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Buyer’s Guide: Everything You Need to Know to Purchase a Spa
September 2011
by Laura Schlereth
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September is not the end of the pool season, but in many areas around the country, you can certainly see the end from here. If you really want to enjoy the water 365 days a year, now might be the time to consider purchasing a spa. But before you take the plunge, there are many things to consider in terms of space considerations, costs, and entertainment and therapeutic needs. It’s important to talk to your dealer about exactly what you hope to get out of your spa so you can create the perfect year-round water retreat.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when purchasing a spa:
1. Outdoor spas can weather the elements, but they need a strong foundation.
“Most outdoor spas are made to withstand extreme weather,” says Tony Borden, who works in sales at Paducah Pools and Spas in Paducah, Ky. But to truly weatherproof your spa, you need to make sure it has a solid foundation, such as a concrete slab or a sturdy wooden deck built to withstand the customary spa weight of 1,500 to about 5,000 pounds.
2. Space considerations and ventilation are much more important with indoor spas.
“If you opt for an indoor spa, make sure you have a nice, large entryway into the spa room,” Borden says. Most spas have to be made as one solid shell in the factory, so it’s essential to have an access point wide and tall enough to accommodate an entire spa. Borden says it’s also important to ensure that the room has proper ventilation—fans or windows that can be propped open should do the trick.
3. There are some costs.
It’s a mistake to assume the only thing you’ll be paying for is the spa itself. You also have to foot the bill for the electrical work needed to prepare the site. You can contract this out yourself or ask your spa dealer for a referral. “Depending on your spa’s location, the electrical work can range anywhere from $400 to more than $1000,” Borden says.
4. There are a variety of features you can add based on your needs.
Whether your spa is the place to be in your neighborhood or a quiet, therapeutic oasis, there are many available options to suit your needs. To boost the entertainment quotient, you can add colored LED lighting, a stereo system or a television, Borden says. If you want to use your spa for relaxation, therapeutic features include jet configurations that can provide a hydrotherapy massage or different seating arrangements so the jets can focus on your neck in one corner and your lower back in another.
5. The more people you want to entertain, the bigger the spa you’ll need—and the more you’ll likely spend.
Borden says it’s important to evaluate how many people will be enjoying your spa at a given time. If you typically use the spa with only your spouse or a couple of friends, you can probably get by with a smaller tub and a single pump. But if you plan to entertain, you’ll have to upgrade to more jets, which means more pumps and a larger motor—not to mention upgraded electronics to power it all. Borden says going from a single pump to a dual pump usually costs between $500 and $800.
6. Spas use a great deal of energy, but there are ways to be efficient.
“Rather than using a jet pump to heat the water, opt for a circulating pump, which will keep the water heated and filtered 24/7,” says Mayetta Pieczynski, manager at Vicki’s Pool and Spa Place in Clarksville, Tenn. When Pieczynski had a single two-speed pump in her own spa, she says it used between $40 and $50 of electricity a month. When she switched to a circulating pump, it used only $7 to $8 of electricity a month.
It’s also important to buy a well-insulated cover. If you have an indoor spa that is not exposed to the elements, Pieczynski says a one-pound density foam cover should do the trick. But if you have an outdoor spa in a region where it becomes very cold, you should upgrade to a two-pound density foam cover.
Your spa can be a beneficial addition to your life, which is why Pieczynski recommends taking your time when making a decision.
“It’s important to really make sure your needs are covered,” she says. “A spa is an investment, not an impulse buy.”
