system, a piece of exercise equipment and your own health retreat. Find out more about the different spas available.

About Spas

Spas are popular options as they can be used for entertainment, relaxation, therapy and even for fitness.  There is a choice of portable or inground spas, so what you choose depends on what you will need the spa for.  If you choose a self-contained spa unit, there is the flexibility to take it with you should you move, or even just to move it around your backyard as required.  They are also easier to set up than inground spas.

Inground spas have more flexibility in relation to design as they are usually made from concrete.  They can be made as part of a pool, but if they are not, then it is more common for the spa to be made from a prefabricated shell than to be custom-poured. 
Spas generally do not need to be fenced as long as access to them is restricted, i.e. not easily accessible to small children.

Types of Spas

There are several different types of spas available, depending on your needs.  Some common spas include:

• Swim Spa – this is a long spa that has special surf jets at one end, allowing to swim on the spot.  These spas also include hydrotherapy jets, so that you can also use the swim spa as a regular spa.
  
• Therapeutic Spa – heat, massage, and the natural buoyancy of the water helps to relieve pain in the muscles and joints.  Special jets can be installed to massage different parts of the body.
  
• Portable Spa – these are extremely popular as their portability means that you can take them with you when you move, or make it easier to relocate the spa within the home.  They are also easy to set up and run.
  
• Inground Spa – these are great as you have a lot more flexibility with design choices.  They are commonly included as part of a pool, but if they are built separately, you will need to either construct a deck around it or excavate the ground.
  
• Indoor Spa – are popular as bathrooms become more of an area of relaxation, rather than just “getting clean”.  While these spas are smaller than other types, they still have options such as hydrotherapy, aromatherapy, and chromatherapy.

Spa Maintenance

Spas need different treatment than pools as the water is much hotter.  The most common treatments for spas are chlorine and bromine.  Spas require that the water has a residual amount of chlorine of two to three parts per million.  Always check the levels of chlorine or bromine regularly when using the spa.  After heavy use of the spa, or on a weekly basis, shock the spa with chlorine or bromine to ensure that the sanitising chemicals remain at the correct levels.  You will also need to check the pH level and the total alkalinity regularly.

Hiring Spa Builder

When hiring a spa builder to create your spa, there are some things to look out for.  Firstly, the builder should be fully licensed and insured.  Depending on the type of spa, they may also consult with other professionals such as a designer, engineer, plumber, concreter, electrician, fencer or a tiler or other finishing professional.

It is important that you are 100 percent clear on what you expect from your builder before signing any contracts or starting any work.  The contract should include everything that needs to be done such as excavation, landscaping, lighting, fencing, filtration, and so forth.