Hot Tub vs Pool
Thinking of getting a pool or a hot tub for your house? The choice of pool vs. hot tub can be a difficult one because there are many similarities between both, but when it comes to functionality and features, there are different use cases for each one. Generally, a pool is a much more significant investment than a hot tub and you need to be sure about your needs and requirements before you start planning a pool for your house.
In this article, we are going to take a look at some of the pros and cons of both pools and hot tubs so you can make an informed decision when you choose to get one for your house.
Pros of Building A Pool in Your House
Pools can be constructed in the size and shape that you want. It also depends on your budget and availability of space the kind of pool that will be best suitable for your needs. Here are some of the features that you can expect when you choose to get a pool constructed in your house.
1) Ample Space – If you are building a large pool in your backyard, you can design it in a way that you get sufficient space for swimming and relaxing in your pool. The most prominent benefit of a pool is that you can get a custom shape designed that will best suit your backyard.
2) Perfect for Summers – Spending a summer afternoon by the pool or in the water can be the most rewarding activity. Whether you want to chill in the pool or relax by reading a book on the poolside, spending time near the poolside can be an experience in its own.
3) Ideal for Exercise and Relaxation – Whether you want to swim a few laps as a workout or you want to relax by swimming to let out the stresses of the day, a pool is your best bet. With a pool in your backyard, you can swim at leisure and relax in the pool any time you want.
4) Best Location to Host A Party – Hosting a party by the poolside can add a new dimension of fun to the party. Your guests can relax by the pool while they enjoy with food, drinks, and music. You can also organize pool games before the party so that everyone can get into the pool and have fun.
5) Add Value to Property – One of the major pros of building a pool is that it adds to the value of your property. Whenever you plan to sell your property, you can ask for a stellar price because you have a pool on your property.
Cons of Building A Pool in Your House
1) Expensive – Building a pool on your property can cost a lot. Whether you have plans for a small or a medium-sized pool, you are easily looking at $25,000 – $50,000 range of expenses(1).
2) Requires Maintenance – Building a pool is not enough, if you want to enjoy your pool, be ready to shell out money for regular maintenance of equipment, cleaning agents, water pumps, and much more.
3) Requires Regular Cleaning – Large and medium-sized pools can get dirty over time, and you will need to arrange for regular cleaning. Depending on the size of your pool, cleaning services can cost anywhere from $100 to several hundreds of dollars per month.
4) Takes Up Space – Having a pool in your backyard means there are very few things you can use the place for. The site is solely dedicated to the pool, and you have to manage your activities while keeping in mind the location of the pool.
5) Requires Permits for Construction – You will need to get permission and permits from your local house building authorities if you plan to build a pool in your house(2). Once they have approved the plans for any required modification, only then you can construct the pool in your house.
Pros of Buying A Hot Tub
Buying a hot tub comes with several advantages that cannot be found when you are building a pool. Let’s take a look at some of the pros of buying a hot tub.
1) Portability – One of the major advantages of buying a hot tub is that it’s highly portable. You can put it anywhere you like in your house and fill it up with water to enjoy the benefits of soaking in it.
2) Easy Installation – Installation of a hot tub is much easier than building a pool. In case of 110V hot tubs, you can simply plug them in your existing power supply, and they are good to go. For 220V hot tubs, you might need help from an experienced electrician who can wire the hot tub for the correct power supply.
3) Easy Maintenance – As the volume of water in a hot tub is much less than a pool, cleaning and maintenance is also easier. You can replace the filters on your own and use pool chemicals to make the water safe for soaking. It is easy to check the chemical ratio of the hot tub’s water with chemical strips that are available at most hardware stores.
4) Affordable Repairs – Repairing an inflatable or an acrylic hot tub is much cheaper than repairing a pool. You can get help from specialists who understand how to repair pools and hot tubs. For inflatable hot tubs, minor repairs are even easier as you can apply patches in case of an air leak.
5) Hydrotherapy Benefits – Hot tubs offer a range of options for those who want to use the hydrotherapy benefits offered by hot tubs. The jets and bubbles in the hot tub can be pointed to the problem areas, and these can offer relief from pain and help to reduce swelling of muscle. People who have arthritis and joint pain can benefit immensely from hydrotherapy hot tubs.
6) Ideal in Cold Weather – The experience of soaking in a hot tub when the weather outside is cold feels divine. You can also host a hot tub party with your friends so that everyone can enjoy soaking in the hot water.
Cons of Buying A Hot Tub
1) Small Size – Even the biggest hot tub will be smaller than a pool, and if you are looking for size, then it’s best to invest in building a pool on your property. You can buy hot tubs that can accommodate 4-6 people with ease, but anything more than that means everyone will have to squeeze up.
2) Takes Time to Heat Up – A hot tub can take as much as 2 hours to heat up to an optimum temperature. If you want to soak in hot water, then you have to set up the hot tub in advance so that the water is hot by the time you are ready to soak.
3) Durability Varies – While modern hot tubs are durable, these end up needing repairs sooner or later. Inflatable hot tubs can develop problems of air retention over time, and acrylic hot tubs can get scratched and scuffed which ruins their looks as the year’s pass.
Conclusion about Pool vs. Hot Tub
Buying a pool or a hot tub depends on your requirements and your budget. For those interested in swimming laps and hosting pool parties, a pool is the best option. If you want to relax on your own and spend time enjoying the benefits of hydrotherapy, then a hot tub is the option you should choose.
Keep in mind, your expenses for maintenance and upkeep will always be more when it comes to pools but with you can maintain a hot tub much more economically. The repair for hot tubs also turns out to be cheaper than any repair you might have to carry out on a pool. We hope this article has been informative enough to help you decide the choice of pool vs. hot tub for your home.
Have you recently bought a hot tub or constructed a pool in your house? Please feel free to share your thoughts about it in the comment section for the benefit of our readers.
