Personal Spas- Types And Advice
Spas (also sometimes called hot tubs) can be installed indoors or outdoors. In the arid and desert areas of California and the Southwest, they are often installed outdoors, for year round relaxation. Obviously in cooler winter climates, they are often installed indoors. Other considerations on installation are to make sure there is adequate privacy in the location chosen, and if it is easy to install connections to electricity and water. Spas can be used in different contexts, sometimes for family fun, sometimes for more romantic encounters. So this must be taken into account when deciding how big a model to choose and its location. Spas can be installed with a 110-volt connection or a 220-volt connection. The main difference is that the higher volt connection heats up much more rapidly. One model worth trying for those just getting into the relaxing spa experience, is the vinyl-lined portable model. This is actually a spa that can be quickly set up and taken down, plugged through a hose from a sink, and plugged into an outlet with a long extension cord. It may be good for people with little space. A more expensive type of spy is a molded spa, which is constructed as a single uni-body piece. Like the vinyl-lined portable models, they can be plugged into a sink and an electrical outlet. They use a heat recovery system that recovers the heat from the pump used to force water through the spy jets, and then suck the water back out. This makes for a more simple design, because there is no separate heater. They have molded seats. The main limitation is size, but if you need a relatively small spa, this is the best bet. Other spas available in larger models are acrylic spas, which are supported by a frame and can seat from two to eight or so people. Home spas can be very relaxing but one should be careful about a few things. First of all, like a swimming pool, you can drown in it. Monitor suction from pipes, they can generate some force, which for frail people or children could be significant. Since you are talking about hot water, try to keep it below 104-F or else hyperthermia could result, adding to the drowning danger. That goes double with the use of alcohol or other intoxicating substances. For social reasons as well as safety reason, bring a friend to soak in the spa with you. |
