Trying to decide between an attached spa/hot tub, or a portable type.

Hi there.
I'm new to the site. My wife and I are in the process of obtaining bids for an inground pool. We would like to have a hot tub, but we're unsure of type to have installed. My wife prefers the stand alone, portable, electric hot tubs, I guess that would be considered a portable. I have a preference for the attached hot tub that is constructed next to the swimming pool, and uses the same water as the pool.

I'd appreciate hearing from members who have experience with these tubs/spas. Hopfuly a member who has had the opportunity to own both types.

Do the tubs that are attached to the pool and share the same water as the pool heat up quickly, and to a high enough temperature? Are the jets in this type tub strong enough to offer an enjoyable hot tub experience and to relax your muscles?

I would like to know if those memebers who have the attached type of tub are happy with them, or if given the chance if they would choose a portable tub, that runs on electricity.

Thanks,

Any advice or help is appreciated. We live in north of San Francisco, in Marin coutny.

, and welcoe to the forum. I can't answer your questions, but hopefully someone will be by that can.

Keep in mind that, for awhile, when you make a post it goes to a queue where it has to be viewed by Ben or one of the mods before it's posted to the forum. We try to go through the new posts at least daily, but sometimes it takes a little longer. I have deleted your other, duplicate, post.

I can't help -- I don't even LIKE spas -- but I know several regulars here have setups like you're looking at.

Things are slow now, so you may have to wait before one of them notices.

I have owned both and currently have a spillover built in with my pool, which I do prefer to the portable. That being said, it is really a trade off of some features and conveniences but I do know that whatever you decide on you will be happy with since they balance out nicely!

If you are looking for a LOT of jet action, molded in recliners and seats,a bit more maintenance (both pool and spa), and a higher electric bill then the portable is the the way to go. (2 pros and 2 cons).

IF you are looking for a more integrated look to your swim area, easier maintenance which is a BIGGIE for me since I am basically lazy! ;) (with a spillover it's basically one body of water you have to test and balance and you have a built in water feature), but basic benches and jets (although a blower and bubblers can make a world of difference iin the amount of spa action you get), and lower costs thne consider an integrated pool/spa combo. (2 pros and 2 cons).

For the money I think the second is a bit of a better value but you do lose some bells and whistles. As to which gives a better soak, they are slightly different experiences but personally, I tend to like the simpler built in spas better for some reason. Perhaps because I use the spa more as a social experience with conversation, etc. and not so much as a solitary, meditative, or therapeutic experience alone and the simpler built ins are more conducive to that much like the old fashioned wooden hot tubs. However, YMMV. If you go with a portable be sure to wet test it to make sure it is comfortable.

Another consideration is whether you will use the spa in winter and, if so, are you in an area that closes pools in the wintertime. If so, then you will need the portable spa and not the built in (or what is called a "dual" system where the pool and spa have completely separate pumps, filters, and heaters so you can close the pool but keep the spa open. However, a spillover spa is normally not an option in this type of setup.) If you are in an area that does not winterize pools such as Florida then it does not matter (and you will probably have a shared filter, pump, and heater which cuts costs considerably and simplifies maintenance.)

One final thing, lots of "specialized" jets and molded in recliners is not what makes for a good spa experience, good water action does and that can be achieved in a built in by a builder that knows what he is doing. On the other hand there are many portable spas with lots of jets and all that are not very relaxing. In fact, I have been in some that have been downright painful! More is not always better. If you go with a portable beware of a lot of the extra$ that they will try and $ell you of dubiou$ value such as $pecial filter$, mineral $ystem$, and ozone $ystem$. (Same goes for your pool and, if you go with the built in, for the spa also.) Salt systems can be useful but they do not eliminate water balancing and testing and do introduce their own special set of problems. That being said I do have a salt system and would not think of being without one!

Hope this helps.

Waterbear,
thank you for you informative reply. I'm almost certain that we will be going with the attached type of spa with a spill over. We live about twenty five miles north of San Francisco, so our winters are mild in comparison to other parts of the country. I too am of the lazy sort and would prefer to minimize maintenance where possible. We also plan to go with a salt system on our pool.

We have our third pool contractor returning to the house later this week. I plan to inquire about designing the attached spa with different seat heights. I stand about 6'4" and my wife about 5'6". In addition to different seat heights, what other spa modifications/upgrades would you recommend? Is there a prefered jet manufacturer and type to be used? Is any type of additional pump needed to enhance the tubs performance?

Thanks,
Klinton994

I would suggest an air blower (they are noisy but add a lot of action) and bubblers (air injectors) in the seats and footwell. Makes you feel like you are soaking in a glass of champange! ;) )The jets will be basic since the more jets the bigger the pump you will need and if you go with a single and not a dual system you can't go too big or the pool will not filter properly and your electric bills will be crazy. Go with at least a 2 speed pump (variable speed and controller is better) since that way you can run the pool and spa on low for filtering and circulation and the spa on high for tubbing.

Hey, I'm late to this party, but here's my two cents....

Our decision to add a built-in spa came late in our project (we were looking at CAD drawings, having already picked our builder based upon a non-spa project). What a GREAT decision to add the spa!!! I can heat the spa in two hours, and it's nicely warmed after just 30 minutes using our pool's heat pump. Like what waterbear said, I didn't want extra maintenance, so the spillover into the pool is not only attractive, but it reduces maintenance -- I only test and balance the pool water.

I'm not exactly sure of the spa options, but we opted for a non-blower spa. I *think* that was the device that added even more bubbles to the spa than what the basic design offered. Having seen the amount of bubbles that the basic option offers, I'm glad I didn't spend the extra money for a blower. The spa bubbles are plenty bubbly enough.

We've got a variable speed pump, which is really nice. We usually run the pump at 4/5th speed when using the spa. Any more, and the jetstream from the four jets is really just too much to be comfortable. For a gentler experience, we sometimes tamp down the pump speed to about 3/5ths speed.

And also like what waterbear said, the spa for us is a social experience. We've enjoyed fun, family times and conversations there. Even with our teenagers!

The only downside to it is that the spa bench really isn't that comfortable for my 6' 2" frame. I'd rather be in a more reclined position, but in our spa (just a 7' circle), that isn't possible unless I sit on the edge of the spa. I don't think there's a way to have a reclined seating position in our spa without infringing on footspace or without doubling the size of our spa. The only time I really miss not having a reclined seat is when I'm in the spa by myself. But even still, it's not *that* bad.

Thanks for the reply.
The variable speed pump you have. Is this an additional pump that is strictly for your spa, or is it also shared with your pool?

Waterbear,
Is the air blower and bubblers two seperate items? Could you tell me how they operate? One pool contractor discouraged me against the injection of air, stating it was introducing cold air into the hot water. Is there any validity to that statement?
As I understand, on a basic spa, it's high pressure, hot water, that is being injected into the spa.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by klinton994

Waterbear,
Is the air blower and bubblers two seperate items? Could you tell me how they operate? One pool contractor discouraged me against the injection of air, stating it was introducing cold air into the hot water. Is there any validity to that statement?
As I understand, on a basic spa, it's high pressure, hot water, that is being injected into the spa.

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If all you have on a 'basic spa' is hot water coming in it's not much of a spa, IMHO. Just check out portables and see how much water action they have. This is true of a built in spa or a portable. If you depend on only the pump to supply the water action you will end up with a very large HP pump which is going to be overkill for the pool in a shared system. Even using a variable speed pump, while a solution, is not the best in many cases.
If the ambient tempterature is cold then air blowers AND passive venturi jets (which are the type of jets used in spas) will lower the temperature of the water a bit. If your heater can keep up and is not undersized then it's a moot point (and when you consider that such venturi jets with air controls and blowers are standard on portable units and it is not seen as a disadvantage then I am not sure what your builder is afraid of, unless the heater he is proposing is not up to the job). If you are going with a spillover type of spa then it will basically stay at pool temperature and will have to be heated before use so you will need a heater with fast recovery time on the spa. However, venturi jets are standard spa jets and allow the air to mix with the water to increase the water pressure (and usually have a control to adjust the amount of air that is injected). Blowers add an additional level on top of this and might be hooked into the venturis or just plumbed to bubblers (air injectors). If your builder is not planning on using spa jets but only regular returns you will not have much water movement in the spa and, IMHO, it will be more of a 'kiddie pool" than a spa. Bubblers are air injector jets. Venturi jets mix water and air for more pressure and can be passive (uisng the motion of the water to suck in the air) or connected to the blower for even more pressure from the jet.

waterbear,
thanks again for your reply. I'm sure the builder was considering the use of the venturi jets in the spa. I think it was his opinion that the air injection for bubblers was an introduction of cold air into a hot tub. He had mentioned the use of a booster pump for the spa. Based on your reply, it doesn't sound like an issue as long as the heater has a high btu rating. Could you define what you mean by fast recovery time on the spa?
I may start another thread to gather more information as to what options to equip the spa with. Such as bubblers, different seating heights, reclined seating, amount and locations of jets. I'm currently looking into what type of purification system to use. I'm interested in salt, but concerned with its affects on stone and concrete. I'm also reading a lot about stray voltages in salt water pools.

thanks again,

klinton994,

Why don't you just ask your pool builder for a reference that has a spa like what you're interested in? Then, you can see firsthand what you're getting with the spa options you're considering. For as much money as you're plunking down, you don't want to guess wrong and be disappointed that what you're getting isn't what you were expecting.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by waterbear

If you are going with a spillover type of spa then it will basically stay at pool temperature and will have to be heated before use so you will need a heater with fast recovery time on the spa.

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The heater you choose has to be balanced between differing objectives: equipment cost, available electrical capacity currently servicing your home (if you're using an electric heater or heat pump), fuel cost, and how quickly you need to have your pool or spa heated up. We chose a heat pump for fuel efficiency and low fuel cost in exchange for longer spa/pool heating times. Even still, our spa, which is right now about 78 degrees, is comfortable in 30 minutes at around 84 degrees, and hot within 90-120 minutes of turning on the heat pump. With just a little foresight, you can enjoy a heated spa on the cheap. It costs me 60 cents an hour to run my heat pump, so for $1.20, I have a hot spa for an evening's relaxation.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by famousdavis

The heater you choose has to be balanced between differing objectives: equipment cost, available electrical capacity currently servicing your home (if you're using an electric heater or heat pump), fuel cost, and how quickly you need to have your pool or spa heated up. We chose a heat pump for fuel efficiency and low fuel cost in exchange for longer spa/pool heating times. Even still, our spa, which is right now about 78 degrees, is comfortable in 30 minutes at around 84 degrees, and hot within 90-120 minutes of turning on the heat pump. With just a little foresight, you can enjoy a heated spa on the cheap. It costs me 60 cents an hour to run my heat pump, so for $1.20, I have a hot spa for an evening's relaxation.

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Wow! I guess I need to look into replacing my propane heater with a heat pump. It takes me about 1 hour to heat my spa, and the heater burns close to two gallons during initial heating (much less to stay at temp). Propane was $4.80 a gallon last time I had the tank filled. What model Jandy heat pump are you using?

Heat pumps are not suitable for all climates so check with a reputable builder before you do so to see if it is a viable option where you live. I have a heat pump on my spa and pool in N. Fl. (we get the occasional hard freeze here but right now it's in the low 70's and I was in the pool this AM--heated to 85) and it heats my spa to temperature in about 15-40 minutes, depending on the time of year, initial water temperature, and ambient temperature. My heat pump is reverse cycle (heats and cools). However, I do not use it to cool the pool or spa. The reverse cycle feature allows to heat pump to work in ambient temperatures that approach freezing. Normally, heat pumps are ineffective in temperatures below about 50 degrees and a supplemental form of heat such as propane is then needed.