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Guide
to a Satisfying Spa Ownership Experience The
most important determinate of a satisfying spa ownership experience is choosing
the right spa. To make sure you are
making the right spa purchase for you and your family’s lifestyle, you really
need to make sure you understand the different types and the pros and cons
associate with each. There are
basically two categories of spas: aboveground portables and in-ground types.
The following is a general description of each type, as well as the
advantages and disadvantages of each.
Pros:
lowest initial cost, movable, self-contained, 110 VAC models plug into regular
outlet, always heated, and contoured seating. Cons: has
to be kept covered at all times, heating costs range from $50-$150/month, yearly
maintenance required on wood frame and vinyl cover, electric heaters are not
very powerful and don’t allow you to make temperature adjustments during use,
and takes up valuable patio space.
1)
Oil their wood cabinet and
Armor-All their cover 3 times a year to keep it looking nice. 2)
Are prepared to spend $50 to
$200 per month for electricity to keep it hot all the time. 3) Realize that they can only have one temperature choice for each spa session, as they are not practically adjustable during use. 4)
Place it where it adds to their
landscaping environment, such as pouring a separate concrete slab in the yard
and adding landscaping around it. Potential
Portable Spa Locations Uncovered
Patio Pros: Allows you to look at the sky, which provides a natural relaxing atmosphere. Cons: Exposes your spa to
the harmful effects of the weather, which if not maintained will generally will
shorten the life of the spa. Covered
Patio Pros: Protects your spa from the weather. Cons: Takes away the atmosphere of being outdoors, takes up half of your patio, and becomes a handy place to set junk on. Lattice
Gazebo Pros: Adds a nice landscaping piece and atmosphere to your yard. Cons: You now have both the
spa and the gazebo exposed to the elements, and have more to maintain.
Plus, the birds like to sit on the lattice and drop bombs on or in your
spa! Solid
Gazebo Pros: Adds a nice landscaping piece and atmosphere to your yard and protects your spa. Cons: You still have a structure to maintain, and once in your spa, you lose the natural outside atmosphere. If you want an enclosed area, just put a Jacuzzi tube in you bathroom.
In-ground Spas -
The best way to go! In-ground spas are a more permanent built-in option. There are several types that vary in construction method and material. They differ from portables in the fact that the equipment is put in an inconspicuous place, similar to most pool equipment setups. In-ground spa installation usually cost more, but your spa will generally last longer and get used more frequently. Pros:
becomes a part of your landscaping, eliminates the spa's exterior
maintenance, doesn't take up valuable patio space, equipment can be located
anywhere in yard, have lower monthly utility bill costs, and generally have
larger and more responsive heaters. Cons: higher installation and equipment costs. Types
of In-ground Spas Built in
Cement (Gunite) - Similar
to typical pool construction. Pros: Can be added to
blend into your existing pool. Cons: Un-insulated, long installation time, bench style seating is not as comfortable to sit in, no therapy jet seats, lounges, or head rests, takes longer to heat and you can feel the cold cement while your sitting in it, cannot be moved, and requires resurfacing like pools. Acrylic Pros: Fully insulated, very comfortable to sit in, has a therapy seat & lots of jets, etc., and it can be moved and reused. Cons: Acrylic is sun sensitive, and should be covered at all times when not in use. This tends to limit its use to a hot spa only.
The RockSpoolTM
is made from real rock that is pulverized, combined with resins, and
remanufactured. It’s color,
texture, feel and wear is like that of real rock. The
RockSpoolTM
underneath is fiberglass reinforced for strength, and fully insulated for
heating efficiency. It’s unique
combination of heat-retention and a powerful heater allows it more versatile use
than any other pool or spa product on the market.
It’s five products in all in one, a refreshing cool water pool, heated
pool, water feature, hot spa, and landscape centerpiece. Pros: Fully
insulated, very comfortable to sit in, has a therapy seat & plenty of jets,
does not need a cover, and it is not sun sensitive like acrylics, Plus it adds a
beautiful landscaping centerpiece to your yard with the therapeutic sound of the
waterfall, and it can be moved and reused. Cons: None. Pool
& Spa Heater Type & Size Options Electric
vs. Natural Gas or Propane The decision of what type and size of your heater will be determined by how often you will use your spa, spa size, installation type, & budget. Electric heaters cost less initially, but take longer to heat your spa (often 1 or 2 days initially), and cost more per month to operate. Gas heaters will cost more initially, cost less per month to operate, can heat your spa in 10 minutes, and allow you to change the temperature during your spa session. They also allow you to use the RockSpoolTM for a cool pool, heated pool, waterfall landscape centerpiece, and a hot spa, and allow you to do so within minutes of each other. Heater
Options
Time Required to Heat 400
gallons from 40°
to 100°
F Electric 6 kW = 20,500 btu/hr
7 hours (note: largest available heater in a portable spa) Electric 11 kW = 39,300 btu/hr
4 hours Model 50 gas = 50,000 btu/hr
3 hours Model 125 gas = 125,000 btu/hr
1 hours Model 265 gas = 265,000 btu/hr
25 minutes Model 400 gas = 400,000 btu/hr
19 minutes Pools
vs.
The RockSpoolTM Pools Happy owners of full sized swimming pools or play pools are the ones who really understand what a pool is, how often they will use it, what the maintenance is, and how much they cost to own. The biggest disadvantage to a pool is that for most people they don't get used as much as they thought they would. We believe the biggest reason is that the water is usually too cold. If its not comfortable, people just don't use them. No one showers or gets in the ocean much when the water is too cold. Typical
Pool Use Kids
have a swim season of about 3 months. For adults it is usually about 6 to 8
weeks. The rest of the year it is a landscape feature in your yard. Most adults
typically use a pool by floating on a raft, sitting on the steps, or sitting
around the side. If you want year round use you can add a gas heating system and
insulated cover at a cost of $3,000 to $5,000 initially and $200 to $300 per
month. Pool
Maintenance and Cost Pool
pumps should be run 4 to 6 hours per day in the winter and 8 to 12 hours in the
summer to keep them clean and the chemical levels evenly distributed. This adds
$30 to $60 per month to your electric bill. It is smart to add your water
feature to your filtration cycle pump so that while the pump is running you also
have your waterfall running. Waterfalls add about $4,000 to $10,000 to the cost
of your pool.
Chemical
balance should be checked every week and chemicals added as needed. Cost for
chemicals runs from $20 per month in the wintertime to $60 per month in the
summer. It takes about 1 hour per week to perform proper cleaning. The pool will
need to be acid washed every couple years at a cost of $300 to $600 and
re-plastered every 5 to 10 years at a cost of $1500 to $3,000. Swimming
Pool Pricing Guide If
you purchase a swimming pool from a swimming pool contractor in the winter
months the following is a guide that will give you a ballpark idea of what
swimming pools costs. Base price $15,000+, add $5,000+ for Pebble-Tec, $5,000+
for a waterfall, and add $7000 to add an in ground spa.
If purchased in the summer months add another 30% to this total. RockSpoolTM
The
RockSpoolTM
makes sense to a lot of people because it
combines the best parts of a pool with the best parts of a spa and waterfall in
one package. It is much more affordable than trying to accomplish the same thing
with traditional pool and spa construction, and has much lower monthly cost and
maintenance requirements. Typical
RockSpoolTM
Use
Landscape centerpiece, cold pool, heated pool, hot spa, or just the
soothing sounds of the waterfall, make this the ultimate multi-use backyard
relaxation center 365 days per year. It is large enough for 2 adults to float on
a raft side by side, has 7 seats inside and smooth rocks for sitting around the
edges. RockSpoolTM
Maintenance
and Cost The filtration pump only needs to run 30 minutes per day in the winter and 45 minutes per day in the summer. Chemical balance should be checked every week and chemicals added as needed. Cost for chemicals runs from less than $1 in the wintertime to $2 per month in the summer. It takes less than 3 minutes per week to perform proper cleaning. The RockSpoolTM never needs to be acid washed or re-plastered. The
RockSpoolTM
gives you the versatility of using a beautiful landscape centerpiece that is
also a cold pool, heated pool, hot spa, and a waterfall 7 days a week year
round. And the best part is, it
only takes a couple of minutes per week to take care of it. No wonder the RockSpoolTM
is the ultimate backyard entertainment center! RockSpoolTM
Vs.
The Rest
**
Gunite (cement) draws the heat out of the water, and thus it takes approx. 1 1/2
hours to heat up in the winter. As a result, it doesn’t allow for spontaneous
use or changes in temperature. *
Notes about the features listed above 1)
Insulated:
Insulation is important if you plan to heat your spa especially in the colder
months. UN-insulated spas will add 1 hour to heating time in the winter months. 2)
Heating time:
Heating times are calculated based upon a 265,000 BTU Natural gas or propane
heater, raising 400 gallons of water 40 F 3)
Contour Seating:
Contour therapy seating is very comfortable compared to traditional
uncomfortable bench style seating with uncomfortable neck tile edge to lay your
head on. 4)
Rock Perimeter: Rock perimeter around the entire edge to give that
natural look. 5)
Rock Waterfall: Soothing, therapeutic sounds of flowing water over rock. 6)
Removable: You can take it with you, if and when, you move if you wish. 7)
Sun Sensitive: Acrylic is sun sensitive and will most likely crack from
exposure to the sun if left exposed. 8)
5 feature use: Can be used as a landscape feature with the waterfall
running, and switch to a cold pool, heated pool, or hot spa, within just a few
minutes of each other. 9)
Installation Time: Standard installation times from start to finish 10)
Cleaning Time: Numbers of hours per week it takes to clean. 11)
Price: This price varies based on the options that are chosen. In all
cases, the RockSpoolTM
offers the best value for your money. Compare
for yourself The
RockSpoolTM
gives
you all of this, and for less money 1)
Comfortable contoured therapeutic seating 2)
Full insulation between spa & ground 3)
Rock interior 4)
Rock perimeter 5)
Therapeutic waterfall 6)
Wireless remote controls, allows full control of all equipment without getting
out of the water 7) Hot Spa in only 10 minutes in the summer & 25 minutes in the winter |
