There was a time when a hot tub was one of those luxury items that you might have experienced in a five-star hotel on holiday, but weren’t really practical at home. But increasingly as hot tubs have become more affordable and easier to install it has become possible to bring them to your property with relative ease. If you’re considering having a home hot tub installed then you’ll need to make a key decision: will it be inside or outdoors?
Here’s what you need to know, as advised by L.B. Wells – a writer for prestigious property publications, and with the help of Compass Pools UK has provided this guide to help you make the right choice.
The pros and cons of an outdoor hot tub
One of the major advantages of having an outdoor hot tub is: you’ve got an outdoor hot tub! This is a dream romantic setting sitting in the lovely warm waters under the stars or relaxing on a summer’s day in the sunshine. Ideal for parties, an outside hot tub is perfect for couples or indeed just a place to sit with a book and enjoy some solitude.
Installing a hot tub outdoors is also usually easier and cheaper than trying to have something fitted inside your home. There are less likely to be space issues so you can choose the exact tub that you’re looking for, and there’s no need to worry about potentially problems with water spillage and drainage before you even get started on condensation and humidity issues. This means that if you’ve got your heart set on a hot tub, it is far simpler to place it outdoors.
But that doesn’t mean that there are no disadvantages to placing your hot tub outside. Firstly, depending on the layout of your property you may have less privacy with your outdoor hot tub. How comfortable are you with the possibility for neighbours or strangers having a view of you in the tub?
It’s also worth noting that your outdoor tub is subject to problems caused by inclement weather. It’s not especially pleasant to sit out in the tub when it’s windy, raining and cold. So you are likely to get less use out of it if it’s based outdoors. Also, the fact that it is outside means that it will naturally take more wear and ultimately that means it is likely that more maintenance will be required.
The pros and cons of an indoor hot tub
So what would make you want to have your hot tub indoors? Well, firstly an indoor tub eliminates that problem of nasty weather. If you wish you can enjoy your hot tub every night of the year no matter whether it’s winter or summer. On that same note, it’s worth remembering that an indoor hot tub will turn your bathroom into something like a steam room – this can be perfect for relaxation.
Equally having your hot tub indoors means that there are none of the privacy issues that you might experience if the tub was placed outside. And it may also be consequential to note that your hot tub is more likely to stay clean indoors. Stray leaves, rainwater and more can get into the tub if it is outside, which means you will have to change the water more often. This can be a real benefit for indoor hot tub owners.
Once again, though, choosing an indoor hot tub does come with some inherent drawbacks. Firstly, it is likely to be far more costly to have an indoor tub. This doesn’t necessarily come from the price of the tub itself, but rather the changes you might need to make to your home to accommodate it (more on that in a moment). But even if your home is already perfectly suited for a hot tub, you’ll still need to consider the shape and size may be limited by the dimensions of the room that you are going to put it in.
It’s also worth noting that hot tubs are very heavy. Filled up with water and with people in them, the tub might have a total weight of nearly 2,000kg. That means that you’ll need to sit the hot tub on very sturdy flooring or you can risk breaking or cracking it.
Things to consider before you install indoors
If you do decide to go with an indoor hot tub then there are some important things you’ll need to consider first. Getting out of a hot tub will mean you deposit up to a gallon of water onto the floor. This is no problem outside, but indoors it means you will need to install some form of drainage. Equally, you’ll need to think about what is currently covering the floor. Clearly both wooden flooring and carpet are not suitable.
You also need to prepare for moisture – and not just on the floor. Hot tubs inside make for very humid conditions which can end up damaging the inside of a room if left unchecked. You’ll need to install an extractor fan at the very least.
And finally, you need to make sure you choose the right kind of hot tub. It’s worth talking to professional suppliers with a good understanding of indoor installations so that they can guide you to the best kind of tub for you.
