Health now the biggest reason to get home spas
New designs easier to install, offer better technology
After a long day, there’s nothing quite as comforting as relaxing at home. While some opt to get cosy under a blanket or curl up with a book, others are taking home relaxation to the next level by installing therapeutic spas in their backyards.
Contemporary home spas have grown in popularity due to their affordability and simplicity, and the fact that they’re suitable for a huge range of properties.
“Because you don’t need that much space, pretty much any property can support having a spa,” said Alain Gravel, marketing director at Trevi. “There are also many options for smaller spas if your space is limited.”
Installation has become increasingly simple over the years. Preparing the ground is the most complicated part of having a spa installed, and even that only entails packing and levelling off four to six inches of gravel.
“The spa just rests on top of that,” Gravel said. “It’s very easy, because you don’t need to have any water connections hooked up; the only professional you need is an electrician, as most models can’t be plugged into a regular outlet.”
Its easy installation means that the unit is also very mobile, allowing homeowners to relocate the spa to another property if they decide to move.
When choosing the location of your home spa, it’s best to think in terms of convenience, especially given the inclement weather in Quebec.
“You don’t want to be running across the backyard to take a soak in the winter,” Gravel said. “Ideally, you want to position it close to your door for easy access.”
Home spas have been growing in popularity in recent years for many reasons. But people’s concern with maintaining and improving their health and well-being is the main driver behind the growing trend, says Gravel.
“In my experience, there are two kinds of customers buying spas: young professionals who live a very comfortable lifestyle, have a good job, and own their own home; and then those 50 years and older whose kids have left the family home,” Gravel said.
What these two groups have in common is the attention they pay to their health.
“They tend to take good care of them- selves by eating well and exercising,” Gravel said. “They’re health conscious, and it’s a growing movement, so it’s wonderful that people are reaping the benefits of spas.”
When you soak in the spa for 30 minutes a few nights each week, it can improve your blood pressure and circulation, while hydrotherapy jets relax your muscles, resulting in improved sleep, he added.
The therapeutic properties of contemporary spas seem to have changed the whole purpose of owning one.
“It used to be a place to invite people over, have drinks and socialize,” Gravel said. “It’s of course still used for that, but the therapeutic benefits are the strongest motivator for owning one today.”
The biggest evolution in home spa systems over the last decade has been the intro- duction of technology to the units, allowing homeowners to control elements such as temperature with their mobile devices.
“Let’s say one day at work, you invite people to come over later on, well, now you can set the heat of the spa while you’re still at the office so that it’s ready to use when you get home,” Gravel said. “Or if you’re going on vacation, you can monitor the spa via the app to make sure there are no fluctuations in temperature.”
Bluetooth radios with built-in speakers are also popular in many models because their inclusion allows people to play their own music right from the spa.
Aside from new technology, the latest design trend in home spas is to make them as multi-functional as possible. For instance, Trevi’s 3-in-1 spa model ranges from 14 to 18 feet in length, offering a regular spa on one end, and strong jets creating a current to swim against at the other end.
“It’s incredible,” Gravel said. “It’s a spa, pool, and gym, all in one; it’s really growing in popularity, and I expect it to continue that way.”
In addition to these exciting developments, modern spas are equipped with the most up-to-date jets, offering a thermal experience beyond the standards of previous years.
“Today’s spas don’t even compare to what we had in the past,” Gravel said. “They’ve changed so much; the units now are simple, effective, affordable, and customizable to a large extent; that’s why anyone considering one should do their research and learn how easy it is to own one.”