Pool Design: Should Your Spa Be Separate or Attached to Your Pool?

The addition of a pool to your home or backyard can transform any space into a personal oasis and an excellent place to spend some quality time with family and friends. Nothing is more relaxing and enjoyable than a nice swim in the pool during the hot summer months.

Pools can be great places to enjoy some water games, especially for children, or to lounge by the poolside and enjoy the sun. Whatever your preference may be, pools can quickly become the central point of your private backyard oasis and can be a great way to add value to your home.

Many pools are also designed with spas, either attached or separate from the pool. Spas are great places to relax, unwind, and shed the stresses of a long and tiring day or week. Personal spas are ideal for people who enjoy their privacy so that they can pamper themselves in the comfort of their own home.

If the idea of a pool and a spa in your home or backyard is enticing, Solda Pools can help make this dream a reality. However, before diving into the designing process, it’s important to determine whether your spa should be separate or attached to your pool.

If you’ve come across this roadblock, we’re here to help guide your decision and break down the pros and cons of attached and separate spas.

What is the difference between an attached and separate spa?

Although both attached and separate spas provide a fun and relaxing addition to your oasis and allow you to enjoy the many benefits of hydrotherapy, there are a few differences between the two.

Attached and separate spas differ in their cost, materials, and construction, all of which must be considered before making a decision. Portable hot types are a type of separate spa which includes a factory-manufactured free-standing structure.

Portable spas are usually round or square in shape and consist of an interior shell and outer cabinet which encloses the structure and hides the plumbing components and utility connections. Portable spas are available in various sizes, colours, patterns, and finishes for their interior shell and exterior cabinet.

Attached spas are installed at the same time as inground swimming pools and are usually made of the same materials as portable hot tubs. Attached spas typically do not have an outer shell. Instead, they are encased within the concrete, which is found around your inground pool.

Attached spas usually don’t have as many jets and other features such as lights and stereos, compared to portable spas. An attached spa also ranges in price and usually adds between 15% to 25% to the swimming pool’s cost. Attached spas are also traditionally designed with a spillway, which allows the water from the attached spa to overflow into the larger pool, making it easier to control the water level in both the pool and the spa.

Benefits And Drawbacks Of Attached Spas

Benefits:

1. Relatively longer lifespan
2. Increases property value by enhancing the overall design of your pool
3. Customized design and extension to your pool design allows the ideal situation for socializing between people sitting in the pool and those in the spa
4. Both pool and spa can be serviced, and the water tested and treated at the same time
5. Both pool and spa utilize the same pump, meaning less maintenance is required
6. Quickly move between colder pool water and warmer spa water to help soothe your muscles and assist with any orthopedic issues

Drawbacks:

1. More time is required for installation and can be more costly depending on details
2. An attached spa must be monitored to ensure pumps and heaters do not shut off during winter use
3. Attached spas with spillover portions result in mixing of pool and spa water
4. The location of the spa cannot be changed once it has been constructed

Benefits and Drawbacks of Separate Spas

Benefits:

1. Separate spas are relatively cost-effective, lower operational costs, and easier to maintain a constant temperature
2. Separate spas are perfect for backyards with limited space and can be located anywhere as its location is not dependent on a larger pool
3. Can be located closer to the house for easy access during the colder winter months and uses less energy to heat up in the winter
4. Can be placed anywhere in the backyard
5. Separate spas usually have more powerful pumps for a more deeper massage, more comfortable seating options, and easy-to-use controls
6. Separate spas are portable and can easily be transported when you move

Drawbacks:

1. Separate spas must be tested and treated separately from pool water
2. The design of a separate spa is not as integrated as that of an attached spa
3. The materials used to make a separate spa may not be as strong or hold up as well over time compared to attached spas and inground pools

Whether attached or separate, spas are excellent places to relax your body with the combination of warmth and hydrotherapy. Whether you choose to attach your spa or keep it separate should be dependent on several factors, and all benefits and drawbacks should be taken into consideration so that you can be sure that you’ve made the right decision.

Consider the cost and energy usage, the climate in which you live, the type of backyard that you’d like to design, as well as the features you want in your spa before diving into the construction process. Pools and spas can be a great way to enjoy some fun in the water during the hot summer months.

For more information about how to design your spa and your pool, call Solda Pools today at (905) 796-6500 or contact us here, and one of our pool designers in Toronto will be happy to help.