Construction Trends for In-Ground Spas
“Chic” new technologies for added safety and smarter energy consumption – even for your spa.
No argument, a custom in-ground spa adds a little bit of extravagance to your swimming pool landscape. It’s a luxurious way to unwind, heal sore muscles, and enjoy your backyard long after the sun has gone down. The creative options are nearly unlimited – benches, seats, jets, colored lighting, water features, and sound systems – but it’s the less sexy construction elements that no one ever sees that truly have us (and our industry) a-buzz. Think of your spa as a mini pool all on its own. Many of the same smart-system technologies can be applied to make your spa run more efficiently and increase safety for swimmers and bathers alike.
Intelligent Pumps
They aren’t just for pools. These new pumps combine safety and energy efficiency into their design and functionality. The safety feature senses any drain blockage and automatically shuts the pump off in seconds to provide an important layer of protection against entrapment, even in your spa. And traditional pumps are energy hogs. These new designs offer variable speed controls that can save hundreds of dollars each year. Make sure you have one installed in both your swimming pool and your spa.
Digital Remote Control
We thrive on instant communication all day, so why not expect the same from your spa? New digital technology now allows you to control your spa remotely – from your office, the train ride home, or while you’re stuck in traffic – so it can be ready at the perfect temperature when you walk in the front door and right out the back door.
Interchangeable Jet Heads
Part of the lure of a swimming pool is the idea of having a personal sanctuary perfectly customized to your needs. Most of that customization is done in the design and planning stages, but now, new jet technologies are taking it one step further. With interchangeable, oscillating jet heads, you can change the speed, pressure, and motion any time you change your mind.
Safety Grates
The latest code-compliant pool grates are designed to reduce the possibility of hair and mechanical entrapment. We cannot emphasize enough that spa safety MUST be approach the same way. Make sure the grate or grates in your spa can properly handle the necessary flow rates that spa pumps require. If you have an existing spa (or pool!), we recommend a safety inspection before the swim season begins so that older parts can be upgraded and potential hazards can be identified and corrected.
Automatic Spa Covers
Yes, your spa can have an auto cover, too! Compact, automatic spa cover designs allow for use in tight installations and restricted space constraints. Most spas can easily be retrofitted for an automatic cover. No only do they provide another layer of safety, but automatic covers provided the added benefit of saving you money on your heating bill by keeping you spa warm even when it’s not in use.
