The term “spa” is derived from the town of Spa, Belgium where a curative natural spring was discovered in the 14th century. The word literally means a fountain. In current times though, the term spa is used to describe many types of vessels with warm water used for the purpose of soaking, as well as a salon for beauty and personal care treatments. A true soaking spa is filled with mineral water and some believe that the water provides healing properties. But in the pool industry, a spa is simply a tub with hot water which is used for soaking. The two most distinct varieties are the Jacuzzi and the hot tub.
The hot tub is most often a smaller tub which can be constructed as a part of a pool or as a free standing feature. The water is heated on demand via a gas or electric heater and it is circulated by just a small motor which operates a few jets. A hot tub is considered to be a great place to soak and relax but offers very little therapeutic value.
The size, shape and construction materials for a spa can vary greatly. As a feature connected to a swimming pool, the spa normally has the same interior finish as the pool and the coping, or finish edge at the top of the spa, is also matched to the coping of the pool. This can be pavers, travertine, flagstone or almost any other stone. In most cases the heater is designed only to heat the water in the spa however, UNIQUE offers clients a larger heater which is much more capable than the average heater. The UNIQUE heater has the ability to also heat the entire pool if the owner so desires. Additional features which can be included in any custom spa design include audio speakers, interior lighting with the option for variable colors and remote control operation. [Read more…]
