Who doesn’t love a spa day? You enter full of stress and tension, enjoy a few hours of rest, relaxation, and pampering, and leave revitalised and without a worry in the world. Having a hot tub (or Lay-Z-Spa) installed at your house means you can enjoy that feeling every day from the comfort of your own home. So, the question is, what kind of hot tub will you choose, and where will you choose to put it?
Benefits of adding a hot tub to your home
Stargazing whilst enjoying a late-night dip. Unwinding after a long day at work. Incorporating your hot tub into your exercise regime. There are many ways to enjoy your hot tub, and we’re pleased to say so many benefits, so there’s no need to feel guilty about treating yourself!
Rest and recovery
The warm water in your hot tub is an excellent aid in the rest and recovery process, whether post-exercise, post-injury or simply part of your daily routine. Hydrotherapy is a recognised form of alternative medicine, occupational therapy and physiotherapy and can be used for the treatment and relief of conditions including arthritis, fibromyalgia and other rheumatic complaints.*
Just like a hot bath, a dip in your hot tub can also help relieve muscular tension and pain, improve circulation, and clean out the lactic acid buildup through anaerobic respiration (when not enough oxygen reaches the muscles during vigorous exercise).
*If your intention is to use your hot tub for medicinal purposes, we would recommend speaking to your Doctor before beginning any treatment plan.
Stress relief
Everyday life can be stressful. Work, kids, bills, the list goes on…and on. All this stress can build up and, over time, lead to physical health problems, including headaches, high blood pressure, heart problems, diabetes, skin conditions, and asthma, as well as mental health problems such as depression and anxiety.
Studies have shown that warm water immersion can help balance the body’s sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, promoting calm in much the same way as meditation.
The increased blood flow and elevated levels of relaxation resulting from hot tub usage also lead to an increase of serotonin and dopamine – your body’s ‘happy hormones’.
Improved sleep
We all know how awful it can feel to wake up without enough sleep. Prolonged periods of insufficient sleep can have serious health consequences, significantly increasing your risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attack, heart failure or stroke. Thankfully, the aforementioned stress relief benefits are directly linked to your sleep quality – reduced stress + improved mood = better sleep.
Enjoy with family, friends, or alone!
In addition to the above-mentioned health and well-being benefits, most hot tubs are a great place to socialise with friends or family or relax alone. In our last post, we discussed how to create a sense of luxury for your swimming pool by installing underwater speakers, creative lighting, and even projector screens so you can sit back and watch your favourite film or TV show.
You can incorporate all of these things and more into your hot tub design to create your own little garden (or indoor) oasis. Our design team is more than happy to discuss any hot tub surround ideas you may have, however extravagant they may be!
How to find the best location for your hot tub
Choosing where to put your new hot tub – hot tub placement – will, of course, directly affect how you design and use it, so it’s an important consideration.
We’d recommend thinking about the following points before taking the plunge:
Will it be a hot tub indoors or an outdoor hot tub?
It goes without saying that whether you choose to install a hot tub indoors or outside, both will have limitations (potentially). Stargazing and sunbathing are significantly more difficult when you have a roof over your head, and unfortunately, our British weather isn’t any close to as warm as your home during the winter months. Of course, you could compromise and enjoy all of the benefits of both by choosing to have a purpose-built structure installed.
Hot tub placement
Indoor hot tub
- Year-round comfort
- Privacy and tranquillity
- Control over temperatures and conditions
Outdoor hot tub
- Stargazing and scenic views
- Connection to nature
- Typically, more space to socialise
Will you want to create privacy?
If you’re leaning towards installing an outdoor hot tub in your garden, you should consider the level of privacy you want.
You might already have a hidden corner in which you could place your hot tub to achieve your preferred level of isolation, but if not, you can always create a level of privacy by creating a barrier, whether it be a wall, fence, planted screen, awning, sail or parasol etc.
How easy will it be to install and maintain?
Logistics are perhaps not the most exciting things to have to consider, but consider them we must! How much space is there? This is especially relevant for larger hot tubs. Does your preferred location offer easy access, and is it suitable for when your new hot tub arrives for installation and, in the future, for ongoing hot tub maintenance? Is there adequate ventilation and enough room for you to socialise?
Hot tubs do require maintenance and typically weekly water tests. The water will typically need completely changing every 3 months, and pumps and other mechanics will, at some point, require servicing or replacing.
To extend the life of your hot tub, a hot tub cover is essential for keeping debris out and maintaining water temperature. It’s also recommended to hot tub close (drain and winterise) during off-seasons to prevent damage from freezing temperatures. Regular upkeep with these tools will keep your hot tub in excellent condition and ensure a hassle-free experience.
Add a hot tub to your home
If you’re considering installing a hot tub at your home, whether an indoor hot tub or a hot tub outdoors, and would like to speak to a reputable and highly experienced local business about your ideas, we’d love to hear from you.
At Hydrocare, we have over 25 years of experience, making us a trusted choice for hot tub installation and maintenance. You can call us on 01444 236578 or complete our online contact form, and we’ll be in touch at a convenient time.
