My wife and I are discussing the differences between a hot tub and a spa. Can someone shed some light on this as I think they are both the same? My wife says a hot tub is an outdoor cedar tub and a spa is a jetted acrylic type tub that can be found indoors or out. Thanks for the info.
Jim
Well, the acrylic jetted type tub have out on the deck was called a hot tub by the place that sold it and by the town when they required all kinds of inspections when we had it installed.
They're basically the same thing. Now OTOH, a cedar *room*, either indoor or outdoor that is basically a dry heat box, is called a Sauna, and that's about as close as I can come to her apparent confusion. BTW, most Spas/Hot Tubs are setup outdoors, there's really no attraction for most people to having them inside, and the constant presence of hot moist air that surrounds one is not all that good for walls and ceilings. Hope That Helped.
The tub your wife is talking about is a jacuzzi tub. I'd love to have one, but just don't have the room. And maybe someday we'll get the plumbing fixed on our hot tub/spa so that I can enjoy that instead.
They are both the same thing. The names have two different origins but they have come to mean the same thing. Advertisements use the words interchangeably. Kind of like the difference between a vaaase and a vase. "Jim & Lil" wrote in message
Location does not determine whether it's a spa or a hot tub. An acrylic laminated tub is a spa. Older spas generally had a gelcoat finish. Hot tubs are usually redwood, although occasionally more exotic and costly woods are used. I've worked in the pool and spa industry in N. California for 20 years and can tell you that wooden tubs are rare these days. As they fail, people often install vinyl liners or fiberglas/acrylic inserts or simply remove the tub and install a spa. Finally, it is not a "jacuzzi tub" unless manufactured by Jacuzzi Whirlpool Bath. Other manufacturers produce jetted baths.
Good luck DC
Actually, your wife is correct. Though the terms have become interchageable in the last few decades. The original hot tubs were wine vats in California, traditionally filled with hot water but without jets or often heaters. Similar to a Japanese ofuro, except not a deep narrow tub for one. Spas were jetted, and other materials besides wood, acrylic and cement are common. Indoor spas were just jetted tubs or Whirlpools, the first manufacturer of a jetted tub.
Since then, manufacturers have adopted many names and terms that cross boundaries.
Jeff
Your wife is correct. They're always correct. Don't you know anything? What the hell is the matter with you?
Had a friend in Texas years ago that used to entice the young ladies back to his place with promises of dips in his hot tub. It always worked...once. His hot tub was a galvanized stock tank under which he built a fire.
Always rem> >
Jim,
I think the two terms are generally used interchangeably.
However, in "my" opinion a "Hot Tub" is just a tub of hot water used for soaking. It was traditionally a large wooden tub made from wine vats and whatnot, but can be made of any material.
I consider a "spa" to be a hot tub that has the addition of blowing bubbles.
And, as another poster mentioned, "spa" is also used to describe the places you go to to get your hair done up, get a facial, have a massage, etc. Basically a day of pampering.
But, for all intents and purposes, "Spa" and "Hot Tub" describe the same thing.
Anthony Watson
They are more or less interchangable marketing terms at this point. The hot tub, was originally a west coast adaptation of a japanese bath. It was usually a large wine cask that had been cut in half, with some sort of filter/heating system added. These wine casks are huge, and when they are no longer good for wine, krazy kalifornians figured out how to reuse them. We had one on our ranch on the outskirts of Santa Cruz Californina in the late 60's and 70's. My brother was a glassblower, and we built a heat exchanger from his glass furnaces that had to run 24/7 anyway. I think we had about 6 people at a time in it. We used a small swimming pool filter to run it. We were very careful about keeping the water sanitized. Many hippy-dippy people in those days didn't, and many women suffered plumbing problems of their own as a result.
Today, I have a modern hot tub ( I never call it a spa) made from acrylic, and with very sophisticated plumbing, heater, water jets, air blowers, and computer controls. I have joint problems, and it really makes a huge diffence for me. My wife just plain likes to unwind by soaking in it. I compare it to pushing a "reset" button after a hard day.
The basic qualifying difference between a hot tub/spa, and a bathtub is the fact that you recirculate the water, and don't fill and drain it every time you use it. An indoor jetted bathtub is an indoor jetted bathtub. Personally, I regard the use of "spa" for a tub to be silly fluff in any context.
BB
Which ever one you decide to get make sure you can get at least 3 adults in at the same time.Have fun!
A spa is more for leisure or getting steamed up then jump in the pool to cool off. You should not go into one dirty. You will need chlorine or some type of a water treatment.
The hot tub is to get the dirt off your body fill with bubbles and let the water out when finished.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.