Looking at getting a pool and we want a hot tub also. I’ve read so many mixed reviews on in ground hot tubs. I would be fine with a above ground hot tub, but my wife likes the looks of the in ground tubs ofcourse. So how much does it cost to run a in ground tub compared to above? Do you run in ground tub all the time like above ground tubs? Or only when it will be used. If so how long does it take to heat up? Can you use in ground spa in the winter? We live in South Carolina so the coldest it gets is prob mid 20s. Do you use a cover with in ground tubs? I’ve seen zero pictures on google showing people with covers on them. Is it best of doing one to not have the spill over? I know a lot of questions sorry!
In ground spa or bad idea
- Thread starter Alyzac
- Start date
Have you ever sat in an inground spa? In my opinion they're kinda uncomfortable compared to an hot tub's curved and shaped seats, with each seat's jets aimed at various areas of the body. The inground spa is hard cement, usually strait hard seating, and the water jets not near as powerful. That's my opinion only, of course.
Oh, another advantage of a stand alone hot tub is winter use! Nothing nicer than soaking in 103º water with snow flakes falling. And only a quick dash inside when done soaking if you place it right.
Maddie
Who'll wear the Green Jacket today?
Oh, another advantage of a stand alone hot tub is winter use! Nothing nicer than soaking in 103º water with snow flakes falling. And only a quick dash inside when done soaking if you place it right.
Maddie
Who'll wear the Green Jacket today? So can you not use in ground hot tubs in winter?Have you ever sat in an inground spa? In my opinion they're kinda uncomfortable compared to an hot tub's curved and shaped seats, with each seat's jets aimed at various areas of the body. The inground spa is hard cement, usually strait hard seating, and the water jets not near as powerful. That's my opinion only, of course.
Oh, another advantage of a stand alone hot tub is winter use! Nothing nicer than soaking in 103º water with snow flakes falling. And only a quick dash inside when done soaking if you place it right.
Maddie
You have to be able to heat just the spa water. Ask your builder if you'll be able to do this during the winter when the pool water is cold? Can he pipe it so that you isolate spa water for the heater? I don't know what the procedure would be to be honest. I'm sorry.
Maddie
Maddie
Have you ever been to a hotel or resort where they have hot tubs? Where is it bench seating and maybe there is a single jet hitting you. That is a built in spa.
A stand alone is a lot different. Go wet test one in a store to see if you like it better.
Built in spas are not normally kept hot. They use the same filtration system as the pool, so you would be heating the entire pool. When you want to use the spa, the spa water is isolated and heated. That means you need to plan for the spa to heat up. A stand alone spa is kept at temp (according to how you program it) and is ready for use.
Stand alone spas need to be drained and refilled, built in do not (they need the same maintenance as the pool they are attached to)
Often a stand alone spa can be placed closer to your house - which is very nice in cold weather.
A stand alone is a lot different. Go wet test one in a store to see if you like it better.
Built in spas are not normally kept hot. They use the same filtration system as the pool, so you would be heating the entire pool. When you want to use the spa, the spa water is isolated and heated. That means you need to plan for the spa to heat up. A stand alone spa is kept at temp (according to how you program it) and is ready for use.
Stand alone spas need to be drained and refilled, built in do not (they need the same maintenance as the pool they are attached to)
Often a stand alone spa can be placed closer to your house - which is very nice in cold weather.
I see an in-ground spa as more just like a fun accessory to the pool. If you want something that's comfortable, gives you a nice massage, is always ready when you need it, and is usable year round, get the standalone. I suppose you could use the in-ground in the winter, but they are typically part of your pool, and you'll have a lot of heating to do. Plus that's assuming you aren't closing the pool in the winter, so you would have to be making sure there isn't a risk of freezing.
I’m in the middle of a new pool build with a spill over spa and plan on being able to use it year round. There are multiple ways to go about it but here is the path I chose:
-in ground fiberglass spa
-3-4” of closed cell foam insulation (~R20) around spa shell (does not absorb/retain water)
-all underground spa pipes are insulated with spray foam
-single vsp pump for pool/spa
-automated valves for spa/pool return, jets and suction
-automated heater line up for pool only and or spa only
-SWG flow switch on pool return
All my equipment will be in an equipment room in a pool house and will run 24/7 at the appropriate rpm. When there’s a call for spa heat, the valves will automatically line up, pump will speed up and heat/circulate only the spa. The spa will have a custom cover for the winter. I’m using a Hayward OmniPL for the automation part.
-in ground fiberglass spa
-3-4” of closed cell foam insulation (~R20) around spa shell (does not absorb/retain water)
-all underground spa pipes are insulated with spray foam
-single vsp pump for pool/spa
-automated valves for spa/pool return, jets and suction
-automated heater line up for pool only and or spa only
-SWG flow switch on pool return
All my equipment will be in an equipment room in a pool house and will run 24/7 at the appropriate rpm. When there’s a call for spa heat, the valves will automatically line up, pump will speed up and heat/circulate only the spa. The spa will have a custom cover for the winter. I’m using a Hayward OmniPL for the automation part.
I personally love our in-ground attached spillover spa and I'm not interested in taking care of yet another body of water with a standalone hot tub. I have the ability to heat the pool, but so far we haven't really been interested in that, and since I reinstalled the heater, we've only been using it for the spa.
When we want to use the spa, I walk over to the in-house controller and press "Spa" and 40 minutes later we're getting in. And this is super basic automation.. it'll rotate the suction and return valves to the spa, turn on the pump, and fire up the heater. No, I'm sure it's not as comfortable as a hot tub with contoured seats and 50 individual jets, but IMO, the basic spa setup definitely works better for having friends over and having it as more of a "hang out and relax" kind of space. We don't use the in-ground every single day, but with my heater and natural gas prices, it works out to about $3.75 for gas to turn it on, heat it up, and spend an hour in there. I don't know how this equates to a hot tub that's plugged in and maintaining temp all the time.
Whoever built the pool also spec'd a "water feature" in the spa, which can be operated when the system is in pool mode. It's really just an additional pool return that runs to the spa, but I think it's meant for some fountain that isn't in place anymore. Once a day I'll go out there and turn that valve on so it'll spillover to the pool for a few hours so the spa isn't stagnating. It gets a fresh supply of water and chlorine and I don't have to mess with it separately. In the future I'm going to put a JVA on that valve so I can automate that action as well. That's my two pennies on the matter.
When we want to use the spa, I walk over to the in-house controller and press "Spa" and 40 minutes later we're getting in. And this is super basic automation.. it'll rotate the suction and return valves to the spa, turn on the pump, and fire up the heater. No, I'm sure it's not as comfortable as a hot tub with contoured seats and 50 individual jets, but IMO, the basic spa setup definitely works better for having friends over and having it as more of a "hang out and relax" kind of space. We don't use the in-ground every single day, but with my heater and natural gas prices, it works out to about $3.75 for gas to turn it on, heat it up, and spend an hour in there. I don't know how this equates to a hot tub that's plugged in and maintaining temp all the time.
Whoever built the pool also spec'd a "water feature" in the spa, which can be operated when the system is in pool mode. It's really just an additional pool return that runs to the spa, but I think it's meant for some fountain that isn't in place anymore. Once a day I'll go out there and turn that valve on so it'll spillover to the pool for a few hours so the spa isn't stagnating. It gets a fresh supply of water and chlorine and I don't have to mess with it separately. In the future I'm going to put a JVA on that valve so I can automate that action as well. That's my two pennies on the matter.
IMO I always liked stand alone spas, been in several ones connected to the pool and Its just not the same experience. We are in the middle of our pool build and back in October we got our 7 person Hot tub, which has been used multiple times a week since, and we are in PA, was wonderful even on the cold nights. There are so many choices, options, and sizes and you can place it where you like best! Again my opinion, but we are happy with this decision.
- Sep 1, 2011
- 545
- Pool Size
- 21000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool Universal40
In North Texas, so maybe a little colder than SC. Our spillover spa is never used as a spa, to the point that I actually deleted the heater this weak (it's for sale, hint hint 
). The first couple years we had it, we did use it in the winter. It did get hot enough. But that required me to go outside, line it up, start the heater, then go back inside and wait an hour for it to heat up. Then restore everything afterwards. I found the benches hard and uncomfortable, and the overall experience just a pain. In the future, I may just fill it in. So, for my $.02, not worth the added hassle and expense.
). The first couple years we had it, we did use it in the winter. It did get hot enough. But that required me to go outside, line it up, start the heater, then go back inside and wait an hour for it to heat up. Then restore everything afterwards. I found the benches hard and uncomfortable, and the overall experience just a pain. In the future, I may just fill it in. So, for my $.02, not worth the added hassle and expense.I've had both a pool with an in ground spa as a renter and a pool + stand alone spa (a bullfrog A8) as a owner. I prefer the stand alone spa.
Here's the pros and cons of both:
Stand alone pros:
I don't mind having a different body of water. Once you add 30 ppm CYA, a SWG, get TA down to 50, and add 50 ppm borates, you're only reducing pH once a week. Set the SWG to target 4fc then add half a cup of bleach (4oz) to shock it after each useb depending on tub size. Remember you can safely swim at slam levels which is 12 FC for 30 cya. Cya greatly reduces the harshness of using chlorine in a hot tub. Let it air out for 30 minutes after using and you'll likely have no CCs and it'll be back to 4fc. I like to test daily with my OTO test given the temperatures involved to ensure it's safe and trouble free.
If I were designing my own in ground pool I'd do a vaulted hot tub to take care of some of the cons like ease of getting out and socialization, and possibly maintenance/energy cost issues if I can plumb it with the pool water.
There's possibly custom shell makers who could do the hydrotherapy part then have a custom cover designed specifically for that custom build. I'd make sure it's insulated and the like too.
I'd have automation that gives you the choice to mix in fresh pool water to a vaulted tub/custom shell keep FC targets without greatly affecting the temps.
Again, I greatly love my stand alone tub and I'm glad I was able to find a home that didn't have an inground spa and had the space for the stand alone tub.
Here's the pros and cons of both:
Stand alone pros:
- Have the spa where I want it. I use it in winter. It's right next to my back door and steps away. The inground one was super far away and I'd only use it on the weekend.
- It's always hot. No waiting 40-60 minutes in summer for it to heat up. No waiting 2-4 hours if it's 34 degrees to heat up in winter.
- Ideal hydrotherapy. It has much stronger jets. Unique jets that work different areas of the body(lower, middle, upper back, feet, shoulders, etc.). Most in ground tubs have a limited number of jets - it's likely just a few back jets and they're all going to be the same strength with little if any adjustments.
- Possibly less or more energy costs depending on usage levels and if you have natural gas for the in ground one vs electricity for the stand alone. Stand alone hot tubs are insulated. If you use it every day it probably saves on heating costs. If you use it on the weekend only it probably wastes energy.
- Harder to get in and out of unless you vault it or build a deck. My inground tub was easy to get in and out of.
- Sightly less social. Despite buying a bullfrog A8 which has 8 seats, it only really fits 4 comfortably. I could fit 8 comfortably in my in ground spa. However, I've never had more than 4 people in that spa at a time despite having a few pool parties.
- It's another body of water to measure pH, FC, etc to perform maintenance on.
- High FC use / People soup. 4 people in my 540 gallon tub is equal to 81 people in my 11,000 gallon in ground tub. You might want to add chlorine mid soak. I use a Saltron SWG in the hot tub to reduce this annoyance.
- Water can go bad a lot quicker if you don't keep up with maintenance/decide to not use a SWG.
- Drain every 3-6 months with an Ahh some purge. An in ground pool tub used occasionally probably has less biofilms built up if fresh pool water mixes with it after use (spillover feature.) (Some consider draining it a pro as it means you chase maintenance issues less. My fill water is 140 TA so it's a whole day ordeal to get it to maintain pH)
- More pumps/things that might break.
- Higher costs, Possibly disposable. My bullfrog has a 5/7/10 warranty on parts which is the industry best. Compared to a gunnite in ground tub that will probably last 30 years before a 5k replaster job. I'm expecting to spend 10-20k every 10-20 years on just replacing the tub when things die if repairs get too expensive or the shell is a goner. That's possibly $500 - $2k a year in costs for the luxury.
- Counts as personal property and doesn't add to cost basis of home unless you vault it to make it a permanent fixture. An old standalone tub might be a negative in selling your home.
I don't mind having a different body of water. Once you add 30 ppm CYA, a SWG, get TA down to 50, and add 50 ppm borates, you're only reducing pH once a week. Set the SWG to target 4fc then add half a cup of bleach (4oz) to shock it after each useb depending on tub size. Remember you can safely swim at slam levels which is 12 FC for 30 cya. Cya greatly reduces the harshness of using chlorine in a hot tub. Let it air out for 30 minutes after using and you'll likely have no CCs and it'll be back to 4fc. I like to test daily with my OTO test given the temperatures involved to ensure it's safe and trouble free.
If I were designing my own in ground pool I'd do a vaulted hot tub to take care of some of the cons like ease of getting out and socialization, and possibly maintenance/energy cost issues if I can plumb it with the pool water.
There's possibly custom shell makers who could do the hydrotherapy part then have a custom cover designed specifically for that custom build. I'd make sure it's insulated and the like too.
I'd have automation that gives you the choice to mix in fresh pool water to a vaulted tub/custom shell keep FC targets without greatly affecting the temps.
Again, I greatly love my stand alone tub and I'm glad I was able to find a home that didn't have an inground spa and had the space for the stand alone tub.
Wait, your in-ground spa had *11,000* gallons? That's a reasonably sized pool! Or was it part of the pool?
I have a in-ground spa with no pool, and it's 1,500 gallons, and I consider that pretty big.